Insights · Buying from abroad
Buying from abroad,
step by step.
You can buy property in Dubai without flying in for most of the process: viewing, reviewing the contract and, for off-plan, paying into the project's escrow can all happen remotely. One step needs a signature in Dubai: the final transfer at a DLD-approved Real Estate Registration Trustee office, done by you or by someone you trust under a Power of Attorney legalised for use in the UAE.
What you can do without a flight
- View on a video call or virtual tour, before you commit.
- Review the sales agreement with our team, line by line.
- On off-plan, pay into the project's own escrow account, never to a person. Dubai Law No. 8 of 2007 requires off-plan payments to go there.
The one step that needs a signature
The final transfer is signed at a DLD-approved Real Estate Registration Trustee office. If you can't be there, a Power of Attorney legalised for use in the UAE lets someone you trust sign for you. A lawyer can tell you which route fits your case and how to legalise it from your country.
Three documents to have ready
- Your passport. A non-resident buyer can use it in place of an Emirates ID when the DLD registers the sale.
- A Power of Attorney legalised for use in the UAE, if someone will sign the transfer for you.
- For a resale in a freehold area, the developer's no-objection certificate, issued through the Dubai REST app before the transfer.
The fees are the same from anywhere
Buying from abroad doesn't change the costs. Budget for:
- The DLD transfer fee: 4% of the price, on every purchase.
- On a ready purchase, the trustee fee: AED 4,000 + VAT from AED 500,000.
- On a ready purchase, the agency fee: usually 2% + VAT.
- Title deed and admin on a ready purchase: about AED 520.
Off-plan purchases are registered through the developer, and on developer sales the developer often pays the agent.
Before you commit
If you plan to use a mortgage, UAE banks follow the Central Bank's loan-to-value limits, which vary by buyer and property type. And a property worth AED 2 million or more, wholly owned in your name, can also qualify for the 10-year Golden Visa.
Questions buyers ask
Can I buy property in Dubai without travelling there?
Mostly. Viewing, reviewing the sales agreement and, on an off-plan purchase, paying into the project's escrow account can all be done remotely. The final signing at a DLD-approved Real Estate Registration Trustee office needs you, or someone signing for you under a Power of Attorney legalised for use in the UAE.
Where do off-plan payments go?
Into the project's own escrow account, under Dubai Law No. 8 of 2007, not to a person or the developer's general account.
What fees does an overseas buyer pay?
The same as anyone: the 4% DLD transfer fee on every purchase, plus on a ready purchase the trustee fee (AED 4,000 + VAT from AED 500,000) and an agency fee, usually 2% + VAT. On a ready purchase, title deed and admin fees add about AED 520.
Can a property bought from abroad qualify for the Golden Visa?
Yes. A property worth AED 2 million or more, wholly owned by the applicant (or a share that alone is worth AED 2 million), can qualify for the investor Golden Visa route. You need to be inside the UAE when you apply.
Sources, checked October 2026:
- Dubai Law No. 8 of 2007 (escrow)
- Dubai Land Department, property sale registration (DLD, trustee and title deed fees; passport for non-residents; developer NOC through Dubai REST)
- Dubai Land Department, Golden Visa (investor)
- UAE Central Bank, mortgage regulations
- Dubai Land Department, FAQ (Power of Attorney issued abroad must be legalised)
- VILORA Dubai Property Guide 2026 (agency fee, off-plan registration)