Dubai authorities issued 1,051,978 new residency permits in the first half of 2026, according to the emirate’s General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA).
During the same period, 910,552 existing residence permits were renewed, and more than 5.078 million entry permits were issued to foreigners in various categories. The number of long-term Golden Visas issued totaled approximately 66,000.
However, the figure of 1 million permits does not mean that Dubai’s population increased by the same number of people over the six-month period. Some of the recipients may have already been in the emirate on tourist, work, or other visas. The statistics also do not account for foreigners who left Dubai or did not renew their residency.
According to the authorities, all immigration services in Dubai have been digitized, and the average processing time for a single transaction is less than four minutes. Customer satisfaction is estimated at 95%.
“Golden Visas” are granted to investors, entrepreneurs, scientists, skilled professionals, cultural and sports figures, as well as certain categories of students and graduates. This visa allows holders to reside in the UAE for an extended period without a traditional employer sponsor and to apply for residency for family members.
Dubai’s population at the end of 2024 was approximately 4.25 million. Men accounted for 68.5% of the emirate’s residents, a figure attributed to the large number of foreign workers arriving without their families.
The UAE as a whole is home to people of more than 200 nationalities, with foreigners making up the overwhelming majority of the population. The largest group consists of people from India. Significant communities have been formed by citizens of Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Iran, Egypt, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. UAE citizens make up a minority of the country’s population.
The rapid influx of residents is driving demand for housing, commercial real estate, schools, healthcare, and transportation. At the same time, population growth is increasing the strain on Dubai’s roads, utilities, and public transportation.
