It is one of the most-searched questions by overseas Dubai buyers, and the short answer is yes: several UAE banks lend to non-residents. The difference versus a resident buyer is not whether you can borrow, but how much, at what cost, and with what paperwork. Get those three right before you fall in love with a unit.

How much can a non-resident borrow?

Loan-to-value (LTV) is the lever. Resident expats can typically finance up to 80% of a first property priced at or below AED 5M (lower above that), under UAE Central Bank caps. Non-residents are lent to more conservatively — commonly 50-75% LTV depending on the bank, the property, and your profile. Plan for a down payment of at least 25%, and assume closer to 40-50% at the cautious end.

Translation: on a AED 2M unit, a non-resident should be ready to put down AED 500,000-1,000,000 in equity, plus the ~7-8% in transaction fees on top (see our full Dubai buying-costs breakdown).

What you will need to provide

  • Passport (and, for some banks, a second photo ID).
  • Six months of personal bank statements.
  • Proof of income — salary certificate / employment letter, or audited accounts and trade licence if self-employed.
  • A credit report from your home country (some banks require it; all will assess affordability).
  • Proof of the down-payment source of funds.

The costs that come with the loan

  • Mortgage registration with the DLD: 0.25% of the loan amount + a fixed ~AED 290.
  • Bank processing / arrangement fee: commonly ~0.5-1% of the loan + VAT.
  • Property valuation by a bank-approved valuer: ~AED 2,500-3,500 + VAT.
  • Life and property insurance: an annual cost the lender requires.

Interest rates in the UAE move with EIBOR and the bank's margin, and they shifted materially through 2024-25 — do not anchor on a rate you read in an old article. Get a current, written offer from at least two banks before you commit, and compare the fixed-period and the post-fixed reversion rate, not just the headline.

Eligibility nuances that catch buyers out

  • Approved-developer / approved-project lists: some banks only finance specific buildings — confirm yours qualifies before you negotiate.
  • Minimum income and age limits vary by bank and loan term.
  • Off-plan finance is more restricted than ready-property finance; many banks lend only on a completion or post-handover basis.

Where REAISALE fits

Financing decides what you can buy; the Intelligence Score decides whether you should. Once you know your LTV ceiling, filter the live feed to your real budget and read each unit's score — the goal is to deploy your hard-won equity into an asset that is fairly priced against its comp set, not one carrying a premium you are quietly financing for 25 years.

Know your down-payment ceiling? Filter the live feed to that price band and sort by Intelligence Score — finance the best-priced asset, not the best-marketed one.

LTV caps, documentation, and fees described here reflect the UAE framework as of 2026 and vary by bank; confirm the current terms directly with your lender and a licensed mortgage broker before relying on them.