How to buy property in Dubai from India

Under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme, a resident individual, including a minor, may remit up to USD 250,000 per financial year (April to March) for permitted current and capital account transactions (RBI FAQ on LRS, updated 6 April 2023, checked November 2026).

The RBI's FAQ on immovable property confirms that a resident may remit funds under LRS to buy property outside India. Remittances can be consolidated among relatives who are resident in India and each comply with the scheme; for capital account transactions, clubbing is allowed only where the family members are co-owners.

Because the limit resets each financial year, a family buying a more expensive unit will typically spread payments across years or buy jointly. How each instalment is matched to the limit should be confirmed with your bank before signing a payment schedule.

The remittance goes through an authorised dealer bank. You declare the purpose on Form A2, and the bank relies on that declaration; the remitter remains responsible for compliance. PAN is mandatory for all LRS transactions (RBI LRS FAQ).

Banks normally ask for the sale agreement or reservation form and the developer's payment instructions. Pay to the project escrow account named in the agreement, not to a personal account.

Remittances under LRS attract tax collected at source. For purposes other than education and medical treatment, including overseas property, TCS is nil up to ₹10 lakh per financial year and 20% on the amount above ₹10 lakh, under the charges effective 1 April 2026 (State Bank of India notice on LRS TCS, checked November 2026).

TCS is not an extra tax: it is credited against your PAN and can be adjusted against income tax or claimed back when you file your return. It still affects cash flow, so plan for it in the payment schedule.

The RBI LRS FAQ states that the scheme does not envisage fund or non-fund based facilities from banks for capital account remittances. In practice, an Indian bank will not lend rupees to pay for a flat abroad under LRS; the purchase is funded from your own money.

A mortgage from a UAE bank is a separate question, decided by that bank under UAE Central Bank rules and its own policy for non-residents.

The Dubai Land Department fee schedule (Executive Council Resolution No. 30 of 2013) sets the fee for registering a real property sale contract at 4% of the contract value. Administrative charges come on top and vary by transaction, so ask for the full breakdown before you sign.

An off-plan purchase is registered with the Land Department at the sale stage; this registration is known as Oqood. The Title Deed is issued later, when the building is completed and the unit is handed over.

Dubai Law No. 8 of 2007 requires a developer who sells units off-plan to open a project escrow account. Buyer payments are deposited into that account, which is dedicated exclusively to building that project, and the developer's creditors cannot attach it. Before paying, check that the account number in your contract belongs to the project you are buying.

Binghatti payment plans in our price list include 20/50/30, 50/20/30, 70/30 and 100% upfront. The first figure is the share paid during construction milestones or at booking, the last is usually due at handover; the exact schedule is in each project's sales agreement.

The catalogue covers 80 lots across 35 projects. We are an independent catalogue, not a broker, and using it is free for buyers.

The sale settles in UAE dirhams, pegged at 3.6725 to the US dollar. Your bank converts rupees under the LRS remittance and wires AED or USD to the project escrow account named in the sale agreement; a UAE bank account is not required for the purchase. Quote the escrow reference exactly as written in the contract and keep every SWIFT confirmation — the developer needs them at handover and the Indian tax return needs them as cost evidence.

A non-resident savings account in the UAE is possible with a personal visit (passport, proof of address, six months of statements, source of funds and the developer's purchase letter), but only a few banks offer it, minimum balances start around AED 30,000 and approval takes three weeks or more. It helps with instalments and rent collection, not with the first payment.

Paying in cryptocurrency works only through an intermediary licensed by VARA, Dubai's virtual-assets regulator, which converts to dirhams after KYC and remits to escrow; the Land Department registers the deal in AED. For an Indian resident this route also has to fit LRS and FEMA rules, so take advice before using it.

India and the UAE have a double taxation avoidance agreement. Income from immovable property may be taxed in the country where the property is located, and India gives credit for tax paid abroad under Section 90 of the Income-tax Act. Because the UAE charges no personal income tax on rent or on a sale, there is nothing to credit: an Indian tax resident pays full Indian tax on the rent and on any gain, and reports the asset in Schedule FA every year. Confirm the treaty position for your case with a chartered accountant.

The UAE government portal u.ae lists a 5-year Golden Visa for real estate investors with a minimum property investment of AED 2 million (checked November 2026). Rules for off-plan units are set by the immigration authority, so confirm eligibility for a specific lot before relying on it.

In this catalogue, 49 of 80 lots are priced at AED 2 million or more. Prices start from 688,999, the median lot costs 2,301,500 and the most expensive is 165,000,000.

You do not have to fly to Dubai for every step: many buyers sign through a representative using a power of attorney. The document must be notarised and legalised for use in the UAE; check the exact requirements with the developer and the Land Department before you issue it.

After the purchase, an Indian tax resident must report the property in Schedule FA (foreign assets) of the income tax return, and any rental income from it as income. Immovable property abroad must be declared regardless of its value.