Can foreigners get a mortgage in Dubai?

Foreign buyers, including non-residents, can obtain mortgages from UAE banks for Dubai property. The market is mature, with dedicated international-mortgage desks at every major UAE bank. The loan-to-value depends on residency status: UAE residents qualify for up to 80% LTV; non-residents typically qualify for 50–60%. Most mortgages are issued on completed property only; off-plan units can usually be refinanced into a mortgage only after handover.

Typical mortgage parameters (2026)

• LTV for non-residents: 50–60% of property value
• LTV for UAE residents: up to 80% (first home), 65% (second home)
• Interest rates: 4.5%–6.5% fixed for 1–5 years, then variable
• Term: up to 25 years
• Minimum income: typically AED 25,000/month (non-residents need higher)
• Age at maturity: maximum 70 for salaried, 75 for self-employed
• Currency: AED, USD or in some cases EUR/GBP
• Processing fee: 0.5%–1% of loan amount, one-time

Top mortgage lenders for foreign buyers

Emirates NBD, Mashreq, HSBC UAE, Standard Chartered UAE, ADCB, FAB (First Abu Dhabi Bank), and ENBD's brokerage arms are the dominant lenders for foreigners. HSBC and Standard Chartered are particularly strong for cross-border applications, since they can underwrite based on your home-country bank statements. UAE-only banks (Emirates NBD, Mashreq, FAB) typically require a UAE bank account and 3–6 months of UAE banking history for non-residents.

Bottom line

Mortgages are widely available to foreign buyers in Dubai, but with lower LTVs than for residents. For most international acquisitions, the optimal structure is cash through construction, then mortgage refinance at handover, this maximises portfolio leverage while keeping the off-plan acquisition risk minimal.