Buying off-plan from abroad

Many off-plan buyers in the UAE never set foot in a sales centre until handover. Developers commonly support remote reservation and signing, the developer registers the sale online, and instalments are paid by bank transfer. What needs care is identity, signatures, the route your money takes, and any step that needs someone to act for you in person. This guide covers each in turn, then the Golden Visa.

Can you buy without living in the UAE?

Yes. In Dubai, foreign buyers can own property in designated freehold areas, and a non-resident can be registered as the purchaser of an off-plan unit using a valid passport. A UAE ID is not required.

If you plan to buy through a company, the documents are longer: trade licence, translated memorandum of association and, for a foreign company, attestation by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Check early which structures the developer and the Land Department will accept.

How does a remote purchase work, step by step?

1. Shortlist from a distance. Browse launches on our project database and area pages such as Business Bay or Dubai Islands. Request a live video walk of the site, the show unit and the surroundings.
2. Verify before you pay. Check the project’s RERA advertising permit and the broker’s registration through the Dubai Land Department’s Trakheesi services or the Dubai REST app.
3. Prepare compliance documents. Passport, proof of address and evidence of the source of your funds. Developers and banks ask for these under anti-money-laundering rules.
4. Reserve and sign. Many developers send the reservation form and SPA for electronic signature. Confirm the signing method in writing before you pay.
5. Pay into escrow only. Send the booking amount and fees to the project escrow account named in the SPA. Call the developer on a number you have found independently to confirm the account details. Never act on a changed account sent by email.
6. Get your registration certificate. The developer registers the sale with the Land Department, which emails the certificate to you.
7. Handover. Attend in person, send a representative under a power of attorney, or appoint a snagging inspector to report back.

When do you need a power of attorney?

For a first purchase from the developer, you may not need anyone to act for you, because the developer registers the sale online. A power of attorney (POA) becomes useful when a step needs someone present: collecting keys, signing handover documents, completing a later sale, or registering a mortgage.

The Land Department accepts a duly legalised POA within the limits of the powers it grants. Make it specific: name the project and unit, and list exactly what your representative may do. The Dubai Land Department states that a POA for purchase is valid for five years from notarisation, and a POA covering sale, mortgage or gift for two years. Under a 2025 Land Department circular, a POA signed outside the UAE must also have been issued within the two years before it is submitted, and must use the transaction wording the circular sets out.

How do you get a foreign POA accepted?

A POA signed outside the UAE must be ratified in this order before the Land Department will accept it:

1. A notary public in the country where you sign it.
2. That country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
3. The UAE embassy or consulate in that country.
4. The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, once the document reaches the UAE.

An Arabic legal translation may also be needed. Allow time for each stage, and confirm the wording with the developer or trustee office before you sign, so it does not have to be redone.

How do you pay and finance from overseas?

Most overseas buyers fund construction instalments from savings, since lending on off-plan property is capped and many banks are cautious with non-residents. Some arrange a mortgage at handover instead. The Central Bank limits and what to ask a lender are covered in our payment plans guide. Exchange rates and transfer charges are set by your bank, so include them in your budget alongside the fees in the true cost of buying off-plan.

Can buying from abroad lead to a Golden Visa?

The UAE Golden Visa is a long-term, renewable residence visa you sponsor yourself. Property investors are one of the eligible categories. In Dubai, the property route works like this:

• Value. Property with a purchase value of at least AED 2 million, owned in your name. It can be one property or several.
• Mortgaged property. It can qualify, with a bank no-objection letter showing the amount paid and the balance. The AED 2 million applies to the amount paid.
• Family. You can sponsor your spouse, children and parents.
• Attendance. The Dubai Land Department’s Golden Visa service requires you to be inside the UAE when you apply and to attend in person. A representative cannot apply for you.
• Documents. Passport, title deed or e-certificate of title, photo, and UAE ID and residence permit if you have them.
• Fees. GDRFA lists the investor golden residence permit fee as AED 1,100, plus Knowledge and Innovation Dirhams of AED 10 each, an inside-country fee of AED 500 and delivery of AED 20. The issuance fee rises by AED 100 for each year of residency beyond two. Family members have separate fees. The schedule can change, so check the current GDRFA service page before you budget. GDRFA lists expected completion for that service as five days.

How long is the Golden Visa?

The Golden Visa through property is a 10-year residence visa.

Does off-plan property count?

Be careful here. A Golden Visa application in Dubai asks for a title deed or e-certificate of title, and residency on a property under construction is issued for one year. Off-plan units bought from approved developers can count. Check with the Land Department whether an off-plan unit qualifies for the Golden Visa in Dubai, and on what documents, before you rely on it.

Sovereign Realty is a brokerage, not an immigration consultant. The authorities decide every application. Launches from AED 2 million can be found through our project database.

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