A foreigner can own property in Dubai — in designated areas and under defined rights. The procedure is transparent and fast, but it has details that are most expensive to learn after signing.
The order of the deal
- Choose the property and check the developer or the seller
- Agree price and terms, sign the contract form
- Pay the deposit
- Obtain the developer's NOC for a resale
- Register the transfer at the Dubai Land Department (DLD) through a registration trustee
- Receive the title deed
What it costs beyond the price
The main item is the DLD transfer fee of 4% of the price (formally 2% from each side; in practice the buyer usually pays all of it). Then the fixed fees: title deed issuance AED 250, property map AED 250, small "knowledge" and "innovation" fees of AED 10 each, and the registration trustee — AED 4,000 plus VAT for a price of AED 500,000 or more. For a property at AED 2 million, government and mandatory fees come to AED 84,720, of which AED 80,000 is the DLD fee itself. On top come the developer's NOC, the agent's commission and, with a mortgage, valuation and bank fees; as a rough guide, total buyer costs run 7–8% above the price with cash and 8–9% with a mortgage.
What must be checked
- The seller's title and the absence of encumbrances
- Outstanding service charges — they follow the property
- Whether the actual area matches the documents
- Project and developer status, if the property is off-plan
- Ownership restrictions for foreigners in the area
How long it takes
With a completed property and documents in order — usually weeks. The slowest items are the developer's NOC and, if the buyer is abroad, legalisation of the power of attorney. We will need your passport, funds in a UAE account or a documented source of the transfer, and your decision after the property check.
Money from abroad
Bringing the purchase funds in is its own task. The UAE bank that receives the payment will ask for the source of funds with documents. This is resolved before the contract is signed, not after the deposit is paid: a missed payment under the contract usually means losing the deposit.
The order in which money is not lost
The property and the seller are checked before the deposit is paid, not after. The deposit is paid under a contract that spells out what happens if either side withdraws and if encumbrances are found. This is the only protection against the situation where the check finds a problem, the money is already with the seller, and he has no obligation to return it.
The power of attorney
If you are not in the country, the power of attorney is prepared and legalised in advance. The UAE is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, so a foreign power of attorney goes through consular legalisation — the steps your own country requires, then the UAE embassy and the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs — and is translated into Arabic by a translator licensed by the UAE Ministry of Justice. An incorrectly prepared one is rejected, the deal stops — and the contract deadlines keep running.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need residency to buy?
No. Buying does not require a residence visa. The reverse applies: a property worth AED 2 million or more can, subject to conditions, become the basis for a 10-year Golden Visa.
Can I buy remotely?
Some steps can be done by power of attorney, but it must be prepared and legalised correctly or it will be rejected.
What happens to the property when I die?
The question most often postponed. For non-Muslims the federal civil personal status law applies, but uncertainty and frozen bank accounts until a court order remain — which is why a will is registered at the same time as the purchase, not "later".
This is a general framework, not legal advice. UAE law changes, and procedures differ between emirates and free zones. We review each situation individually.