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International buyers · United States

Buying UAE property from the US: steps, paperwork and US tax

US citizens and residents can buy freehold in the UAE without living there. The property stays inside the US tax system wherever you live, and a UAE visa does not change that.

Get an Expert ConsultationPlan Your Purchase from the US

Choose a property type.

Apartments, townhouses and villas suit different plans. Start with the one that fits yours.

A white apartment tower with deep balconies rising above palm trees against a clear blue sky

Apartments

AED 1M–3M

A row of contemporary townhouses with timber screens, olive trees and a landscaped front path

Townhouses

AED 3M–6M

A modern villa with an infinity pool and a lawn overlooking the sea

Villas

AED 5M–20M

Ranges are target total purchase prices, not guaranteed starting prices and not the cash needed at booking.

Off-plan projects available now

Compare them like for like: the price where the developer has confirmed it, the payment plan, the handover date and what to weigh.

Eden House The Park by H&H in Al Safa, Dubai Water Canal, Dubai, architectural renderApartmentArchitectural render

H&H in Al Safa, Dubai Water Canal, Dubai

Eden House The Park

2–4 bedrooms

Price on requestCurrent price being re-confirmed

Payment plan
Schedule on request
Handover
Developer-stated September 2027 · Under construction

Seven low-rise buildings set in their own park on the Dubai Water Canal, beside Al Safa Park, run in-house under H&H’s Eden House brand rather than by a hotel operator.

Request price list and planLast checked 5 Oct 2026
Palm Central Private Residences by Nakheel in Palm Jebel Ali, Dubai, architectural renderApartmentArchitectural render

Nakheel in Palm Jebel Ali, Dubai

Palm Central Private Residences

1–5 bedrooms

Price on requestCurrent price being re-confirmed

Payment plan
Schedule on request
Handover
Not yet stated

Beachfront apartments and penthouses in three buildings at the centre of Palm Jebel Ali, between Fronds M and N, with direct beach access.

Request price list and plan
The Woods Abode by Sobha in Sobha Sanctuary, Dubai, architectural renderApartmentArchitectural render

Sobha in Sobha Sanctuary, Dubai

The Woods Abode

1–2 bedrooms

Price on requestCurrent price being re-confirmed

Payment plan
Schedule on request
Handover
Not yet stated

Apartments facing parks at the front and rear, in a masterplan where about half the land is open and green space.

Request price list and plan
Binghatti Starfall by Binghatti in Al Jaddaf, DubaiApartment

Binghatti in Al Jaddaf, Dubai

Binghatti Starfall

Studio–2 bedrooms

Price on requestCurrent price being re-confirmed

Payment plan
Schedule on request
Handover
Not yet stated

Near Al Jaddaf Metro station on the Green Line, with an observatory deck and telescopes for residents on the amenity podium.

Request price list and planLast checked 16 Sep 2026
Arancia Yards 2 by BEYOND in The Yards, City of Arabia, Dubai, architectural renderApartmentArchitectural render

BEYOND in The Yards, City of Arabia, Dubai

Arancia Yards 2

1–3 bedrooms

Price on requestCurrent price being re-confirmed

Payment plan
Schedule on request
Handover
Not yet stated

Four low-rise buildings around a sunken garden, with 4-metre living-room ceilings in select ground-floor homes.

Request price list and plan
Palm Central Townhouses by Nakheel in Palm Jebel Ali, Dubai, architectural renderTownhouseArchitectural render

Nakheel in Palm Jebel Ali, Dubai

Palm Central Townhouses

4 bedrooms

Price on requestCurrent price being re-confirmed

Payment plan
Schedule on request
Handover
Not yet stated

Four-bedroom townhouses on the ground floor with private garages, opening onto the landscaped deck and the beach.

Request price list and plan

How to buy off-plan from the US, step by step

Much of this can be handled from the US.

  1. 1

    Check your US reporting

    Ask a US tax adviser how rent, currency movements and a future sale would be reported, and whether any account you open abroad adds FBAR or Form 8938 reporting.

  2. 2

    Shortlist with an adviser

    In a video or phone consultation, compare up to three projects in your budget with every cost and payment stage set out.

  3. 3

    Check the project

    Before paying anything, confirm the project is registered with the emirate’s regulator, pays into a project escrow account and holds an advertising permit.

  4. 4

    Sign and complete checks

    Sign the sale and purchase agreement in person or through an authenticated power of attorney, and provide identity and source-of-funds evidence.

  5. 5

    Register and pay in stages

    Make sure the sale is recorded on the emirate’s off-plan register, then wire each instalment to the project escrow account as construction progresses.

  6. 6

    Take handover and report

    Handover follows the developer-stated timetable. Rent, if any, starts only after handover and is reported on your US return in dollars.

Apartment terraces planted with greenery above a turquoise lagoon, with the city skyline in the distance

Documents to prepare for buying from the US

  • Keep your passport valid

    Dubai Land Department accepts a valid passport from non-resident foreign buyers to register a sale, and asks for a passport copy for Oqood off-plan registration, so an Emirates ID is not needed in Dubai.

  • Authenticate a power of attorney if you will not sign in person

    A power of attorney signed in the US generally needs notarisation and authentication before UAE use. Confirm the current route with the UAE Embassy or consulate and the registration trustee.

  • Gather source-of-funds evidence

    Dubai Land Department lists Federal Decree-Law No. 10 of 2025 as the current anti-money-laundering law. Have statements showing where the money came from ready before you sign.

  • Confirm ID rules outside Dubai

    RAK Municipality’s sale-contract service card lists an Emirates ID for both parties. If you are buying in Abu Dhabi or Ras Al Khaimah, confirm identity requirements before you sign.

  • Pay only into the escrow account

    In Dubai each off-plan project has its own escrow account, used only to build that project, and the developer’s creditors cannot attach it. Wire instalments only to the account named in your contract.

  • Keep records in dollars

    Amounts on a US return must be expressed in US dollars, so keep transfer dates, rates and fees for every payment.

Find the UAE home that fits your plans.

Get an Expert ConsultationGet a Second Opinion Before You Commit

Moving money from the US: what to prepare

Most US buyers pay by international wire from a US account to the project escrow account. Have evidence of where the money came from ready, and plan to pay by bank transfer: a UAE Ministry of Economy circular requires brokers to report freehold sales paid in cash of AED 55,000 or more, or paid wholly or partly in virtual assets.

If you open or use a bank account in the UAE, US reporting can follow. Publication 54 says FinCEN Form 114 (the FBAR) is required if the combined value of your foreign financial accounts exceeds $10,000 during the year.

US tax on a UAE home: what the IRS says, and what to ask

Official IRS positions as at 16 September 2026. Your filing status decides how they apply.

  1. Worldwide income

    If you are a US citizen or resident alien, your worldwide income is generally subject to US income tax, regardless of where you live.

    Ask your adviserHow does owning UAE property change what I file each year?

  2. Rental income

    Schedule E instructions ask for the city, province or state, country and postal code when a rental property is in a foreign country.

    Ask your adviserAfter handover, which expenses and depreciation rules apply to a foreign rental?

  3. FBAR

    Filed with FinCEN through its BSA E-Filing System when foreign financial accounts total more than $10,000 at any time in the calendar year. Publication 54 gives an April 15 due date with an automatic extension to October 15.

    Ask your adviserWill a UAE bank or escrow-related account bring me into FBAR reporting?

  4. Form 8938

    Specified foreign financial assets are reported above set thresholds, starting at $50,000 at year end or $75,000 at any time for unmarried taxpayers living in the US. Foreign real estate held directly is not reported, but an interest in a foreign entity holding it is.

    Ask your adviserShould I hold the property personally, and what if I use a company?

  5. Currency

    Amounts on a US return must be expressed in US dollars, translated from any foreign currency.

    Ask your adviserWhich exchange rates should I use for purchase costs, rent and a sale?

  6. Tax treaty

    The IRS A to Z list of US income tax treaties, last reviewed on 3 January 2026, does not include the United Arab Emirates.

    Ask your adviserIs a foreign tax credit or deduction relevant for any UAE tax I pay?

  7. UAE side

    Under Cabinet Decision No. 49 of 2023, an individual’s income from selling or letting UAE property without needing a licence is not treated as a business activity for UAE Corporate Tax.

    Ask your adviserIs any UAE tax due on rent or a sale, and how would it show on my US return?

A UAE property or golden visa does not change your US tax position

Owning UAE property, or holding a UAE residence permit, does not end US tax on worldwide income for a US citizen and does not remove FBAR or Form 8938 duties where they apply. Take your plans to a US tax adviser before assuming any change.

Six commitments behind every consultation.

How the firm is paid, and why it matters to you

A purchase this size deserves someone who shows you the full picture, including what could go wrong, before you commit a deposit.

Every cost before you commit

Total price, registration fees and each payment stage, set out in your own currency before you pay anything.

Honest about fit

Up to three options, and fewer if fewer fit. If off-plan does not suit your plans, you are told plainly.

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.

Told how the firm is paid

Before you decide on anything, including whether a developer on your shortlist pays the firm.

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.

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.

Three steps, no obligation.

No account, no fee, no pressure to proceed. You decide whether to go further.

  1. 1

    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.

  2. 2

    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.

  3. 3

    Discuss next steps

    Talk to an adviser about the options, what to verify independently and what reserving involves. There is no pressure to proceed.

Answers before you share any details.

If your question is not answered here, an adviser can go through it with you during a consultation.

Yes, in the areas open to foreign buyers. Dubai Land Department accepts a passport from non-resident foreign buyers when registering a sale, and someone can sign for you under an authenticated power of attorney. The purchase stays inside the US tax system, because the IRS taxes US citizens on worldwide income wherever they live.

By international wire to the project escrow account named in your contract. In Dubai each off-plan project has its own escrow account, used only to build that project, and the developer’s creditors cannot attach it. Keep a record of every transfer.

Generally, yes. US citizens and resident aliens are taxed on worldwide income, and the Schedule E instructions ask for the foreign address of a rental property. An off-plan home produces no rent until after handover, and amounts must be reported in US dollars. Ask a US tax adviser which expenses and depreciation rules apply.

Not if you hold it directly. The IRS says foreign real estate held directly is not reported on either form. An interest in a foreign entity that holds property is reported on Form 8938, and foreign bank accounts can bring FBAR duties once they total more than $10,000.

The United Arab Emirates does not appear on the IRS A to Z list of US income tax treaties, last reviewed on 3 January 2026. Ask a US tax adviser what that means for any UAE tax and for your foreign tax credit position.

Not for a US citizen. Publication 54 says citizens and resident aliens living abroad are generally taxed on worldwide income and face the same filing requirements as those living in the US. Dubai Land Department describes a 10-year investor permit for property costing AED 2 million or more, but eligibility is decided by the authorities and is not guaranteed. Special rules for people abroad exist, so take advice.

Apartment terraces planted with greenery above a turquoise lagoon, with the city skyline in the distance

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Read before you decide

Guide

Buying remotely

How international buyers purchase UAE off-plan property from abroad: identity documents, power of attorney legalisation and source-of-funds checks.

Guide

Property purchase costs

The costs on top of a UAE property price: registration fees by emirate, fixed charges, trustee and mortgage fees, commission and service charges.

Comparison

Dubai vs Abu Dhabi

Dubai or Abu Dhabi for an off-plan home: which suits which buyer, then ownership areas, registers, escrow, fees and developers side by side.

Guide

Choosing a developer

What evidence to look for before buying off-plan from a UAE developer: registration, escrow, completed projects, disclosures and public financial records.

Talk to an adviser