You do not need to live in Dubai to buy there, and you do not always need to be there for the transfer. The process is well established, but it has more moving parts when you are buying from another country. This guide walks through it in order.
It focuses on a ready (completed) home in Dubai. For a new build, read our guide to escrow and Oqood alongside this one.
Step 1: start with how you will use the home#
Before any viewing, be clear about what the home is for: a base for part of the year, a home for family already in the UAE, a future move, or a property to let. The answer changes which areas make sense, what size and type of home to look at, and whether a Golden Visa matters to you. Our community guides and the map are a good place to start, and we will always begin with a conversation about you rather than a list of what is available.
Step 2: check you can buy where you are looking#
Foreign buyers can own property in Dubai's designated freehold areas. We explain what that means, and how Abu Dhabi differs, in where foreigners can buy.
Step 3: work out the budget and the finance#
The purchase costs come on top of the price: the 4% Land Department fee, the trustee's fee and the agent's commission, about 6.3% in total on the worked example in our costs guide. They are set out line by line in the real cost of buying, and our calculator shows them for any price and in pounds or euros as well as dirhams.
If you want a UAE mortgage, the Central Bank's rules distinguish between UAE nationals and expatriates; for an expatriate buying a first home worth AED 5 million or less, the maximum loan is 80% of the value, and 50% for any off-plan purchase. We did not find a separate published rule for buyers who are not resident in the UAE, and lenders set their own criteria, so speak to lenders early. The deposit must come from your own funds.
Remember that you will be paying in dirhams. Moving money from a UK account means an exchange rate on the day you transfer, and on a sum this size even a small movement in the rate changes the sterling cost noticeably, so plan when and how you convert.
Step 4: agree the terms and sign the contract#
In Dubai, sales go through DLD's unified contracts. Gulf News reported them as Form F between seller and buyer, and Forms A and B between the broker and the seller or the buyer. Lawyers writing in Gulf News have advised that Form F covers the main terms, and suggested a separate lawyer-drafted agreement alongside it for anything more. Agree in writing who pays the 4% registration fee, the deposit, the completion date, and what happens if either side pulls out.
Step 5: the transfer and the title deed#
For a property in a freehold area, the developer issues an electronic no-objection certificate (e-NOC), requested through the Dubai REST app. The sale is then registered at a Real Estate Registration Trustee office, where documents are checked and the transfer is completed. Non-resident foreigners can use a valid passport in place of an Emirates ID.
DLD accepts its fees by ePay, Dubai Pay, Noqodi wallet or manager's cheque. The service issues an electronic title deed and an electronic map, registered in DLD's property register. Under Dubai Law No. 7 of 2006, the register is conclusive evidence of ownership, and a property transaction is not valid until it is recorded there.
| Stage | What happens | Who is involved |
|---|---|---|
| Brief | How you will use the home, budget, areas | You and us |
| Finance | Cash plan or mortgage agreement in principle; plan currency transfer | You, lender, your bank |
| Offer and contract | Terms agreed; Form F signed; deposit paid | You (or your attorney), seller, agents |
| No-objection certificate | Developer issues e-NOC through Dubai REST | Seller, developer |
| Transfer | Registration at a trustee office; fees paid; ownership recorded | You (or your attorney), seller, trustee |
| Title deed | Electronic title deed issued | Dubai Land Department |
Buying without being there: power of attorney#
If you cannot attend the transfer, someone you trust may be able to act for you under a power of attorney, provided it is accepted for the transfer. The document route the UK and UAE governments describe runs in three steps. First, sign the power of attorney in front of a UK solicitor or notary. Second, have it legalised by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office with an apostille: GOV.UK lists £45 per document for a paper apostille or £35 for an e-Apostille, with the standard service taking up to 25 working days plus postage. Third, have it attested by the UAE Embassy in London and the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The embassy's digital attestation service covers both the embassy and the Ministry in one application; the attested document comes back by email, ready for use in the UAE. The embassy also says documents apostilled in a bundle are not accepted, so each needs its own apostille. These steps prepare the document; they do not by themselves guarantee it will be accepted for a Land Department transfer. Before you sign, ask the trustee office and a UAE lawyer what the power of attorney must cover, and whether it needs anything more, such as a legal translation into Arabic; we did not find DLD's own list.
DLD also offers a fully digital sale through the Dubai Now app, launched in 2025. It requires both parties to have an Emirates ID and UAE Pass, a UAE bank account, and a freehold unit that is unmortgaged and has a single owner. Most buyers living in the UK will not meet those conditions, which is why the power of attorney route matters.
Questions for your UK tax adviser#
We do not give tax advice, and the rules depend on your circumstances. What GOV.UK says, in general terms, is that UK residents normally pay UK tax on their foreign income, including rent from overseas property; that Capital Gains Tax may be due on overseas assets, and property that is not your main home is a chargeable asset; and that you may be able to claim relief where the same income or gain is taxed in two countries, depending on the tax treaty and your circumstances. The UK and the UAE signed a Double Taxation Convention on 12 April 2016, which came into force on 25 December 2016. GOV.UK also notes that the treatment of people domiciled abroad changed from 6 April 2025.
Take these to your tax adviser
- How will rent from a Dubai property be taxed in the UK, and what records should I keep?
- How would Capital Gains Tax apply if I sell, and what counts as my main home?
- How does the UK-UAE Double Taxation Convention affect me?
- Does the change from 6 April 2025 for people domiciled abroad affect me?
- Does buying in my own name, jointly or through a company change any of this?
- What happens to my UK tax position if I move to the UAE later?
If a Golden Visa is part of your thinking, read what the AED 2 million rule really means: the application has to be made in person in the UAE.
Buying from abroad is easier with someone on the ground. If you would like to talk it through, start with a conversation: we can explain the process and the published costs, and share what we know about the homes you are considering. For the contract, the power of attorney and your tax position, use an independent lawyer and tax adviser.
