Mortgage in Dubai 2026: How Expats and Non-Residents Get One

If you are looking to buy property in Dubai then you are most likely to be purchasing via a mortgage. However there are regulations in place which are more defined than first time buyers may be aware of. Each bank in the UAE has regulations set by the UAE Central Bank. These regulations include the loan amount available, the amount that can go towards repayment from salary, and the length of the loan. Each bank may then impose further conditions such as maximum age or a minimum salary. In this guide we will look at the following in regards to obtaining a mortgage in Dubai; eligibility for a mortgage, loan amount available, salary requirements per area, required documents and all upfront fees and finally the process from pre-approval to actual possession.

Can Expats Get a Mortgage in Dubai?

Expat mortgages are available in Dubai and the vast majority of banks offer them.

• What banks check: Each bank will have different criteria but will consider length of employment, stability of income and whether you reside in the UAE.
• UAE residents: UAE visa holders paid through a UAE bank will have the most options and the best rates available.
• Self-employed: Self employed people can also obtain a mortgage but will usually require two years bank statements and company accounts.
• Living abroad: If you are an overseas resident you will only find a limited number of banks offering mortgages and we look at non-resident mortgages in the section below.

How Much Can You Borrow? Dubai Mortgage Rules

A home can be mortgaged by a bank up to a limit set by the Central Bank. The limit is based on the type of home and the individual.

• Expat first home up to AED 5 million: For expats purchasing a first residence up to AED 5 million in value 80% can be borrowed.
• Above AED 5 million: For a residence in excess of AED 5 million the limit is 70%.
• Second home or investment: For second homes and investment property expats are limited to a maximum of 60%, regardless of the price.
• UAE nationals: For UAE citizens first time homes are 85% up to AED 5 million and 75% above, and for all subsequent properties 65%.
• Off-plan: Off plan is 50% for all.
• Term: All mortgages can have a maximum term of 25 years.
• Down payment: A personal loan, credit card or any other source except the individual's own funds cannot be used to provide a down payment.
• Personal loan for the deposit: Some buyers get their deposit from a personal loan. If this is the case, the personal loan should be obtained from a different bank to the one providing the mortgage. However, the personal loan will still be recorded on a person's Al Etihad Credit Bureau file and the payment on the personal loan will be included in the 50% ceiling. This will reduce the amount of the mortgage that can be obtained.

How the bank decides your mortgage amount

The mortgage the bank can offer to you is calculated in several stages and is then set at the minimum of these.

1. Your incomeThe first stage involves assessing your regular income (your salary and any other regular income) and discounts bonuses as these are not guaranteed.

2. What you already oweThe next stage is to add all your existing debts (a car loan, a personal loan) and also take in part of any credit card limit (even if the card has been cleared). All these payments are then added to the new monthly mortgage payment.

3. Stress testThe mortgage is then tested at an interest rate of between 2 and 4 points more than the actual interest rate you will be charged. This is done to ensure that you would be able to handle an increase in interest rates. At this interest rate all your payments must be no more than 50% of your monthly income.

4. Income cap and loan-to-valueThe mortgage cannot exceed 7 times the annual income of an expatriate. Finally the mortgage cannot exceed the loan to value limit set by the Central Bank for that property.

5. Your offerThe actual offer is then the minimum of all these. A high income will be of little benefit if the property only allows 50%.

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All repayments must stay under half your income.

Minimum Salary for a Mortgage in Dubai

There is no single minimum pay for a mortgage in Dubai. Each bank has a different minimum pay for a mortgage.

• The common minimum: Many banks request a minimum of AED 15,000 for expats.
• Lower minimums: Certain banks will consider AED 10,000 or less.
• Higher minimums: Other banks will request more for non-residents or larger mortgage amounts.
• Time in your job: Most request that you have passed probation in your current position. Length of employment is also factored in. Banks generally prefer that you have worked for at least six months at your current employer. You will also generally be asked to provide the last six months of bank statements. Some banks will accept three months of statements.
• The real limit: The 50% rule is usually the actual restriction rather than the minimum pay. If you are already paying AED 4,000 per month towards a car loan this will be deducted from your monthly mortgage limit.

Mortgage Payments and Salary Needed by Area

We have calculated these based on the median sold prices of sales registered by the Dubai Land Department over the 12 months up to 10 October 2026.

• What we assumed: All examples are for an expatriate purchasing their first property with the maximum loan size, over 25 years at 4.5%.
• Salary needed: The salary is the minimum income for which the repayment (calculated at 2pts over the interest rate) is less than half the income for that person, with no other debts and the loan value less than seven times the annual income.
• Cash on day one: The cash figure includes the conveyancing and other fees detailed later in this guide plus the deposit.

• Apartments: A 1 bedroom apartment in Dubai Sports City costs around AED 3,600 per month whereas a similar property in Jumeirah Village Circle costs AED 4,900 and in Dubai Marina costs AED 6,700.
• Villas and townhouses: A 3 bedroom townhouse or villa in DAMAC Hills 2 costs around AED 7,500 per month. Family communities from Town Square to Mudon cost between AED 12,700 and AED 15,100 per month.
• Above AED 5 million: In Dubai Hills Estate the median 3 bedroom property is in excess of AED 5 million and therefore only 70% is provided by the lender meaning the cash required is approximately AED 2.6 million.
• Bank minimums: Many lenders set a minimum expatriate income of AED 15,000 so in less expensive areas it is frequently the lender's minimum that restricts the buyer rather than the repayment amount.

How to Get a Mortgage in Dubai: Step by Step

For the majority of mortgage applications in Dubai the process is the same. If you are aware of this in advance then you can prevent a deposit or transaction falling over.

1. Affordability checkInitially perform an affordability calculation which adds together all earnings, existing loan repayments and all cash available for fees and deposit.

2. Pre-approvalFollowing this obtain a pre-approval from a mortgage broker or bank. This will inform you of the sum you are approved to borrow and is normally valid for between 60 and 90 days.

3. Offer and Form FUsing your pre-approval attend a RERA registered estate agent to view property. Once a property has been agreed upon sign Form F and pay a deposit of 10% in the form of a cheque.

4. Valuation and offer letterThe lenders then appoint their own valuer to visit the property. Once the valuation has been carried out the lender will issue the final offer letter.

5. Transfer and keysOn transfer the lender pays the vendor, the mortgage is registered at the Dubai Land Department and the title deed and keys are issued to you.

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The average time from signing Form F to collection of the keys for a mortgage transaction is between 4-6 weeks.

Documents Needed for a Property Mortgage in Dubai

The bank requires a short list of documentation. If this is available it will assist with obtaining pre-approval.

• Salaried buyers: For a salary earner the bank requires UAE visa, Emirates ID, a passport, a certificate of salary from employer and the past six month bank statements.
• Self-employed buyers: For the self employed the bank requires a copy of the business trade licence, company bank statements, personal statements and usually two years of audited accounts.
• Non-residents: For a non-resident the bank requires a passport, proof of address, payslips or company accounts from country of residence and a credit report (if one exists).
• The property: For the property the bank requires the title deed or sale and purchase agreement from the developer and a copy of the signed Form F.

Mortgage Costs in Dubai: The Cash You Need on Day One

The cost in cash for purchasing by mortgage is greater than many purchasers expect. In addition to the deposit there are fees associated with the purchase paid in cash.

• Fees are paid in cash: Since February 2025 banks in the UAE no longer incorporate the Dubai Land Department transfer fee or the agency fee within the mortgage. The cash therefore must be in the purchaser's account.
• Transfer fee and title deed: The title deed has a charge of AED 580 and in the Dubai market there is a transfer fee of 4% paid by the purchaser.
• Conveyancing: The conveyancing fee for a mortgage purchase is a minimum of AED 6,600 plus VAT due to the additional bank documentation.
• Trustee office: For properties of AED 500,000 and over, the fee at the trustee office is AED 4,000 plus VAT.
• Agency fee: Typically the agency fee is 2% plus VAT.
• Mortgage registration: The Dubai Land Department charges 0.25% of the mortgage sum for registration of the mortgage.
• Bank valuation: Valuation by the mortgage lender is approximately between AED 2,500 and AED 3,500.
• Processing fee: Many lenders will also charge a processing fee of up to 1% of the mortgage sum plus VAT.
• Worked example: For an 80% mortgage on an apartment valued at AED 1.5 million this will equate to approximately AED 121,810. With the deposit of AED 300,000 this would require approximately AED 421,810 in cash.

Mortgage in Dubai for Non-Residents

Non residents can obtain a mortgage in Dubai but fewer banks provide this and the conditions are more restrictive.

• Loan size: For non residents the mortgage is typically only offered for up to around 50-60% of the property value. This means that a non resident will have to put in more deposit compared to a resident.
• A bank example: For example at Mashreq non residents can obtain up to 50% of the property value and the maximum mortgage size is AED 15 million.
• Income: A higher income is also required and some banks require a monthly income significantly in excess to that required for residents.
• Type of property: For non residents banks prefer ready property situated in well developed areas. Off plan is not offered by all banks.
• Residency: A mortgage on a property in Dubai does not automatically grant a visa into the UAE. However if the property is valued at AED 2 million or more there is the possibility of obtaining a Golden Visa. Further questions on the latter are provided at the end of this guide.

Finding the Best Mortgage in Dubai: Fixed or Variable Rate?

In Dubai most mortgage deals offer a fixed rate for between 1 and 5 years before the mortgage moves into a variable rate.

• Variable rate: The variable rate is typically the three month EIBOR rate plus a bank imposed spread (1% to 3%).
• EIBOR today: The EIBOR rate (Emirates Interbank Offered Rate; this is the rate at which banks in the UAE borrow dirhams from other banks; this rate is used as the base rate for variable mortgages) for three months as published by the Central Bank on the 15 October 2026 was 4.35%.
• Fixed rates: Fixed rates available from banks in the UAE in October 2026 are typically between 4% and 5%, but vary according to bank, loan size and length of fixed rate.
• Length of the fixed period: The longer the fixed term the greater the amount of protection against later increases in interest rates although the initial rate will typically be slightly higher.
• Paying off early: Early redemption or transfer fees are limited by the Central Bank to the lowest of AED 10,000 or 1% of the remaining loan value.

Off-Plan Mortgages in Dubai

For off-plan properties things are slightly different. With these properties the property has not been constructed at the time the mortgage is taken out.

• Loan cap: The Central Bank only allows 50% of the property value to be borrowed for each buyer purchasing off-plan property.
• The usual route: Generally buyers pay into the development whilst the property is being built and on completion can take a mortgage at handover for the balance.
• Before completion: Some lenders do provide mortgages in advance for off-plan property but only for approved developers and only after the buyer's share of the cost has already been paid.
• Check the payment plan: If you intend to take a mortgage at completion ensure that the payment at completion fits within the borrowing facility available on an already constructed property and also look at the payment plan after completion.

Islamic Home Finance in Dubai

Islamic home loans operate according to the same restrictions as a conventional mortgage imposed by the Central Bank. This includes the 50% income restriction and the 80% limit for a first home by an expat.

• How it works: The operation however, differs. Rather than interest being charged the bank can own the property and rent it to the borrower (Ijara) or purchase the property and sell it to the borrower at a predetermined higher sale price (Murabaha).
• Payments: The repayment schedule is comparable to that of a conventional home loan. The rental or profit rate can also be tied to EIBOR in a similar manner.
• Lenders: Dubai Islamic Bank, Emirates Islamic and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank all provide this product.

Why Dubai Mortgage Applications Get Declined

There are relatively few causes behind mortgage difficulties in Dubai, and most can be avoided by checking prior to application.

• Credit score: A rejected mortgage or an escalated interest rate may result from missed instalments on a previous loan or a low score from the Al Etihad Credit Bureau.
• Credit cards: Credit cards will adversely affect your application as the lender counts a portion of the overall credit limit in your debts, regardless of whether you pay the card in full each month.
• Job and income: Commission in your earnings may result in a delay in mortgage approval, as may job changes whilst applying for a mortgage or being on probation.
• Low valuation: The most frequent issue that arises at the final stage is an inadequate valuation. This means that the lender has valued the property for less than the contracted selling price and a cash difference must be paid by the buyer.
• Too many applications: Applying to too many different lenders can also adversely impact on your credit rating. Using one mortgage broker who compares several lenders for you is recommended.