Russian tax service queries UAE property sales: what Russian tax residents who sold in Dubai need to know
Since summer 2026 Russia’s Federal Tax Service has been asking residents about property sales in the UAE, mostly from 2023–2024. It knows dates, addresses, sizes and prices. There is no automatic exchange of property data, yet the letters keep arriving.
Since summer 2026 Russia’s Federal Tax Service has been sending residents queries about UAE property deals made since 2023. According to the Russian business daily RBC, several dozen letters are known, mostly about 2023–2024 sales in Dubai, with some in Abu Dhabi. The tax office knows sale dates, addresses, unit sizes and prices.
What is the tax office asking for?
Inspectors ask the owner to explain income from selling a UAE property: was the sale declared and was Russian personal income tax paid. Consultants quoted by RBC say inspectors hold extracts resembling Dubai Land Department records.
The service has not announced a mass audit. These are targeted queries about specific people and deals. Lawyers note, however, that a single sale can be enough for an underpayment to count as large.
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Does Dubai pass owner data to Russia?
Officially, no. The Federal Tax Service says there is no automatic exchange of data on income from selling or using property between Russia and the UAE. How the information was obtained is not known.
Automatic exchange of bank-account information, though, has run for years, and the two countries have a double tax treaty. Sale proceeds almost always pass through a bank and leave a trail. Our guide to tax on selling property in Dubai explains how the home country taxes the gain.
Who do the queries apply to?
Only Russian tax residents — people who spent 183 days or more in Russia within 12 consecutive months. Status is set by the calendar year in which the sale took place.
If you lived in Dubai that year and spent fewer than 183 days in Russia, income from selling a foreign property is not taxed in Russia. A query should still be answered, with documents proving your status.
How much tax is due?
The UAE has no tax on property sale gains, so there is nothing to credit: Russian tax applies in full. The rate is 13% on a tax base up to RUB 2.4m and 15% above that. No tax is due if the property was owned for at least five years, or three in some cases.
The holding period runs from registration of ownership, meaning the title deed. For an off-plan purchase that is the registration after handover, not the date of the first instalment.
What happens if tax was not paid?
Back tax, late-payment interest and a fine. Large and especially large underpayments can lead to criminal liability in Russia. Inspectors may separately check whether currency-control rules were followed for the payments.
What should a Dubai owner do now?
- Work out your tax residency for the year of each sale, using entry and exit dates.
- Check the holding period against the title deed date, not the developer contract.
- Keep the sale contract, title deed, bank statements and proof of purchase costs, which reduce the taxable base.
- If a query arrives, reply on time with documents, ideally with a tax adviser.
Paying for Dubai property from Russia raises its own paperwork questions, covered in the documents your bank will ask for.
Frequently asked questions
Which years do the queries cover?
Mostly sales from 2023–2024, with reports of 2025 deals also being checked.
Do I owe Russian tax if I live in Dubai?
No, if you spent fewer than 183 days in Russia in the year of sale and were not a tax resident.
After how long is a sale tax-free?
After five years of ownership, or three in some cases, counted from the title deed date.
Is there tax on the sale in Dubai itself?
No. The UAE does not tax individuals on gains from selling property.
How home-country tax works on a Dubai sale is set out in our guide to tax on selling property in Dubai.
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