Downtown Dubai and the Burj Khalifa at twilight

Why Australians are looking at Dubai

What you can own, how your payments are protected, what it costs, the UAE's 0% personal income tax, and where the market stands today. General information, sourced and dated.

AED 2m

The purchase value that can qualify a property owner for the 10-year Golden Visa, about AUD 780,000.

Dubai Land Department, October 2026

14 hrs

Scheduled nonstop flying time to Dubai from Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. About 11 hours from Perth.

Airline schedules, October 2026

5.5%

Average gross rental yield reported for Dubai apartments in the first half of 2026, before costs and vacancy.

Global Property Guide, H1 2026

5.8m

Residents Dubai plans for by 2040, up from 3.3 million in 2020, under its Urban Master Plan.

Dubai Media Office, 13 March 2021

What you can own

Australians can buy freehold property in Dubai's designated freehold areas, which include the Dubai communities on our project list. You do not need to live in the UAE to own there (Law No. 7 of 2006).

Payments for registered off-plan projects go into a project escrow account under Law No. 8 of 2007, and off-plan sales are recorded on the Dubai Land Department's interim register, known as Oqood. Escrow controls how your instalments are used. It does not guarantee a completion date.

Before you pay, you can check a project's registration, its escrow account and its reported construction progress in the Dubai Land Department's Dubai REST app. We do this with you.

In Abu Dhabi, foreign buyers can own in designated investment zones, which include Saadiyat Island.

Australia and the UAE have had a trade agreement and a separate investment agreement in force since 1 October 2025, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Buying from Australia

What you need

A copy of your passport
The booking payment the developer asks for, often 5% to 20% of the price, and the 4% Dubai Land Department fee unless it is waived
An email address and a phone number, because most contracts are signed digitally
Identity and source of funds checks, which developers and agents in the UAE must carry out

What you don't need

UAE residency or a visa
To be in Dubai to reserve or sign
An address in Dubai
A UAE bank account to pay the developer

General information. Each developer sets its own requirements, so we confirm them for your purchase.

The Golden Visa

Under Dubai Land Department criteria, a property investor can apply for a 10-year renewable Golden Visa when the property's purchase value is at least AED 2 million, about AUD 780,000 at the October 2026 rate.

Mortgaged property can qualify with a no-objection letter from the lending bank. Off-plan eligibility depends on the developer and the project, so we check it with the authorities before you commit. The applicant must be inside the UAE to apply, and the government fees total about AED 9,885.

The UAE authorities decide every application, and the rules change from time to time. The federal portal lists real estate investors at 5 years while Dubai's authorities state 10, so we confirm the current position for your purchase.

For completed homes there is also a 2-year renewable residence visa for property owners. Since April 2026 a sole owner qualifies at any property value, while co-owners each need a share worth at least AED 400,000. Off-plan homes do not qualify for this visa.

Dubai Land Department, GDRFA and ICP, checked October 2026. The 2-year visa change was reported in April and May 2026.

What it costs to buy

Dubai Land Department fee: 4% of the price, usually paid by the buyer under the contract. Some developers waive it at launch.
Oqood registration: Off-plan sales are registered on the interim register, then converted to a title deed at handover.
Trustee office fee: AED 2,000 or AED 4,000 plus VAT, depending on the price.
Title deed fee: A small fixed fee set by the Dubai Land Department.
Service charges: Annual, per square foot, and different in every building. Dubai publishes them in its Service Charge Index.

Dubai Land Department fee schedule, October 2026. We give you the full cost of a specific home in writing before you reserve.

0% personal income tax

The UAE does not charge personal income tax. Individuals pay no UAE income tax on their salary, or on rent and gains from property they own in their own name.

UAE Federal Tax Authority, checked October 2026

Getting there

Emirates flies nonstop to Dubai from Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. Scheduled flying time is about 14 hours from the east coast and about 11 hours from Perth. Check current schedules with the airline.

Dubai is 6 hours behind Brisbane, and 7 hours behind Sydney and Melbourne during daylight saving, so a morning call in Dubai is an afternoon call at home.

Smartraveller currently advises Australians to exercise a high degree of caution in the UAE (updated 8 October 2026). Check the latest advice before you travel.

The market today

Dubai's property market has slowed in 2026. Cavendish Maxwell reports residential sales value down 47% year on year in the third quarter, and S&P Global Ratings cites industry estimates of prices 5% to 15% lower between the end of 2025 and September 2026. Valuation indices show smaller annual falls, of about 2% to 3%.

Reported gross rental yields for Dubai apartments averaged 5.5% in the first half of 2026, with Jumeirah Village Circle at 6.4%. Gross yields are before service charges, management and vacancy, and past figures are not a forecast.

A softer market can mean better terms from developers. It also means choosing the developer, the location and the payment plan with more care, which is the work we do before we show you anything.

The National, 7 October 2026. ValuStrat, August 2026. Global Property Guide, H1 2026

The Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan

Launched in March 2021, the plan sets out where Dubai will grow for the next two decades. The projects below are under way or already open, according to the Dubai Media Office, the RTA and WAM.

Up to 400%

more public beach length by 2040.
Double

the green and recreational space, with 60% of the emirate kept as nature reserves and rural areas.
Metro Blue Line

30 km and 14 stations, including Dubai Creek Harbour, scheduled to open on 9 September 2029.
Etihad Rail

Passenger trains between Abu Dhabi and Dubai since 30 September 2026, about an hour each way.

Dubai property terms, explained simply

The words you'll meet in a Dubai brochure, contract and payment schedule, in plain English, in the order you'll meet them.

Off-plan: A home bought from the developer before it is finished, and paid for in stages while it is built.
Ready property: A finished home you can view in person, then move into or lease out straight away.
SPA: Short for Sale and Purchase Agreement, the contract that sets out the terms of your purchase.
Payment plan: The developer's schedule of instalments, for example 20% on booking, 50% during construction and 30% on completion. Each project sets its own.
Escrow account: A secure account that holds your payments and passes them to the developer in stages as the build progresses.
Oqood: The Dubai Land Department's register of off-plan sales. It records your purchase until the title deed is issued.
DLD fee: The Dubai Land Department's registration fee, 4% of the price, usually paid by the buyer.
Handover: When the developer hands over the keys, once the final instalment is paid. It usually comes a few months after the building is completed, once it has been inspected.
Snagging: The inspection before handover that lists any defects for the developer to fix.
Title deed: The Dubai Land Department's record of ownership. Off-plan buyers receive it at handover, when the Oqood registration is converted.
ROI: What a property earns each year, measured against what you paid to acquire it.
Capital appreciation: How much a property's value grows between the day you buy and the day you sell.

Questions Australians ask first

General information only. We'll point you to independent legal, tax and financial advisers before you pay a deposit.

Can Australians buy property in Dubai?

Yes. Foreign buyers, including Australians, can buy freehold property in Dubai's designated freehold areas, which include the Dubai communities on our list. You don't need to live in the UAE to own there.

Do I have to travel to Dubai to buy?

No. For most off-plan purchases you reserve with a passport copy and a booking payment, then sign the reservation and the Sale and Purchase Agreement digitally from Australia. Some steps, such as a resale, can need a power of attorney, and some buyers prefer to see the project first on our Fly-In Program. Your independent lawyer will confirm the steps for your purchase.

What does an off-plan payment plan look like?

Each developer sets its own plan. Most stage payments through construction, for example 20% on booking, 20% during the build and 60% at handover, and some continue after handover. Instalments go into the project's escrow account.

Can I get a mortgage?

Off-plan homes are usually paid through the developer's payment plan rather than a mortgage. For completed homes, UAE banks set their own criteria for non-resident borrowers, so we introduce you to a Dubai mortgage adviser who can tell you what applies to you.

Can I buy through my SMSF?

Some Australians hold overseas property through a self-managed super fund, but whether it suits you is a question of financial advice. We'll introduce you to a licensed financial adviser before you decide.

What happens at handover?

You pay the final instalment, the Oqood registration converts to a title deed, and you inspect the home for defects (snagging). We can arrange the inspection, the furnishing and a leasing agent if you plan to rent it out.

Start with a private consultation

Tell us your budget and timing. We'll come back with two or three projects that fit, priced in Australian dollars, and the questions worth asking each developer.

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