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Knowledge base

Dubai property buyer handbook

80 short answers to what buyers ask before, during and after a deal: how title is registered, what protects an off-plan buyer, how renting works, what the fees are and what terms like Oqood, Ejari and DEWA mean.

Buying and registration

Can a foreigner buy property in Dubai?

Yes, but full ownership (freehold) is available only in designated areas. There are more than fifty of them; the list is approved by the Ruler of Dubai under Dubai Law No. 7 of 2006.

The entire off-plan market you see advertised sits inside that list. Outside it a foreigner can at best hold a long right of use, so the status of the plot is checked before any deposit is paid.

What is the difference between freehold and leasehold?

Freehold is full ownership including the land: you can sell, let and pass the property on to heirs. Leasehold is a registered right of use for up to 99 years: the land stays with its owner, and the remaining term shrinks every year along with the value of the right.

Only freehold qualifies for a residence visa, and banks lend against leasehold reluctantly. The 4% Dubai Land Department fee is paid in both cases.

Check the status against Land Department records by address and plot number, not by the name of the district: freehold clusters exist inside leasehold districts and the other way round.

What is a title deed and when is it issued?

A title deed is the ownership certificate issued by the Dubai Land Department (DLD). On the resale market it is issued electronically on the day of transfer at the Trustee office; for an off-plan unit it comes once construction is complete.

Until then an off-plan buyer holds a contractual position registered in Oqood, not an apartment. On the deed, check the unit number, the areas and the plot details.

What is an EOI, and is the booking payment refundable?

An EOI (Expression of Interest) is a request to the developer, backed by a payment, for a place in the unit allocation queue. If you are not offered the unit you asked for, it is normally refunded in full; if you change your mind, the developer’s written terms decide.

Once you pick a unit and sign the booking form, the money becomes the first instalment under the contract and withdrawal is governed by the SPA. The regulator sets no standard EOI amount. Pay only to the developer’s own account in the UAE.

How much is the deposit when buying a ready property?

Standard practice is a 10% deposit under Form F (the MOU). The cheque is held by the agency or a trustee agent, not by the seller, and the refund terms are written into the form itself.

A mortgage buyer adds a financing condition to the additional terms. Without it the deposit goes to the seller if the bank declines: on a 1.5 million AED apartment that is 150,000 AED.

How does a resale transaction work in Dubai?

It runs through a chain of RERA forms: the owner signs Form A with an agency, the buyer signs Form B, the two agencies sign Form I, and the parties sign Form F. The seller then obtains the developer’s NOC and ownership is transferred at a Trustee office.

At the transfer the office checks identities and accepts the NOC, the contract and the manager’s cheques: to the seller for the balance, to the Land Department for the 4% fee, and to the trustee office for its service.

How long does a property transfer take?

Registration itself is a single meeting at the Trustee office: the title deed is issued in the buyer’s name before the parties leave. A cash deal usually closes in one visit.

The timeline is set by the preparation: the NOC, release of the seller’s mortgage, bank approval and legalisation of a power of attorney, which takes weeks. A ready apartment bought with a mortgage takes roughly four to six weeks end to end.

What is an NOC and who pays for it?

An NOC is the developer’s no-objection certificate for the sale: it confirms there is no service charge debt on the unit. The transfer cannot be registered without it.

The developer sets the price — from a few hundred to a few thousand dirhams. By market practice the seller pays, but it is better to agree this in writing before the deposit changes hands.

Can you buy property in Dubai without travelling there?

Yes. On the primary market the booking, the contract and payment by bank transfer are handled almost entirely remotely. On the resale market either the buyer or a representative under a power of attorney attends the Trustee office.

A UAE bank account is not required to buy: payment goes by transfer and manager’s cheque. A resale unit needs a video viewing or an independent inspection with a report.

Should the property be held personally or through a company?

For one or two apartments personal ownership is usually simpler: residence visas are built around property owned by an individual. The 4% fee, the trustee office and the NOC cost the same either way.

A company makes sense with several assets or several owners. It brings yearly costs — licence, registered address, accounts — and the property is inherited as shares. The 9% corporate tax does not, as a rule, apply to an apartment held personally.

Can you sell an off-plan apartment before handover?

Yes, by assignment: what is sold is your place in the contract with the developer, not an apartment. The contract sets a threshold — usually around 30–40% of the price paid — below which the position cannot be sold at all.

The deal goes through the developer and cannot be registered without its consent. The new buyer pays the 4% Land Department fee on the new price, and the developer charges a fee for its approval.

Just before handover buyers expect a discount: losing about 15% of the money paid in is the usual price of an urgent exit.

How do you check a broker and a listing in Dubai?

Look up the broker’s BRN in the Land Department’s Dubai REST app: it shows the name, photo, agency and licence status. The agency has its own number, the ORN.

Since April 2023 every property advert must carry a Trakheesi permit with a QR code: scanning it shows who obtained the permit and for which property. A listing without one is advertised illegally.

Off-plan property

What is an escrow account and what does it protect the buyer from?

An escrow account is the project’s bank account into which all buyer payments go. It protects against misuse of the money, but not against delay. The mechanism has operated in Dubai since 2007.

The account is opened for the project, not the company, the bank controls it, and money from one site cannot be moved to another. The most dangerous payment is one made outside it: the payment request must name the project, not the developer’s legal entity.

When does the developer receive money from escrow?

Funds are released against the consulting engineer’s report and RERA approval. Direct payments to the contractor open at about 20% completion, then at the 40%, 60% and 80% milestones; a further 5% is retained for a year after completion.

The completion percentage of each project is recorded in the Land Department register. That figure, not the developer’s own progress report, drives the release of funds.

What happens to your money if construction stops?

The regulator can cancel a stalled project; a court-led liquidation follows, and whatever remains in escrow is distributed among the buyers. The protection is slow and a full refund is not guaranteed.

That is why a developer’s record of delivered projects is worth more than any account structure: look at what it has handed over and whether it kept to its dates.

Are you entitled to compensation if the developer misses the handover date?

Not automatically: compensation for delay is a matter of contract, not of law. Most SPA templates provide far less than buyers assume, and some provide nothing until the grace period expires.

The grace period — usually six to twelve months, most often twelve — lets the developer move the date without compensation. The buyer’s rights arise only once it has run out.

What should you do if the handover date is pushed back?

Find the handover date and grace period in the contract, check the completion percentage in the Land Department register, and ask for a written explanation with a new schedule.

Do not stop paying: that puts the buyer, not the developer, in breach. Do not sign an addendum on the new date without a lawyer — it can wipe out the claims you have already accrued.

What if the delivered area differs from the contract area?

That is governed by the area-variation clause in the contract. Developers differ both in the size of the tolerance and in whether the price is adjusted for a shortfall — there is no single figure.

Find both terms in your own SPA before signing and confirm them in writing. Ask separately for the suite area and the balcony area: marketing often merges them into one number.

What is a post-handover payment plan?

It is a plan in which part of the price is paid after you receive the keys. A typical structure: 10–20% on booking, 30–50% during construction, 10% on handover and 25–50% over two to three years, most often at 1% a month.

Do not confuse it with a 40/60 plan, where 60% falls due at handover — from your own funds or a mortgage.

Developer payment plan or mortgage — which is better?

A payment plan suits a buyer who intends to let the unit and does not want a loan, but it is not free: its cost is built into the price per square foot. Until the balance is cleared the developer normally keeps a charge over the unit or withholds a clean title.

A handover mortgage covers up to 80% of the valuation for up to 25 years. It requires verified income in the UAE of at least 15,000 AED a month.

What happens if you cannot pay the final instalment?

After six months of arrears the unit is repossessed and the court returns 30% of what the investor has paid. As long as at least small payments keep coming — about 1% of the balance a month — the apartment cannot be taken away.

A 30–60 day extension against a bank letter confirming the application is under review must be agreed before the due date and in writing. Selling just before handover is possible, at a loss of about 15% of the money paid in.

What warranty applies to a new-build after handover?

Two periods run from handover: ten years of developer liability for the structure and one year for building systems — electrical, plumbing and mechanical.

The snagging inspection is done before the final signature, not after: keys are released once the completion certificate is issued, and defects are recorded in writing at acceptance.

Renting

What is Ejari and why does it matter?

Ejari is the mandatory registration of a tenancy contract in the Dubai Land Department system. Without it the tenant cannot connect electricity and water with DEWA or sponsor a family visa.

The landlord needs it just as much: an unregistered contract cannot be relied on at the Rental Disputes Centre (RDC).

Who registers Ejari — the landlord or the tenant?

Either the tenant or the landlord can register or renew the contract, as can their representatives under a power of attorney. In practice it is often left to the tenant, who needs it for DEWA and the visa.

Ejari is renewed every year together with the contract. Since June 2025 this can be done through a trusted centre’s WhatsApp channel, from any country.

How much does Ejari cost and which documents are needed?

Through the DLD website or the Dubai REST app it costs 177.75 AED; through a trusted centre, including by WhatsApp, 220 AED — both including VAT. Each amount includes the 100 AED registration fee.

You need the signed unified tenancy contract, the tenant’s Emirates ID, the landlord’s title deed or the representative’s power of attorney, and the DEWA premises number.

How is rent paid in Dubai?

The contract runs for a year and is paid upfront by post-dated cheques: 1, 2, 4, sometimes 6 or 12. The number of cheques is negotiable: the gap in rent between one cheque and twelve reaches 8–12% of the annual amount.

Cheques are dated across the whole term. A bounced cheque is in itself evidence of the debt.

What security deposit is taken, and when can it be withheld?

Market practice is 5% of the annual rent for an unfurnished apartment and 10% for a furnished one. This is custom, not a rule of law.

The deposit is withheld for damage beyond normal wear and tear. Record the condition with an inventory and dated photographs at move-in and move-out: deposit disputes are won by whoever has them.

How much money does a tenant need at move-in?

About 115–120% of the annual rent, not 100%. On top of the rent cheques come the security deposit, the agent’s fee, Ejari registration and the DEWA deposit for connecting electricity and water.

Separately there is the municipal housing fee — 5% of the annual rent. It is not paid at once: the sum is split into 12 parts and added to the monthly DEWA bills.

How much can rent be raised at renewal?

Increases are capped by a scale in force since 2013. If the rent is no more than 10% below market, it cannot be raised; with a gap of 11–20% the cap is 5%, 21–30% — 10%, 31–40% — 15%, over 40% — 20%.

Since 2 January 2025 the index is calculated per building: the Smart Rental Index rates a residential building from one to five stars on more than 60 criteria. The permitted range is shown by the calculator in the Dubai REST app.

How much notice is required for a rent increase?

At least 90 days before the contract ends, in writing. This applies to any change of terms — the rent or the payment schedule.

If the deadline is missed, the contract renews on the same terms for another year, and no verbal agreement changes that.

When can a landlord evict a tenant?

At the end of the contract, on four grounds: demolition or reconstruction, major renovation, occupation by the owner or a first-degree relative, and sale of the property. Notice is served through a notary or by registered mail at least 12 months in advance.

After evicting for personal use, the home cannot be re-let for two years, commercial premises for three. Otherwise the former tenant can claim compensation.

What can you do if the tenant stops paying?

Serve a notice through a notary or by registered mail demanding payment within 30 days. If the money does not arrive, file a claim with the Rental Disputes Centre (RDC).

The filing fee is 3.5% of the annual rent, no less than 500 and no more than 20,000 AED. An undisputed case reaches an enforceable judgment in one to two months; the full cycle to getting the keys back takes three to four.

Who pays the utilities in a rented apartment?

The tenant: they open a DEWA account in their own name and pay the deposit, which requires a registered Ejari. The building’s service charge stays with the owner for the whole tenancy.

Between tenants the bills revert to the owner. On a sale the DEWA accounts do not transfer: the seller closes theirs and the buyer opens new ones.

What is required to let an apartment short-term?

Two permissions: a holiday home permit from the Department of Economy and Tourism (DTCM) and the consent of the building itself — not every tower allows short lets. Both are checked in writing.

An operator usually takes 15–25% of revenue, and the utility bills stay with the owner. Dubai trades strongly from October to April and more weakly in summer.

Costs and taxes

How much is the DLD fee and who pays it?

The Dubai Land Department fee is 4% of the transaction value. Formally it is split between the parties; in practice the buyer pays it.

On an off-plan purchase the 4% is paid at the start, when the contract is registered in Oqood, not at handover. A developer’s “DLD waiver” means it covers the fee — treat it as part of the price, not a gift.

How much do you pay on top of the price of a ready property?

For a cash purchase, budget 7–8% above the price. The bulk is the 4% Land Department fee; the rest is the agency’s fee, the trustee office, issue of the title deed and administrative charges.

The trustee office costs about 4,200 AED, less for properties under 500,000 AED. This money is paid at the moment of transfer and cannot be financed.

What are the costs of buying off-plan?

A down payment of 10–20% and the 4% Land Department fee on Oqood registration. On the primary market the buyer pays the agency nothing — the developer pays the broker.

The developer also charges an administrative registration fee, and on a later assignment a separate fee for its approval.

Is there VAT on property purchases in the UAE?

Not on homes: residential property is either exempt from VAT or zero-rated on its first sale. Commercial property — offices, retail, warehouses — carries 5% VAT.

When buying an office, budget VAT as a separate line and ask the seller how its VAT registration is set up.

What taxes does a property owner pay in Dubai?

The UAE has no annual property tax, no personal income tax on rental income and no capital gains tax on a sale. There is no inheritance tax either.

The 9% corporate tax has applied since 2023 to profit above 375,000 AED a year; as a rule it does not touch an apartment held personally.

Do you owe tax on a Dubai apartment in your home country?

It depends on your tax residency, not on your visa. The absence of tax in the UAE does not cancel obligations where you are tax resident: that country may tax both the rent and the sale.

One example from our practice: a Russian tax resident — 183 days or more within 12 months — declares worldwide income, including Dubai rent. Nothing can be credited, because no tax was charged in the UAE.

What is the service charge and what does it cover?

The service charge is the owner’s annual payment for running the building, calculated per square foot. It covers building maintenance, a share of master-community costs and a reserve fund for capital works.

It accrues on an empty apartment too. Cooling is almost always a separate line: in some buildings it is included, in others it is metered and billed on top.

How much is the service charge and who sets the rate?

RERA approves the rate building by building, and it changes from year to year. As an order of magnitude it is roughly $9–88 per square metre a year, and $97–119 in buildings run by a hotel operator.

The approved figure for an address is visible in the Dubai REST app. Since 2019 owners’ payments go to the building’s own escrow account in the Mollak system.

What happens if you do not pay the service charge?

The management company pursues the debt in court, and the apartment cannot be sold: without a clearance certificate the transfer will not be registered.

Since 24 March 2025 RERA’s Tayseer programme has offered instalment plans of at least six months for overdue charges through participating management companies. While the plan is kept, enforcement is not started.

Is the reserve fund refunded when you sell?

No. The reserve fund is savings for capital works that come round every ten to fifteen years; it belongs to the building and passes with the apartment to the new owner.

For a resale buyer, a building with an honestly funded reserve is better than one whose charge is lower precisely because no reserve is collected.

What does a DEWA bill consist of?

Four items: electricity, water, a fuel surcharge and the municipal housing fee, plus 5% VAT. Electricity is charged in tiers: from 23 fils per kWh up to 2,000 kWh a month to 38 fils above 6,000.

The housing fee is 5% of the annual rent, split into 12 payments. In summer a studio or one-bedroom pays 300–500 AED a month; in winter the bill is 30–50% lower.

Mortgages

Can a non-resident get a mortgage in Dubai?

Yes, such programmes have existed for years, but the terms are tighter: a down payment from 35–40%, fewer banks, and mostly ready homes in freehold areas. Signing and opening the account usually take one visit.

The programmes do not work with every passport: GCC and UK nationals pass confidently, European applications move more slowly. Without an Emirates ID, the workable route for others is employment in the UAE and an application after six months of official salary, as a resident.

What down payment does a Dubai mortgage require?

A resident needs from 20%: on a first home under 5 million AED the bank lends up to 80% of the value under UAE Central Bank rules. For a non-resident the bank leaves at least 35% unfinanced; in practice the down payment starts at 40% and reaches half the price.

The loan is calculated on the lower of two figures — the contract price or the bank’s valuation. The buyer covers the difference.

What are mortgage rates in Dubai in 2026?

In 2026 UAE banks were offering expats roughly 3.75–4.99% a year; the best offer was 3.99% fixed for three years.

The rate is fixed for the first 1–5 years, then the loan moves to a variable rate: three-month EIBOR plus the bank’s margin, usually 1.5–2.5 percentage points. A “from 3.75%” advert can be a trap: from the second month the payment drifts to 5.5–5.7%.

What is the maximum mortgage term and age limit?

The term is up to 25 years and the loan must be repaid by age 65; by separate letter the bank may agree to 70. That is why age is the first question: at 55 the term will be 15 years, not 25.

Banks finance up to five residential units per borrower: the first at up to 80% of valuation, each subsequent one at up to 60%.

How much of your own money do you need beyond the down payment?

About 6% of the price in cash. Since 1 February 2025, on the UAE Central Bank’s instruction, banks do not finance either the 4% Land Department fee or the agent’s commission.

Example: an apartment at 1,400,000 AED. A 20% down payment is 280,000 AED, but about 379,200 AED is needed before the keys. A loan of 1,120,000 AED at 4.5% over 25 years gives a payment of about 6,226 AED a month.

How does the mortgage process work in Dubai?

In four steps: pre-approval, property and contract, valuation, registration. Pre-approval takes 3–7 working days and is usually valid for 60 days; the valuation and the bank’s final offer take 3–5 days each.

After final approval, settlement runs through the trustee office. The transfer and the mortgage are registered at the Land Department: the buyer receives a title deed with a charge in the bank’s favour.

Can you get a mortgage for the final payment on an off-plan unit?

Yes. Seventeen UAE banks run programmes for the handover payment: the bank covers up to 80% of the apartment’s valuation, and what you have paid the developer counts as your contribution. A non-resident usually gets 50–65%.

Start a year before handover, six months at the latest. Income is proven by a UAE salary, rent from 180,000 AED a year or official dividends; the floor is 15,000 AED a month.

What fees come with a mortgage?

Valuation costs 2,500–3,500 AED, the bank’s arrangement fee is usually 0.5–1% of the loan, and mortgage registration at the DLD is 0.25% plus administrative fees. The bank will also require life and property insurance.

Early settlement on a sale is typically 1% of the outstanding balance, capped at 10,000 AED — a ceiling the UAE Central Bank set in 2019.

Can you lower the rate on an existing mortgage?

Yes — by refinancing with another bank or repricing with your own. The move is worth it if the early settlement fee, new charges and re-registration are recovered through savings within one to two years.

After the fixed period the loan switches to a variable rate — EIBOR plus the bank margin in the contract — and the payment can rise noticeably. Another bank can buy such a loan out.

Visas

Which property qualifies for a Golden Visa in Dubai?

A freehold property valued at 2,000,000 AED or more (about $545,000) by the Land Department qualifies for a 10-year Golden Visa. Leasehold does not qualify.

The threshold is measured by valuation, not by the contract: a Taqeemi certificate is accepted, valid for about 90 days and costing 2,500–4,000 AED. An apartment bought for less that has since risen in value can pass.

What visa does a property under 2 million AED give?

A 2-year residence visa: the classic threshold is 750,000 AED (about $204,000). In joint ownership each owner’s share must be at least 400,000 AED.

In between sits the 5-year retirement visa: from age 55 with a property from 1 million AED, without the right to work. The 2-year visa lapses after six months outside the country; the Golden Visa does not.

Does a mortgaged or off-plan property qualify for a visa?

In Dubai, yes. Since January 2024 a Land Department valuation of 2 million AED or more is enough, regardless of the loan or the construction stage. A mortgaged property needs the bank’s no-objection letter (NOC).

The off-plan developer must be on the list approved by the DLD. Above 50% completion, Golden Visa approval is practically assured.

Can several properties be combined to reach the Golden Visa threshold?

In Dubai, yes, provided every property is registered in the applicant’s name. Properties in different emirates do not add up: $300,000 in Dubai and $250,000 in Ras Al Khaimah are two properties below the threshold, not a Golden Visa.

How do you sponsor visas for the owner’s family?

The sponsor obtains status first, then the dependants: without an Emirates ID you cannot sponsor a spouse or child. You need an address — a title deed or a tenancy contract with Ejari — and legalised marriage and birth certificates.

A Golden Visa holder’s family receives the same 10-year term, with no age limit for sons.

Can a residence visa be obtained remotely?

No. The application is made in person, even if the purchase was completed under a power of attorney. The sequence is fixed: entry permit, medical test, biometrics, visa, then Emirates ID.

A Golden Visa application can be filed as soon as the title deed is issued. The medical test and health insurance are mandatory.

Does the visa give UAE tax residency or citizenship?

No. Tax residency is a separate status: it requires 180 days of actual presence and a confirmed address, and is evidenced by a certificate issued on application.

The UAE has no citizenship-by-investment programme: citizenship is granted by exception, on the authorities’ individual decision.

What happens to the visa when the property is sold?

A visa obtained through the property is cancelled, together with the dependants’ visas. A replacement basis — another property, a company or employment — has to be in place before the sale.

The property itself can be held without a visa: ownership does not depend on residency.

Does a property held through a company qualify for a visa?

As a rule, company ownership gets in the way: the residence visa tiers are built around property owned by an individual. Check this against your specific structure before any money moves.

A free-zone company does give its founder a residence visa in its own right, but it brings yearly obligations: licence renewal, reporting and tax registration.

Terms

What is the DLD?

The DLD is the Dubai Land Department: it registers ownership, off-plan contracts and mortgages, and collects the 4% fee on the transaction value.

Its Dubai REST app is where you check a broker’s number, the approved service charge for a building and the permitted rent increase.

What is RERA?

RERA is the Real Estate Regulatory Agency, part of the Dubai Land Department. It sets the standard transaction forms — Form A, B, F and I — and approves the service charge rate for each building.

RERA also approves the release of funds from the escrow accounts of projects under construction.

What is DEWA?

DEWA is the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority. Once a month it issues a single bill combining electricity, water and the municipal housing fee.

Opening an account requires Ejari, an Emirates ID and a passport with a visa. A deposit is paid on connection and refunded when the account is closed, less any arrears.

What is Oqood?

Oqood is the Land Department’s interim register for off-plan units, where the buyer’s contract with the developer is recorded. Under DLD rules the contract must be entered within 90 days of signing.

The 4% fee is paid at this registration. An unregistered off-plan sale is the biggest warning sign there is on this market.

What is the difference between an SPA and Form F (the MOU)?

An SPA is the sale and purchase agreement with a developer on an off-plan purchase, normally on the developer’s template. Form F, also called the MOU, is the binding contract between buyer and seller on the resale market.

Form F fixes the price, the dates, the 10% deposit, the split of costs and the consequences of withdrawal. Special conditions go into the additional terms section.

How does the primary market differ from the secondary market?

On the primary market you buy from a developer: a 10–20% down payment, instalments on a schedule, and no agency fee for the buyer. On the secondary market you buy from an owner and pay 100% at transfer.

A ready property is a cash-flow instrument; off-plan is a capital-growth instrument with a three-to-four-year horizon.

What unit is property area measured in in Dubai?

Square feet: 1 square metre ≈ 10.76 square feet. A 450 sq ft studio is about 42 square metres; a 750 sq ft one-bedroom is about 70.

The quoted area often includes the balcony or terrace, so compare price per square foot on areas measured the same way. In a resale the areas are recorded on the title deed.

What is the difference between ROI and ROE?

ROI is annual income divided by the full price of the property; ROE divides it by the money actually paid in. With a post-handover plan ROE is higher: rent of 10 on a price of 90 with 60 paid gives an ROI of 11.1% and an ROE of 16.7%.

Use ROI to compare properties with one another and ROE to judge your own financing scenario. Both are calculated on net income after costs.

What is the difference between gross and net yield?

Gross yield is rent against price before costs: in Dubai usually 5–8% a year. Net yield is 1.5–2.5 percentage points lower: the gap goes on the service charge, management, voids between tenants and repairs.

One empty month takes 8% off the year’s income.

Selling and inheritance

How do you sell an apartment in Dubai?

The owner signs Form A with an agency — with no more than three agencies at a time. Once the price is agreed, the parties sign Form F with a 10% deposit.

The seller then clears any service charge debt, obtains the developer’s NOC and transfers ownership at the Trustee office. Closing the utility accounts is the seller’s own job.

Can you sell under a power of attorney without travelling?

Yes, a representative signs the documents. But since June 2025 the payment is made out to the owner named on the title deed, so the seller needs a UAE bank account in their own name.

Not every bank opens an account for a non-resident, and none does it in a day — this is the longest stage of the preparation.

How is a power of attorney issued abroad made valid in Dubai?

It is notarised in the country of issue, legalised at the UAE consulate, attested by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and translated into Arabic. Allow several weeks.

Under Land Department Circular No. 29/R/2025 of 16 July 2025 the document must name the specific property and the type of transaction, and the original is presented at the registration centre. A general power of attorney will not be accepted.

How do you sell an apartment that is under a mortgage?

The seller’s bank issues a liability letter stating the balance on the closing date and receives its share directly as part of the deal. Such a sale usually does not close in a single visit.

The early settlement fee is capped at 1% of the outstanding balance or 10,000 AED, whichever is lower.

What happens to a foreigner’s Dubai property without a will?

A UAE court may apply local Sharia-based rules: shares are divided among a circle of relatives, and the spouse does not automatically become the sole heir.

During the proceedings accounts may be frozen while the service charge and mortgage keep accruing. Non-Muslims are entitled to dispose of their assets as they wish — which is what a registered will is for.

Where is a will registered in the UAE?

Dubai has two routes — the DIFC Wills registry, based on English common law, and the emirate’s state courts. Abu Dhabi has its own registration office for non-Muslim wills.

Drafting and review are done remotely, and registration is partly available by video call. The process usually takes from a few days to a couple of weeks.

Does a co-owner’s share pass to the surviving co-owner?

Not by itself: without a document the deceased’s share goes through the ordinary inheritance procedure, which is measured in months.

A DIFC will can structure joint ownership so that the share passes straight to the surviving co-owner. It has to be set up in advance, while both are alive: it cannot be created retrospectively.

Is there inheritance tax in the UAE?

No: transferring assets involves mainly administrative and registration costs.

A liability may arise for the heirs where they are tax resident — that question is settled under their own jurisdiction, not in Dubai.

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