Guide
Buying UAE off-plan property without travelling
You can usually buy off-plan in the UAE without travelling.
- Dubai ID for non-residents
- Valid passport accepted
- UK power of attorney route
- Notary, FCDO, then UAE Embassy
- FCDO apostille fee
- £45 paper; £35 e-Apostille
- UAE Embassy London attestation
- About 5 working days
- UAE AML law
- Federal Decree-Law No. (10) of 2025
Buying remotely 01
Six things to have ready before you reserve from abroad
Verified payee
Escrow account details confirmed against the developer's official documents, through a channel you already trust, before the first transfer. Never pay a deposit to an intermediary.
Source-of-funds file
The documents that show where your money comes from, gathered before you reserve.
Passport
Valid well beyond the expected registration and handover steps, with clear copies ready.
Lawyer engaged
A UAE-qualified lawyer to review the SPA and any power of attorney wording.
Legalisation timeline
Time allowed for notarisation, your country's legalisation and UAE attestation before any deadline.
Registration proof
Written confirmation that the sale is registered on the emirate's off-plan register.
Buying remotely 02
What can be done from abroad, and what needs a representative
Most of an off-plan purchase is paperwork and payments, which can be handled from abroad: choosing a home, checking the developer and project, reviewing the SPA, paying into escrow and registering the sale. The steps that need care are proving who you are, showing where your money comes from, and appointing someone to act for you where a signature or attendance is required.
A consultation can take place by video or phone and cover a document checklist, the payment commitments and costs, and the questions to take to a UAE-qualified lawyer and advisers in your own country. It does not include drafting a power of attorney or legal advice.
Buying remotely 03
A remote purchase, step by step, from shortlist to keys
A general sequence. The developer's process and your SPA decide the exact steps.
- 1/6
Consultation and shortlist
Agree your budget, emirate and property type by video or phone, and narrow the options to a short list.
- 2/6
Checks at a distance
Ask for registration, escrow and advertising permit evidence as documents, and have your lawyer review the SPA.
- 3/6
Identity and source of funds
Provide passport copies and the evidence the developer, broker or bank asks for about where your money comes from.
- 4/6
Reserve and sign
Sign the SPA as the developer's process allows, and confirm how signatures are verified for buyers outside the UAE.
- 5/6
Pay and register
Transfer the booking amount to the verified project escrow account and obtain proof that the sale is registered.
- 6/6
Handover
Attend in person or appoint a representative under a legalised power of attorney to inspect and take the keys.
Expert consultation
Find the UAE home that fits your plans.
Buying remotely 04
Documents to prepare
| Document | Why it is needed | Source note |
|---|---|---|
| Valid passport | Dubai sale registration accepts a passport from non-resident foreigners, so an Emirates ID is not needed | DLD property sale registration page |
| Sale contract and passport copy | For Oqood initial sale registration, DLD asks individuals for the sale contract, a UAE ID copy, and a passport copy for non-residents | DLD initial sale registration page |
| Source-of-funds evidence | Brokers, banks and developers carry out anti-money-laundering checks; brokers must keep identity and transaction records for at least five years | Ministry of Economy notice |
| Power of attorney, if used | Lets a representative sign, register or take handover for you | Must be notarised and legalised in your home country first |
| Abu Dhabi and RAK identity | The RAK sale contract service card lists Emirates ID for both parties | Confirm with DARI or RAK Municipality before relying on a passport |
Buying remotely 05
Power of attorney from the UK, in five steps
The UK route is documented by GOV.UK and the UAE Embassy in London. Other countries have their own procedures, fees and timings.
- 01
Draft it for the transaction
The wording decides what your representative can do. Check with your UAE lawyer or the registration trustee that it fits the transaction and whether a translation is needed.
- 02
Sign in front of a UK notary
The UAE Embassy in London says a power of attorney must be an original signed in front of a UK notary.
- 03
Legalise with the FCDO
The FCDO Legalisation Office can apostille a notarised power of attorney. GOV.UK lists £45 per document for a paper apostille, plus courier, and £35 for an e-Apostille.
- 04
Attest at the UAE Embassy
The Embassy takes applications by post, treats them as individual or company documents, and says processing takes about 5 working days.
- 05
Confirm the UAE-side steps
Before sending anything, confirm the final attestation step inside the UAE, whether DLD requires an Arabic translation and whether the Embassy accepts e-Apostilles.
Buying remotely 06
Why you will be asked where your money comes from
DLD lists the current anti-money-laundering framework as Federal Decree-Law No. (10) of 2025, its executive regulations in Cabinet Decision No. (134) of 2025 and Cabinet Decision No. (71) of 2024 on penalties. A British Chamber of Commerce Dubai summary reports that the 2025 law took effect on 14 October 2025 and covers real estate brokers when they arrange purchases or sales.
The Ministry of Economy requires brokers to keep identity documents and transaction records for at least five years. A 2022 circular requires brokers to report freehold sales paid in cash of AED 55,000 or more, or wholly or partly in virtual assets. That circular was issued under the earlier 2018 law, so ask your broker whether the same threshold applies under the 2025 law.
In practice, expect to be asked to show where the money for your purchase comes from, and gather that paperwork before you reserve. These checks are a legal requirement for the businesses involved, not a judgement about you.
What you can hold us to
Six commitments behind every consultation.
A purchase this size deserves someone who shows you the full picture, including what could go wrong, before you commit a deposit.
How the firm is paid, and why it matters to you-
Every cost before you commit
Total price, registration fees and each payment stage, set out in your own currency before you pay anything.
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Honest about fit
Up to three options, and fewer if fewer fit. If off-plan does not suit your plans, you are told plainly.
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A second opinion on any offer
Bring an offer from a developer or another agent and have its cost, payment plan and contract points checked before you commit.
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Told how the firm is paid
Before you decide on anything, including whether a developer on your shortlist pays the firm.
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Checks before you see a home
Registration, the project escrow account, the developer’s record and a current price, checked before a home reaches you.
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Your time, your privacy
Video, phone, WhatsApp or email in your time zone. Your details are used only to reply, and launch emails only if you ask.
How it works 07
Three steps, no obligation.
No account, no fee, no pressure to proceed. You decide whether to go further.
- 01
Share your requirements
Your contact details, then property type, price range, emirate, objective and timeframe. It takes about two minutes, and no financial documents are needed.
- 02
Review suitable options
Up to three opportunities, each with its costs, payment timings, the reasons it was selected and what to consider. If fewer fit, you get fewer.
- 03
Discuss next steps
Talk to an adviser about the options, what to verify independently and what reserving involves. There is no pressure to proceed.
Questions 08
Answers before you share any details.
If your question is not answered here, an adviser can go through it with you during a consultation.
Not usually for the purchase itself, which is largely documents and payments. You may need a legalised power of attorney for steps that require a signature or attendance, such as handover. Confirm with the developer and your lawyer which steps need you or a representative.
No. DLD's property sale registration page says a valid passport is accepted for non-resident foreigners, and its Oqood page asks non-residents for a passport copy. In Abu Dhabi, ask DARI which identity documents it accepts. The RAK sale contract service card lists Emirates ID, so check before relying on a passport in either emirate.
It depends on the notary and FCDO stages, plus courier time. The UAE Embassy in London says its attestation takes about 5 working days once it receives the documents. Allow extra time for the UAE-side steps, and ask your lawyer how long they take.
UAE anti-money-laundering law requires brokers and other businesses to check customers and keep records. DLD lists Federal Decree-Law No. (10) of 2025 as the current framework. Having your source-of-funds documents ready avoids delays.
Expert consultation
Get a second opinion before you commit.
Share the offer you have. An adviser goes through the total cost, the payment plan and what to check before you pay a booking deposit.
- Every cost and payment stage set out
- Why each option was chosen, and what to weigh
- Free, with no obligation
Thank you. Here is what you shared.
An adviser will review the offer and go through its total cost, payment plan and what to check before you pay.