Dubai's income route is higher than the federal one: AED 240,000 a year (AED 20,000 a month) for an application from Dubai, against AED 180,000 a year (AED 15,000 a month) at federal level. The UAE government portal states both figures, but many guides flip the labels or quote only one, which is why AED 15,000 and AED 20,000 get attributed to different places. If you live in Dubai, plan around AED 240,000, and remember that renewal tests the same condition again.
The Two Figures Side by Side
| Dubai application | Federal (elsewhere in the UAE) | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fixed income | AED 240,000 | AED 180,000 |
| Monthly equivalent | AED 20,000 | AED 15,000 |
| Where the income can come from | Inside or outside the UAE | Inside or outside the UAE |
| Currency | Foreign-currency equivalent accepted | Foreign-currency equivalent accepted |
| Evidence | Six months of bank statements and a letter confirming the source of income | A bank certificate, six months of statements and evidence of the source |
The UAE government portal is the source for both numbers. As quoted in 2026 analyses, it sets the federal figure at AED 180,000 a year and states that an application from Dubai needs an annual fixed income of at least AED 240,000. Visit Dubai and GDRFA use AED 240,000 for the Dubai income route.
Why AED 15,000 and AED 20,000 Get Attributed to Different Places
Sources genuinely disagree on the labels. Some guides, including older press coverage and one government-services centre, describe AED 15,000 a month as the Dubai figure and AED 20,000 as the federal one, which is the reverse of the portal wording above. Others quote only the AED 20,000 figure without saying it is the Dubai number. If you are applying from Dubai, plan around AED 240,000 a year and check the wording on the GDRFA or Visit Dubai page before you file.
What Counts as Income
- Pension, dividends, investment income, rental income or any combination, from inside or outside the UAE.
- It has to be fixed. The government wording is annual fixed income, and the six months of bank statements have to show it arriving consistently, at or above the monthly figure.
- Keep business and personal money apart. For business owners, dividends or salary should be clearly documented and paid into a personal account regularly, since mixing the two can lead to rejection.
- The source needs proof. That means a letter from the pension provider or social security authority, translated and attested if it was issued abroad.
- Currency matters. The threshold is in dirhams. If your pension is paid in another currency, check what it converts to when you file, because a weaker currency can pull you below the line.
The UAE charges no personal income tax on pension or investment income, as covered in our guide to whether Dubai has income tax, though your home country's rules are separate.
The Other Routes for Comparison
| Route | What it asks |
|---|---|
| Income | AED 240,000 a year from Dubai, AED 180,000 federally |
| Savings | AED 1 million in a UAE fixed deposit, with the holding period reported as two or three years depending on the source, and overseas funds moved to the UAE within 60 days of the visa being issued |
| Property | AED 1 million in completed property, or AED 1 million paid if it is mortgaged |
| Combination | AED 500,000 in property plus AED 500,000 in a fixed deposit |
One 2026 analysis of the federal page notes that its wording pairs the AED 1 million property condition with AED 1 million of savings, while most summaries treat them as alternatives. Dubai's own services list property and savings as separate routes.
What Happens at Renewal If Your Income Drops
The retirement visa runs for five years and renews on the same terms it was first granted, provided the financial conditions are still met when you renew. Renewal is a new application with updated documents, filed before expiry, and it is not automatic. No source we found describes a mid-term income check, so renewal is where the test happens.
| Scenario | Likely result |
|---|---|
| Pension of AED 22,000 a month, steady for six months | Meets the Dubai figure |
| Pension falls to AED 19,000 a month at renewal | AED 228,000 a year is below AED 240,000, so the income route fails for a Dubai application |
| A large one-off payment in a single month | Not fixed income, and it does not cure a shortfall in the other months |
| Income has dipped but you hold AED 1 million in a UAE fixed deposit | Renew through the savings route instead |
Do not assume the federal AED 180,000 figure rescues a Dubai renewal. The government wording ties the AED 240,000 figure to applying from Dubai. If your income has fallen short, you have four moves:
- Switch route. Savings, property or the combination route can replace income as the basis, if you hold the assets.
- Start early. Renewals can be opened up to about six months before expiry, which leaves time to rebuild your evidence, and our guide to UAE residence visa renewal covers the checklist and grace periods.
- Look at another basis for residency. If you hold AED 2 million in property, our UAE Golden Visa services page covers the ten-year route, and a family member may be able to sponsor you under the dependant visa rules.
- Do not let it lapse. Grace periods depend on the visa category, and after grace the overstay fine is AED 50 a day.
A Planning Checklist
- Twelve months before expiry, add up the last six months of deposits and compare each month with AED 20,000.
- Keep pension and investment income flowing into one account, and avoid mixing business money.
- Convert foreign-currency income at today's rate and note how much margin you have above the line.
- Decide your fallback route while there is time to build it.
- Request pension and source-of-income letters early, and attest and translate any issued abroad.
- Open the renewal early and file well before expiry.
Our guides to a mortgaged or shared property, to staying outside the UAE and moving to a Golden Visa, and to the most common rejection reasons cover the other routes and risks.
Test Your Income Before You File
The Dubai income route asks for AED 240,000 a year, higher than the federal AED 180,000, and it is tested again at every renewal. Check your last six months against the monthly figure, keep a fallback route ready, and confirm the current wording on the GDRFA or Visit Dubai page. This is general information, and thresholds change. Takween Advisory tests your position against all three routes through our retirement visa service. Book a free consultation before you file or renew.