How to buy property in Dubai as a foreigner

Foreigners can buy freehold property in Dubai in areas the Ruler designates: under Article 4 of Law No. 7 of 2006, non-UAE nationals may be granted freehold ownership there with no time limit, and Regulation No. 3 of 2006 first listed the areas. To buy, you agree terms in the unified sale contract (Form F) of the Dubai Land Department (DLD), obtain the developer’s e-NOC and register the transfer at a DLD trustee centre.

Can foreigners buy property in Dubai?

Foreigners can buy property in Dubai, but only inside designated areas. Article 4(1) of Law No. 7 of 2006 Concerning Real Property Registration in the Emirate of Dubai sets the general rule: the right to own property anywhere in the emirate is “restricted to UAE nationals, nationals of the Gulf Cooperation Council member states and to companies fully owned by these, and to public joint stock companies”.

Article 4(2) is the exception: subject to the Ruler’s approval, non-UAE nationals may, “in certain areas determined by the Ruler”, be granted either

• freehold ownership of Real Property without time restrictions, or
• usufruct or leasehold for a period not exceeding ninety-nine (99) years.

DLD’s FAQ puts it as “Foreign ownership in freehold areas”, and the federal portal u.ae as “Foreign ownership is permitted in areas designated as freehold.”

Residence is not required to register a purchase: DLD’s Property Sale Registration lists its residency status as “All” and accepts a valid passport for non-resident foreigners.

Freehold areas in Dubai: what the law designates

Regulation No. (3) of 2006 Determining Areas for Ownership by Non-UAE Nationals of Real Property in the Emirate of Dubai, issued on 7 June 2006, sets out the areas. Its Article 3 lists 23, each by DLD area name and plot number, where non-UAE nationals may hold freehold ownership rights without time restriction, usufruct rights, or leasehold rights for up to 99 years. Article 4 adds plot 224 in Nad al-Sheba, for usufruct or 99-year leasehold only.

These six are what we found, not a complete schedule; no official page we found consolidates the current list. DLD’s developer book names only the 2015 and 2016 resolutions, and u.ae cites Article 3 of the Regulation without naming the areas.

The law and the listings also use different names. Regulation No. 3 designates DLD areas and plot numbers; marketed names such as JVC, Business Bay or Dubai Hills Estate do not appear in it. Know Your Rights, a 2017 guide from DLD and Al Tamimi & Company, gave examples of freehold areas including Downtown Dubai, Business Bay, Dubai Marina, Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT), Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR), Arabian Ranches and International City. That 2017 list is neither complete nor current.

Status can change. In a news release of 19 January 2025, DLD said private property owners on 457 plots, 128 along Sheikh Zayed Road and 329 in Al Jaddaf, can convert their ownership to freehold for all nationalities. The owner pays a conversion fee of 30% of the property’s valuation (based on Gross Floor Area).

For a specific home, check the ownership type on the title deed and with DLD before you sign; our title deed guide shows how to verify one.

How to buy property in Dubai: the steps

1. Brief and broker agreement. Since 1 May 2014 DLD has used unified contracts: F between seller and buyer, A between seller and broker, and B between buyer and broker. Commission is agreed in Contract B. Our residential sales page explains how we turn a brief into a shortlist.
2. Check the property. Verify the title deed, and look the property up on DLD’s Property Status Enquiry by title deed number, by area and unit number, or by Makani number.
3. Sign the sale contract (Form F). The broker creates the Unified Sale Contract (F) in Dubai REST or on the DLD website and submits it for DLD approval, according to DLD’s broker guide.
4. Developer NOC. In freehold areas DLD requires a no-objection e-certificate (e-NOC) from the developer, issued through the Dubai REST app. Any charge for it is set by the developer, not DLD (see DLD fees).
5. Finance, if any. If you are borrowing, see our mortgage coordination page.
6. Transfer at a trustee centre. The sale is registered at a Real Estate Registration Trustees Center (DLD’s RT Offices page lists locations). Each party shows an Emirates ID, or a valid passport if a non-resident foreigner; DLD gives 25 minutes, and the buyer receives an electronic title deed and map.

DLD’s online Dubai Now route is open only to UAE ID holders with UAE PASS, so it is not an option for a non-resident. An off-plan purchase follows a different path: the developer registers the sale on DLD’s provisional register through Oqood, and the buyer receives a provisional registration e-certificate. Most sales in the busiest communities below were off-plan; see our off-plan checklist before you commit.

What buying costs: DLD registration fees

DLD’s sale page lists the registration fee as two 2% lines, one for the seller and one for the buyer, with title deed, map, knowledge, innovation and trustee centre fees on top. See our DLD fees page for every fee line and worked examples at AED 1 million, 2 million and 5 million.

Golden visa through property

DLD’s Golden Visa application (Investor) is for an investor who owns property “the purchase value of which is equal to or more than 2 million AED at the time of purchase”. It leads to a 10-year renewable residence permit. DLD sets these conditions:

• the property is wholly owned by the investor (one or more properties) under the name of the applicant;
• the applicant must be inside the UAE;
• the husband or wife, children and parents can be sponsored.

On mortgaged property, DLD’s page has two different sentences, quoted here without interpretation.

GDRFA Dubai’s own page adds: “Mortgaged property is acceptable, and includes all types of properties”. DLD’s golden visa page does not mention off-plan property. ICP’s federal Golden Residency guide does address it: it counts “one or more off-plan property units with a total value of at least AED 2,000,000, provided that the purchase is made from an approved local real estate company”, but it does not say how that applies in Dubai, so ask DLD before relying on an off-plan purchase. DLD’s page asks for a passport, an e-title deed and a personal photo, plus a UAE ID and current residence permit if you have them.

DLD’s total adds up: 700 + 1,153 + 2,856.75 + 4,020 + 1,155 = 9,884.75. Service time: 7 to 10 business days.

The 10-year term is the same in the federal ICP Golden Residency guide and on GDRFA Dubai’s service page. GDRFA Dubai issues the permit and DLD’s page is the application route, so confirm the conditions for your own purchase with both before you buy for a visa.

Property investor visa below AED 2 million

DLD’s Investor Residence Application (Taskeen) is a separate route. An owner may apply “regardless of the property value”, and a co-owner if their share value is not less than AED 400,000. The permit runs for two years, and DLD lists AED 10,212.50 for the 2-year investor visa. We have not confirmed whether other fees apply; ask DLD when you apply.

Buying to let? Our investment advisory page sets out the questions to answer first. Tenancies are registered through Ejari, and our RERA rent calculator covers increases at renewal.

Where Dubai homes sold in the last 12 months

The table counts residential sales by any buyer. DLD’s open data does not record nationality, so it shows where the market is active, not where foreigners buy. Across Dubai, DLD registered 166,659 home sales in the 12 months to 31 August 2026, and 74.7% of them were off-plan.

These ten account for 63,730 sales, 38.2% of the Dubai total (63,730 ÷ 166,659). Bracketed figures are the apartment sales behind each median.

Three caveats. Large off-plan launches move the medians in Dubai Islands, Dubai Maritime City and Motor City (which includes Sobha Solis and Sobha Orbis). The window straddles the fall in activity that our analysis dates to March 2026, so each median blends prices from before and after it. Dubai South here excludes Expo City. Our method note explains the figures. The table shows activity only, not whether a given plot is freehold; browse all area guides to look further.

How we checked

Sources read on 1 October 2026: Law No. 7 of 2006, Regulation No. 3 of 2006 and the resolutions above on the Dubai Legislation Portal; DLD’s sale, golden visa and Taskeen pages; and the ICP and GDRFA Dubai golden visa pages. Sales figures are our analysis of DLD open data exported 4 September 2026.

General information only, not legal, immigration or financial advice. Firswood Properties L.L.C: RERA ORN 59926, registered broker BRN 96318.

Common questions

Send your budget, timing and any visa requirement through the enquiry form, or compare areas first in the Dubai area guides.

Cite as: Firswood Properties, How to buy property in Dubai as a foreigner, 2 October 2026.