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.
- ID for non-resident buyers in Dubai
- Passport; Emirates ID not needed
- US tax scope
- Worldwide income, citizens and residents
- Foreign rental reporting
- Schedule E, foreign address
- FBAR trigger
- Foreign accounts over $10,000 in total
- Directly held foreign real estate
- Not reported on Form 8938 or FBAR
- US–UAE income tax treaty
- UAE not on IRS treaty list
United States 01
Choose a property type.
Apartments, townhouses and villas suit different plans. Start with the one that fits yours.
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01 — ApartmentsApartments
AED 1M–3M
Request options -
02 — TownhousesTownhouses
AED 3M–6M
Request options -
03 — VillasVillas
AED 5M–20M
Request options
Ranges are target total purchase prices, not guaranteed starting prices and not the cash needed at booking.
Selected opportunities 02
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.
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Architectural render Apartment
Palm Central Private Residences
1–5 bedrooms
Price on requestCurrent price being re-confirmed- Payment plan
- Schedule on request
- Handover
- Not yet stated
Why selectedBeachfront apartments and penthouses in three buildings at the centre of Palm Jebel Ali, between Fronds M and N, with direct beach access.
ConsiderPalm Jebel Ali is still being developed, so check which roads, schools and shops will be open when you move in.
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Architectural render Apartment
The Woods Abode
1–2 bedrooms
Price on requestCurrent price being re-confirmed- Payment plan
- Schedule on request
- Handover
- Not yet stated
Why selectedApartments facing parks at the front and rear, in a masterplan where about half the land is open and green space.
ConsiderSobha Sanctuary is planned for around 20,000 families, so nearby phases may still be under construction after handover.
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Apartment
Binghatti Starfall
Studio–2 bedrooms
From AED 759,999Indicative developer price- Payment plan
- Schedule on request
- Handover
- Not yet stated
Why selectedNear Al Jaddaf Metro station on the Green Line, with an observatory deck and telescopes for residents on the amenity podium.
ConsiderThe Etihad Rail stop planned for Al Jaddaf is a future project, so do not rely on it when you decide.
Last checked 16 Sep 2026 Request price list and plan -
Architectural render Apartment
Arancia Yards 2
1–3 bedrooms
Price on requestCurrent price being re-confirmed- Payment plan
- Schedule on request
- Handover
- Not yet stated
Why selectedFour low-rise buildings around a sunken garden, with 4-metre living-room ceilings in select ground-floor homes.
ConsiderIt sits beside the first Arancia Yards phase, so compare prices and payment plans for both before choosing.
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Architectural render Townhouse
Palm Central Townhouses
4 bedrooms
Price on requestCurrent price being re-confirmed- Payment plan
- Schedule on request
- Handover
- Not yet stated
Why selectedFour-bedroom townhouses on the ground floor with private garages, opening onto the landscaped deck and the beach.
ConsiderYou share facilities and service charges with a 212-home development, so ask for the estimated service charge.
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Architectural render Apartment
Arancia Yards
1–3 bedrooms
Price on requestCurrent price being re-confirmed- Payment plan
- Schedule on request
- Handover
- Not yet stated
Why selectedLow-rise homes with 3.1-metre ceilings and private terraces, in the first phase of a masterplan that keeps over 70% of its land open-air.
ConsiderThe school, clinic and mosque are part of the masterplan, so check which will be open by handover.
United States 03
How to buy off-plan from the US, step by step
Much of this can be handled from the US.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
United States 04
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.
Expert consultation
Find the UAE home that fits your plans.
United States 05
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.
United States 06
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.
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?
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?
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?
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?
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?
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?
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?
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.
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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.
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.
Expert consultation
Get the current price list and payment plan for Arancia Yards 2.
Tell us what you would consider. An adviser sends what is available now, with prices and payment plans for homes that fit.
- 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 send the current price list and payment plan for homes that match what you shared.