Transferring money to the UAE for a property: no exchange controls, a pegged dirham, AML checks.
// Short answer
The UAE has no exchange controls, so no approval is needed to bring money in for a property or take the proceeds out. The dirham has been pegged to the US dollar since 2002. The rules that do apply are anti-money-laundering: brokers report cash purchases of AED 55,000 or more and purchases paid in virtual assets.
Rules and rates as of September 2026, for Dubai unless another emirate is named. Freehold areas are extended by amendment and fees are set by each emirate, so check the dated items again before you sign. Every figure links to its source.
On this page
Do I need approval to send money to the UAE to buy property?
No. The UAE has no exchange controls. It has accepted IMF Article VIII obligations and keeps an exchange system free of restrictions on payments and transfers for current international transactions, according to the US State Department's 2024 investment climate statement.
A UAE-issued page stating this was not fetched for this article. The checks you will meet are anti-money-laundering checks at the broker, not an approval.
What exchange rate risk is there with the dirham?
The dirham has been pegged to the US dollar since 2002, at AED 3.6725 per dollar (mid-point). A buyer whose money is in dollars faces no dirham movement against the dollar while the peg holds. A buyer in euros or pounds carries that currency's movement against the dollar.
Fix the transfer rate with your bank or provider before the price is due.
What anti-money-laundering checks apply to a UAE property purchase?
Licensed real estate brokers and agents must file a Real Estate Activity Report through the FIU's goAML platform on freehold sales or purchases paid in cash of AED 55,000 or more, paid in virtual assets, or funded by money converted from virtual assets. They keep records for at least five years.
The rule comes from a Ministry of Economy circular effective July 2022. Lawyers and law firms have the same reporting duty under a Ministry of Justice circular. Expect know-your-customer checks at the agent: a passport copy and proof of the source of funds.
Sources
How much can a foreigner borrow for a UAE property?
The Central Bank caps loan-to-value for expatriates at 80% on a first home valued at AED 5 million or less, 70% above that, 60% on second homes or investment property, and 50% on off-plan. These are ceilings. The regulation has no separate non-resident category; lending to non-residents is bank policy.
- Maximum tenor: 25 years.
- Debt-burden ratio: capped at 50%.
- Maximum loan for expatriates: 7 times annual income.
- Repayment source: salary, or verifiable business or rental income.
Commercial sources say non-residents are often offered less than the caps. Get terms in writing before you sign.
Sources
Can I take the money out of the UAE when I sell?
Yes. With no currency control and no capital gains tax for individuals, the proceeds of a sale can leave the UAE without a UAE tax deduction. The costs on the way out are the seller's share of the DLD fee and any mortgage release.
Your home country may tax the gain. The exit, step by step: selling property in the UAE as a foreigner.
Sources
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Header photo: Robert Bock, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons. All credits: image credits.