UAE 2026: what changed for foreign buyers, for agencies

The UAE kept its market open to foreign buyers in 2026, and several rules that agents quote to clients changed in the last year or so. This briefing sums up what we could confirm from public sources, and says where a source is a single page.

Visas linked to property

• The ten-year golden visa for property investors is tied to a property value of AED 2 million. A developer-news page reports that since February 2026 the application is based on the property's value rather than on the amount already paid, so mortgaged and off-plan properties can qualify, with a bank no-objection certificate for a mortgage (source). Confirm the current conditions with the Land Department before telling a client.
• The two-year investor visa: a news report says the AED 750,000 minimum has been removed for a sole owner, while each joint owner needs a share of at least AED 400,000 (Zawya). The article is undated, so we do not give an effective date here.

For agencies: write "may qualify" and name the authority, never "will receive a visa".

Powers of attorney

A broker-legal blog reports that a Land Department circular of July 2025 tightened powers of attorney for property deals: transaction-specific wording, electronic verification and a two-year limit for documents issued abroad, with an e-notary option for non-residents (source). Old general-purpose forms may be refused.

Anti-money-laundering and sanctions

Brokers are supervised as designated non-financial businesses and professions. The Ministry of Economy circular effective July 2022 sets record keeping of at least five years and reporting through goAML (Ministry page), including a Real Estate Activity Report for cash of AED 55,000 or more or any payment in virtual assets. Practice summaries add that the framework was updated in 2025 (a federal decree-law and a Cabinet resolution on targeted financial sanctions) and that fines can reach AED 5,000,000. Update your procedures and training, and get a lawyer to confirm the current text.

Advertising and holiday homes

• Online listings in Dubai need a Trakheesi permit; a practice blog reports fines of AED 50,000 per listing for a missing number.
• Letting a home for stays under six months needs a Department of Economy and Tourism holiday-home permit and the related Tourism Dirham, and the same blog reports fines starting at AED 50,000 for operating without one (source). Investors asking about short-term rental income should hear this early.

Abu Dhabi

Foreign buyers can hold freehold in designated investment zones under Law No. 13 of 2019, administered through ADREC. Practice guides list Saadiyat, Yas, Al Reem, Al Maryah, Al Raha Beach and Masdar City, and report a freehold registration fee of 2% of the price (Gulf News and a practice guide). The Dubai and Abu Dhabi rules differ, so keep the two markets separate in client material.

The regional context

The regional war that began on 28 February 2026 touched the Gulf, including the UAE. Fighting was suspended from 8 April, and on 17 June 2026 the United States and Iran signed a memorandum extending the ceasefire for 60 days and setting a negotiation timetable, according to Al Jazeera. The report does not discuss the UAE property market. For agents the practical point is that buyers, especially those abroad, ask about security, insurance and the direction of prices. Answer with current data from the Land Department and from official sources, say what you do not know, and do not forecast.

Questions clients ask

• Will my visa depend on the price I pay? The golden visa is linked to a property value of AED 2 million, and the two-year investor visa has different conditions. Point to the authority and say "may qualify".
• Is it safe to send money before the contract is registered? Only into the project escrow account for a registered off-plan project, or through the channel the Land Department names for a ready sale.
• Can I rent the home short-term? Only with the holiday-home permit and the related tourist fee.
• Do I need to be in the UAE to sign? Not necessarily: a representative with a valid, specific power of attorney, or an e-notary option, may be used, subject to current rules.

A note on figures

Several rules above come from a single practice page or news report. Before they go into a brochure, check each one on the authority's own page, add the date of the check and keep a link to the source. That habit protects your agency when a rule changes between the brochure and the deal.

How to use this

For a buyer abroad, prepare a dated one-page note: the visa routes and the property value that matters, the documents they will be asked for, the payment route, and the power of attorney requirements. Use "reported" and "check with" wherever a figure comes from a single source.

What to watch next

• The Land Department's own pages on visas and powers of attorney.
• Updates to the Ministry's goAML and sanctions guidance.
• Holiday-home permit rules and fees.
• Abu Dhabi licensing and any change to the freehold zones.

Working with D.H. Realting

D.H. Realting is a trilingual (Russian, English and Polish) overseas-property platform that introduces buyers, including expats living in Poland, the EU and elsewhere, to property abroad and supports the process. Agencies in the UAE that handle the deal locally and would like to be introduced to such buyers can contact us through our partners page. Terms are discussed individually.

This briefing is for information only and is not legal, tax or compliance advice. Rules change; confirm with a local lawyer and the competent authority before acting.