Browse live programmes
Residency and citizenship by investment programmes that are currently open, with the qualifying routes for each country.
Head-to-head Comparison
UAE vs Singapore
UAE's 0% personal income tax 10-year visa vs Singapore's GIP at S$2.5M+. Tax substance, banking, and family-office structuring compared.
UAE Golden Visa vs Singapore GIP
UAE
Min. Investment
AED 2,000,000
Processing
7–10 working days (Dubai)
Visa-Free
180 countries
Family
Included
Singapore
Min. Investment
S$10,000,000
Processing
About 12 months
Visa-Free
195 countries
Family
Included
| Dimension | UAE | Singapore |
|---|---|---|
| Min. investment | AED 2,000,000 | S$10,000,000 |
| Processing time | 7–10 working days (Dubai) | About 12 months |
| Visa-free countries | 180 | 195 |
| Family included | Yes | Yes |
| Tax benefit | Yes | Partial |
| Citizenship pathway | After residency | After residency |
Citizen Sure verdict
Both are premium Asia-region residencies with no inherent path to citizenship — both are about substance and tax positioning. UAE wins decisively on cost (AED 2M ≈ $545K vs Singapore S$2.5M+ ≈ $1.85M) and on tax (0% personal income vs Singapore's territorial top tier). Singapore wins on banking depth, regulatory respectability with Western banks, and the world's #1 passport for those who eventually pursue naturalisation. The decision is whether your priority is tax efficiency now (UAE) or institutional respectability with a long-shot citizenship play (Singapore).
Pick UAE when…
- Want 0% personal income tax with documented substance
- AED 2M is your investment ceiling — Singapore is 3.5× higher
- Plan to use Dubai as family-office headquarters or holding base
- 10-year renewable visa with no fixed citizenship pathway
Pick Singapore when…
- Have S$2.5M+ to commit to a Singapore-substantive enterprise
- World's #1 passport (after eventual naturalisation at 2+ years)
- Want institutional respectability for global banking + family office
- Can sustain meaningful on-shore Singapore presence
Trade-offs to know
- UAE's tax-residency certificate requires genuine substance — staffed office, signed lease, days in country.
- Singapore GIP requires the investment remain in a job-creating, on-shore Singapore enterprise.
- UAE Golden Visa is renewable but does not naturalise; Singapore GIP can convert to PR and citizenship.
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Compare live programmes on eligibility, timelines and family rules, check where you qualify, then read the country guides before you book a paid 60-minute consultation.
Compare programmes
See two or more programmes side by side: investment routes, processing stages, family inclusion and residence rules.
Check your eligibility
Answer a few questions about your nationality, family and goals to see which programmes may fit.
Read the country guides
Plain guides to each programme: requirements, documents, due diligence and the steps from application to approval.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper: UAE or Singapore?
UAE starts at AED 2,000,000; Singapore starts at S$10,000,000. The cheaper headline doesn't always reflect total cost, recoverable investments (Turkey, some real-estate routes) net out differently from non-recoverable donations.
Which processes faster: UAE or Singapore?
UAE processes in 7–10 working days (Dubai); Singapore processes in About 12 months. Verify current timing with a senior advisor, published windows assume clean diligence files.
Can family members be included?
UAE includes spouse and dependent children. Singapore includes spouse and dependent children. Inclusion of parents and siblings varies, see each programme's detail page.
Which has better visa-free reach?
UAE grants visa-free access to 180 countries; Singapore grants visa-free access to 195. Reach is a moving target, check current bilateral status before relying on it for travel planning.
Do these programmes lead to citizenship?
Golden Visa is residency, the citizenship pathway depends on naturalisation rules. Residency is residency, the citizenship pathway depends on naturalisation rules.
Can I compare other programmes as well?
Yes. Open the compare tool to add up to five programmes side by side, or browse the other pair pages linked below.
Are the figures on this page up to date?
Each row is drawn from our programme records, which are reviewed when governments publish changes. Check the programme page and the changes log for the latest updates before you decide.
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