Residency & structure
Does a mortgaged property qualify for the UAE Golden Visa?
Yes. A mortgaged property can count towards the AED 2 million threshold, provided the loan is from an approved local bank and it issues a no-objection…
Insights
Insights
Written by the people doing the work — buy-side advisory, regulated settlement, and what a cross-border buyer actually needs to know.
Revest publishes what we learn doing the work: representing buyers in Dubai, and moving cross-border capital into property through regulated channels. Everything here is written by one of the three founders and reviewed before it is published. Where we cite a figure, we cite its source.
Residency & structure
Can you combine several properties to qualify for the UAE Golden Visa?
Yes. Dubai Land Department, GDRFA and ICP guidance all refer to one or more properties totalling at least AED 2 million, registered in the applicant's name.
Moving capital
What is a manager’s cheque, and why do Dubai property transfers use one?
A manager's cheque is drawn by a bank on itself after debiting the buyer's account, giving the seller certainty of funds at the transfer appointment.
Moving capital
What does a UAE bank need to see before accepting crypto proceeds?
A UAE bank needs an unbroken documented chain from how the wealth was earned to the dirhams that arrive, converted in your own name through a…
Buying in Dubai
How is a buyer’s money protected in a Dubai off-plan purchase?
In Dubai, off-plan payments go into a project escrow account supervised by the Dubai Land Department, and the sale is entered in the Interim Property Register.
Residency & structure
What taxes apply to owning property in Dubai?
The UAE has no personal income tax and no capital gains tax on property for individuals. Owners pay registration, municipal and service charges instead.
Moving capital
What source-of-funds documents do Dubai property buyers need?
Dubai buyers must evidence both source of funds and source of wealth: identity, a bank trail, and proof for each underlying source of the money.
Buying in Dubai
How do you buy property in Dubai without visiting in person?
Dubai property can be bought remotely through Dubai Land Department digital registration or a notarised power of attorney, with regulated payment channels.
Buying in Dubai
Can foreigners buy freehold property in Dubai?
Yes. Non-UAE nationals may hold freehold title in Dubai's designated areas under Regulation No. 3 of 2006, with no residency or visa requirement to buy.
Moving capital
How do you transfer money to Dubai to buy property?
Funds usually reach a Dubai purchase as a documented bank transfer converted to dirhams, then settle by manager's cheque or escrow at transfer.
Buying in Dubai
What fees does a buyer pay when purchasing property in Dubai?
Budget for the 4% Dubai Land Department registration fee, a trustee fee, title deed and map charges, agency commission and, if financed, 0.25% on the mortgage.
Residency & structure
Does buying property in Dubai give you residency?
Property investment at or above AED 2 million can support a ten-year renewable residency visa. It is long-term residency, not citizenship, and it is granted against…
Moving capital
How does digital-asset capital compliantly reach a Dubai property purchase?
Through a regulated conversion to dirhams, with source of wealth documented to a standard a bank, a developer and the Land Department will each accept. The…
Buying in Dubai
Who represents the buyer in a Dubai property transaction?
In most Dubai transactions, nobody does. The agent showing you the apartment is instructed by the seller or the developer and is paid by them, which…