Buyer guide · Abu Dhabi

Buying a branded residence in Abu Dhabi as a foreigner

How a foreign buyer can own a branded residence in Abu Dhabi depends on the country's rules and on the building. Of the 7 on our list with a recorded tenure, all 7 are freehold.

In Abu Dhabi, outside the investment areas designated by the Executive Council, absolute ownership is limited to UAE nationals, companies wholly owned by them, UAE-listed public joint stock companies with no more than 49% non-UAE shareholding, and persons specifically authorised; since Law No. 13 of 2019 amended Law No. 19 of 2005 on real estate ownership, foreigners may hold freehold, musataha and usufruct rights within the investment areas, which include Yas, Saadiyat, Al Reem and Al Maryah islands, Al Raha Beach and Masdar City.

In Abu Dhabi's investment areas foreigners may hold freehold without time limit, or, under Law No. 19 of 2005, a usufruct of up to 99 years or a musataha (a right to build on and use another's land) of up to 50 years, renewable (the federal Civil Transactions Law in force since 1 June 2026 may change these limits); a holder of a usufruct or musataha of more than ten years may sell or mortgage it without the landowner's consent unless agreed otherwise. Since 1 January 2025 property on Al Reem Island has been registered by the Abu Dhabi Global Market's Registration Authority under its Real Property Regulations 2024, not by the Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre (ADREC).

Resolution No. 49 of 2018 sets the sale registration fee at 1% to 4% of the transaction, as the Executive Committee determines, paid in equal shares by seller and buyer unless agreed otherwise; TAMM, Abu Dhabi's government services portal, currently lists 2% of the contract value on first sales and off-plan sales (1% for a musataha), plus a AED 450 electronic services fee, and in practice the buyer commonly pays the whole fee. The first supply of a new home is zero-rated for VAT and resales are VAT-exempt.

Property in the UAE worth AED 2 million or more in total (one or more units, wholly owned and registered in the investor's name, including off-plan units bought from a developer approved by the local authority) qualifies for a 10-year Golden Residency, which can sponsor a spouse, children and parents. A property financed by a loan is accepted if the loan is from an approved local bank, and the investor and family must hold comprehensive health insurance.

This is a summary, not legal advice; a lawyer in the United Arab Emirates should check the title and the terms before any deposit.