Buying and the process

Can I buy property in Dubai as a foreigner?

Yes. In areas designated for foreign ownership by the Ruler of Dubai (freehold areas), foreigners may purchase property as freehold ownership with no time limit. Alternatively, usufruct and leasehold rights of up to 99 years are available there. You do not need to live in the UAE to buy.

Sources: Law No. 7 of 2006, Article 4 · Government portal u.ae: Buying property in Dubai

How does buying a completed apartment work?

Buyer and seller first sign the purchase contract, called “Contract F” in the Dubai Land Department (DLD) system. The developer then issues an electronic no-objection certificate (e-NOC). Finally, the transfer is registered at a DLD Registration Trustee Office, and the title deed is issued.

Sources: DLD Real Estate Brokerage Practice Guide 2024 (PDF) · DLD: Property Sale Registration

How does buying from a developer (off-plan) work?

You sign the Sale and Purchase Agreement directly with the developer. The developer must register it in the interim register, known as Oqood, within 90 days. Without this registration, the sale is void under Dubai law.

Sources: DLD: Request to Register the Initial Sale · Law No. 13 of 2008, Article 3

Do I have to travel to Dubai to complete the purchase?

No. You can be represented at the transfer by a power of attorney holder. Since July 2025, a power of attorney issued outside the UAE has had to meet stricter requirements: no more than two years old, notarised in the country of issue, legalised by the UAE Embassy and the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, translated into Arabic and limited to the specific transaction. Fully digital purchase via the Dubai Now app is available only to holders of an Emirates ID.

Sources: DLD: Property Sale Registration · Law firm BSA on DLD Circular 29/R/2025 (August 2025) · DLD: Digital Sale on Dubai Now (October 2025)

Costs

What additional costs come on top of the purchase price?

For a completed apartment at AED 1.5 million, expect around 6.4 % of the purchase price. These items apply:

• Dubai Land Department registration fee: 4 % of the purchase price. Officially buyer and seller each pay 2 %, in practice the buyer usually pays the full 4 %.
• Registration Trustee fee: AED 4,000 plus 5 % VAT for purchase prices from AED 500,000, below that AED 2,000 plus VAT.
• Title deed AED 250, location plan (mastplan) AED 250, plus AED 10 each for the Knowledge and Innovation fees.
• Broker commission: not set by law, typically 2 % plus 5 % VAT.
• With financing, additionally the mortgage registration: 0.25 % of the loan amount plus fees.

The worked example for AED 1.5 million: 60,000 for the DLD, 4,200 for the Trustee, 520 for the title deed and fees and 31,500 for the broker — around AED 96,000 in total. When buying off-plan, the 4 % fee also applies, registered through the Oqood register.

Since February 2025, banks are no longer allowed to finance the DLD fee or the broker commission as part of the mortgage. You pay these costs from your own funds.

Sources: DLD: Property Sale Registration · DLD: Request to Register the Initial Sale · DLD: Mortgage Registration · Bylaw No. 85 of 2006 regulating the real estate brokers register, Article 27 · Property Finder: DLD fees (as of July 2026) · The National, 25 January 2025

What ongoing costs will I have as an owner?

As an owner you pay annual service charges for common areas and maintenance. The regulator RERA must approve them in advance, and they are allocated according to the size of your unit. The approved rates for every project are listed in the DLD Service Charge Index.

Dubai does not levy an annual property tax. Instead, it charges a fee of 5 % of the annual rental value. If you rent out the apartment, the tenant pays this fee.

Sources: Law No. 6 of 2019 on jointly owned property, Article 27 · DLD: Service Charge Index · PwC Tax Summaries: UAE, Other taxes · Government portal u.ae: Leasing a property

Safety

How safe is my money when buying from a developer?

A developer may only sell off-plan apartments if the project is registered with the DLD and they have opened an escrow account. Your payments go into this account and may be used only for the construction of exactly this project. For the registration, the developer must also show 30 % construction progress, a bank guarantee of 30 % or a cash deposit of the same amount.

Sources: Law No. 8 of 2007 on escrow accounts, Articles 6 and 9 · DLD: Register Project · DLD: Frequently asked questions

How do I recognise a reputable broker?

Brokers in Dubai need a licence and an entry in the brokers register; without both, brokerage is prohibited. You can view the list of all brokers licensed by the regulator RERA on the DLD website or in the Dubai REST app. Property listings carry a “Madmoun” QR code that lets you check whether the listing is approved. REAL DUBAI is registered with RERA under number ORN 33742.

Sources: Bylaw No. 85 of 2006, Article 3 · DLD: Licensed Real Estate Brokers · DLD: Frequently asked questions · DLD: Madmoun QR code (April 2023) · Imprint REAL DUBAI

Residence and visas

Does buying property get me the Golden Visa?

Yes, if your properties are together worth at least AED 2 million. The Golden Visa is valid for 10 years and can be renewed. Off-plan purchases also count, provided the developer is licensed in the UAE.

The property may be mortgaged, provided the loan comes from a bank licensed in the UAE. You will then need confirmation from the bank that it has no objection. With joint ownership, your own share must be worth at least AED 2 million.

You can include your spouse, children and parents. Health insurance is mandatory for you and your family.

Sources: DLD: Golden Visa for real estate investors · ICP: UAE Golden Residency · GDRFA Dubai: Golden Residence for real estate investors

Do I lose the Golden Visa if I live mostly outside the UAE?

No. Holders of a normal residence permit may generally not stay outside the UAE for more than six months at a stretch. This limit does not apply to the Golden Visa; you can enter at any time as long as it is valid.

Sources: Government portal u.ae: Golden Visa · ICP: Stays of more than six months abroad

Is there also a visa for smaller investments?

Yes, the DLD’s two-year investor visa. There is no longer a minimum amount: sole owners can apply regardless of the property’s value, co-owners from a share of AED 400,000. According to the DLD, the visa fee is AED 10,212.50.

Source: DLD: Investor Visa

Financing and renting out

Can I get financing in Dubai as a foreigner?

In principle, yes. The UAE central bank caps the loan-to-value ratio for foreigners at 80 % for a first home up to AED 5 million, 70 % above that and 60 % for a second or investment property. Off-plan purchases may be financed at most 50 %, and the term is 25 years at most.

For buyers without UAE residence, banks set their own limits. Mashreq Bank, for example, finances up to 50 % of the market value for them. You always pay the purchase costs from your own funds.

Sources: UAE Central Bank: Mortgage Regulations, Article 3 · Mashreq: Home loan for non-residents · The National, 25 January 2025

May I rent out my apartment, including as a holiday home?

Yes. Every tenancy contract in Dubai must be registered via the Ejari system; via the Dubai REST app it costs AED 177.75. For short-term rental as a holiday home you additionally need a licence from the Department of Economy and Tourism (DET). Without this licence, holiday rentals in Dubai are not permitted.

Sources: Tenancy Law No. 26 of 2007 as amended by Law No. 33 of 2008, Article 4 · DLD: Ejari registration · Decree No. 41 of 2013 on holiday homes, Article 3 · Law No. 20 of 2021 establishing the DET

Taxes and inheritance

Do I pay tax in Dubai on rental income or capital gains?

Not as a private individual. The UAE levies no personal income tax. The 9 % corporate tax introduced in 2023 does not cover private real estate income, as long as you do not rent out through a trade licence or would be required to.

Residential rents and sales of residential property are generally exempt from VAT; only the first sale of a new residential property is rated at 0 %. There is no inheritance or gift tax in the UAE.

Sources: Government portal u.ae: Other taxes · Government portal u.ae: Corporate Tax · Tax authority FTA: Real Estate Investment guide for natural persons (PDF) · UAE Ministry of Finance: Value Added Tax · PwC Tax Summaries: UAE, Other taxes

Do I also pay tax in my home country?

That depends on the country where you are tax resident. Germany, Sweden, Norway and Spain, for example, tax their residents on their worldwide income. This includes rent and capital gains from a property in Dubai. It also matters whether your country has a double taxation agreement with the UAE:

• Germany: The agreement expired at the end of 2021, and there is no new one yet. Both countries declared on 10 September 2026 that they are negotiating. Our German FAQ explains the details.
• Sweden: There is no double taxation agreement with the UAE, only an agreement on the exchange of information in tax matters.
• Norway: There is no double taxation agreement either. An agreement on the exchange of information in tax matters has been in force since 2017.
• Spain: A double taxation agreement has been in force since 2007. Spain deducts tax paid in the UAE from Spanish income tax. As the UAE levies no income tax on this income, there is usually nothing to deduct.

Please clarify your personal situation with a tax adviser in your country before you buy.

Sources: BMF: Status of double taxation agreements as of 1 January 2026 (German) · Joint declaration UAE–Germany, 10 September 2026 · § 1 EStG (German Income Tax Act) · Swedish Income Tax Act, Chapter 3, Section 8 (Swedish) · Swedish Government: information exchange agreement with the UAE, 2015 (Swedish) · PwC Tax Summaries: Sweden, treaty countries · Norwegian Tax Administration: property abroad and tax treaties · Norwegian Parliament: answer of the Minister of Finance, 18 January 2019 (Norwegian) · Law firm Melo: Tax in the UAE, 2025 · Spanish Tax Agency: foreign income of residents (Spanish) · Spain–UAE double taxation agreement, Articles 6, 13 and 22 (Spanish)

Do I need a will in Dubai?

We recommend it. Since February 2023, a dedicated federal law applies to non-Muslim foreigners: without a will, the spouse inherits half and the other half is divided equally among the children. However, the law speaks of foreigners living in the UAE. Whether it also applies to owners living abroad has not been conclusively clarified.

You can register a will with the Wills Service of the DIFC Courts, even without UAE residence and entirely by video appointment.

Sources: Federal Law No. 41 of 2022 on civil personal status, Article 11 · Law firm Withers on the situation for non-residents (October 2024) · DIFC Courts: Wills FAQ

Working with REAL DUBAI

What is free of charge for buyers with you?

When you buy with us, we support you at no extra cost with your UAE visa, bank account opening and will setup. You only pay the official fees charged by the relevant authorities or service providers.

Do you also help after the purchase?

Yes. We are happy to support you with long-term or short-term renting out of your apartment and with furnishing. What that costs depends on the scope, and we agree on it with you in advance.

How does the strategy call work, and what does it cost?

The strategy call is free and non-binding. It lasts between 20 and 60 minutes, depending on how much you want to clarify, and takes place by phone or Zoom in English, German, Swedish, Norwegian or Spanish. Together we look at your goal, your budget and your timeframe, and at which type of investor you are. At the end you will know whether property in Dubai suits you and what a sensible next step looks like.

Book a free strategy call

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Last updated: September 2026. The answers summarise the legal situation in general terms and do not replace legal or tax advice in individual cases.