Questions and answers · October 2026
Property in Dubai for foreigners: ownership, areas, visas and inheritance
The ownership questions foreign buyers ask before anything else, with the rules as they stand.
"Can a foreigner buy property in Dubai" is asked in every market I measured, and the related searches are about freehold, leases, visas and what happens to the property when you die. The rules are clear and have been stable since 2006; here they are.
Can foreigners buy property in Dubai?
Yes. Since Law 7 of 2006, non-UAE and non-GCC nationals can own property freehold in the areas the Ruler designates, and a title deed is issued in the owner's name by the Dubai Land Department. No residency, visa or local partner is required. Outside the designated areas, foreigners can hold long leases of up to 99 years or usufruct rights rather than freehold.
Which areas are freehold for foreigners?
Most of the communities an international buyer would consider: Dubai Marina, JBR, Palm Jumeirah, Downtown and Business Bay, Dubai Hills, Jumeirah Village Circle and Triangle, Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Arabian Ranches, Damac Hills, Dubai South, Dubai Creek Harbour, Dubai Islands, Bluewaters, Emaar Beachfront, Al Furjan, Motor City, Sports City, Silicon Oasis, International City and Dubailand among them. Older districts such as Deira, Bur Dubai and most of Jumeirah are not freehold for foreigners. The deed states the ownership type.
Freehold or leasehold: what is the difference?
Freehold means you own the unit, or the villa and its plot, in perpetuity, can sell, let, mortgage or bequeath it, and your name is on the Land Department title. Leasehold means a registered lease for a fixed term, commonly 99 years, after which the property reverts to the freeholder unless renewed. Almost everything marketed to foreign buyers is freehold; check the title before you sign.
What visa comes with buying property?
Two routes. Property worth AED 750,000 or more qualifies the owner for a two-year renewable investor residence visa, sponsored through the Dubai Land Department. Property worth AED 2,000,000 or more qualifies for the ten-year Golden Visa under federal rules, including off-plan from an approved developer and mortgaged property from an approved local bank. Both allow you to sponsor family. Details and fees are on the Golden Visa page.
What happens to my Dubai property when I die?
By default, UAE courts may apply Sharia inheritance rules to assets in the UAE, which can distribute property differently from your home-country will. Non-Muslim owners can register a will with the DIFC Courts Wills Service or with Dubai Courts, which directs the Dubai property to the heirs you choose. Most foreign owners do this at purchase. It is a modest cost against the alternative.
What does it cost to buy, beyond the price?
A 4 per cent Dubai Land Department transfer fee plus AED 580 administration fee for a unit; agency commission customarily 2 per cent plus VAT; a mortgage registration fee of 0.25 per cent of any loan; and the trustee office fee at transfer, AED 4,000 or AED 2,000 depending on value. Service charges are then payable annually per square foot at a rate set for each building or community and published by RERA.
Can I let the property out?
Yes, long-term through an Ejari-registered tenancy under Dubai's rental law, or short-term as a holiday home through a licensed operator registered with the Department of Economy and Tourism. Rents are not taxed in the UAE, though your home country may tax them. The next edition of the index adds registered rents and gross yields by community from the Land Department's rent contracts.
Can a foreign company or trust own Dubai property?
Yes, through structures the Land Department recognises, including a Dubai or DIFC company, and certain offshore companies registered with the DLD. Family offices use this for succession and to hold several units together. The structure should be chosen before purchase, since transferring a property into one later triggers the transfer fee again.
Related
Sources
- Dubai Land Department: registering a sale (fees)
- ICP: UAE Golden Residency
- DIFC Courts Wills Service
- Dubai Property Index by Natalie Burešová
General information, not investment, legal or tax advice. Prices are medians of registered sales from the Dubai Land Department, updated 16 October 2026.
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