Join
Back

Freehold areas in Dubai and the UAE: where foreigners can own property

A foreigner can own an apartment or villa in the UAE outright only in designated areas — freehold zones. Here are those areas in Dubai and the other emirates, and how to check a specific property.

Freehold vs leasehold

Freehold is full ownership with no time limit of the apartment or villa, and in some projects of the land beneath it. Leasehold is the right to hold and use a property for a long term (usually up to 99 years), after which it returns to the landowner. For foreigners in Dubai the main format is freehold in designated areas; outside them deals are possible only as leasehold or usufruct.

Main freehold areas in Dubai

City centre and business districts: Downtown Dubai, Business Bay, DIFC, City Walk. Waterfront: Dubai Marina, JBR, Palm Jumeirah, Bluewaters, Dubai Islands, Dubai Harbour, La Mer. New communities: Dubai Hills Estate, Dubai Creek Harbour, MBR City and Meydan, JVC, JVT, JLT, Arjan, Al Furjan, Dubai Sports City, Motor City, Town Square, Dubai South. Villa communities: Arabian Ranches, Emirates Hills, The Springs and The Meadows, DAMAC Hills, Jumeirah Golf Estates, Tilal Al Ghaf.

How to check a property is freehold

For a ready property the ownership type is on the title deed; for one under construction, in the Oqood registration. The project and developer can be found in the Dubai REST app and the DLD project registry. If an agent offers a property outside the well-known areas, ask for written confirmation of the ownership type before paying a deposit.

Abu Dhabi

In Abu Dhabi foreigners buy in investment zones: Saadiyat Island, Yas Island, Al Reem Island, Al Raha Beach, Al Maryah Island, Masdar City, Al Reef and others. Since 2019 these zones allow full freehold ownership, registered with the Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre (ADREC).

Sharjah, Ajman and Ras Al Khaimah

In Sharjah, since 2022 foreigners can own homes in specific projects approved by the emirate, such as Aljada and Maryam Island; elsewhere usufruct rights are available. Ajman has freehold areas in Al Zorah, Emirates City and several waterfront projects. In Ras Al Khaimah: Al Marjan Island, Al Hamra Village and Mina Al Arab. Umm Al Quwain and Fujairah have fewer zones — check the conditions with the emirate's land department.

What freehold ownership gives you

The home is registered in your name; you can rent it out, sell it, mortgage it with a UAE bank and pass it on to heirs. Owning property can also qualify you for a residence visa: the two-year investor visa, or the Golden Visa for property worth AED 2 million or more. Since April 2026 the two-year visa has no minimum property value for the sole owner of a ready home.

How PromptEstates helps

PromptEstates only matches projects in areas where foreigners can buy, and shows prices, rental yields and developers for each area.

Frequently asked questions

Can a foreigner buy outside a freehold area?

In Dubai only as a long lease or usufruct right (leasehold), not as ownership.

Do I need a residence visa to buy in a freehold area?

No. A passport is enough, and the purchase can be completed remotely.

Can the home be inherited?

Yes. To make sure it passes according to your wishes, register a will, for example with DIFC Wills.

Sources: Dubai Land Department

Find your project first.

Describe the apartment or villa you want to buy in your own words — AI matches off-plan real estate projects in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and other emirates and shows the analytics: price per m², area trends and rental yield.

Read next

What is off-plan property in DubaiOff-plan means buying an apartment or villa directly from the developer while the project is still being built. Most new homes in Dubai are sold this way.Read The DLD fee when buying property in DubaiThe DLD fee is the registration fee charged by the Dubai Land Department. It is 4% of the property price and is paid when the sale is registered.Read UAE Golden Visa through propertyThe Golden Visa is a long-term UAE residence visa with no local sponsor. You can get it by owning property worth at least AED 2 million. Below are the current 2026 conditions and a step-by-step application guide.Read Payment plans for off-plan property in DubaiOff-plan property in Dubai is usually sold on a developer payment plan, typically interest-free. The schedule of instalments is called the payment plan.Read How to check a developer in DubaiWhen you buy a home that is still being built, you trust the developer with your money for years ahead. Here is what to check before you book.Read Off-plan vs ready property in DubaiYou can buy a home in Dubai from the developer before completion, or one that is already built. Each option has its own advantages.Read The costs of buying an apartment in DubaiThe advertised price is not the whole amount. Buying a home in Dubai comes with mandatory fees and recurring charges.Read Can foreigners buy property in Dubai?Yes. Foreign nationals can buy homes in Dubai with full ownership in designated districts known as freehold areas.Read Rental yield in Dubai: how to calculate itRental yield shows what share of a home’s price you earn each year by renting it out. Work it out before you buy.Read The 2-year investor visa through Dubai propertyIf you own a completed home in Dubai, it can be the basis for a 2-year UAE residence visa. In April 2026 the Dubai Land Department removed the AED 750,000 minimum property value for sole owners.Read Dubai: the emirate's history and where to buy propertyIn half a century a pearl-diving settlement on Dubai Creek became one of the world's main business and tourism hubs — and the region's busiest off-plan property market.Read Abu Dhabi: the capital's history and where to buy propertyThe largest and wealthiest emirate covers most of the country. Its market is calmer than Dubai's, and buyers favour Saadiyat, Yas and Al Reem islands.Read Sharjah: the UAE's cultural capital and where to buyDubai's neighbour offers more affordable homes, museums and more traditional rules. Many people live in Sharjah and work in Dubai.Read Ajman: the smallest emirate and where to buyA compact emirate half an hour from Dubai with some of the lowest prices for seaside homes in the UAE.Read Umm Al Quwain: the quiet emirate of lagoons and where to buyThe calmest and least populated emirate, with mangrove lagoons. The market is still forming, and large developers have arrived.Read Ras Al Khaimah: mountains, sea and where to buyThe northernmost emirate, with mountains and beaches, is seeing a surge of buyer interest thanks to the Wynn resort on Al Marjan Island.Read Fujairah: the Gulf of Oman emirate and where to buyThe only emirate that lies entirely on the east coast, by the Gulf of Oman — mountains, diving and resorts far from city bustle.Read Off-plan handover delays in Dubai: what the DLD registry showsWe analysed the official Dubai Land Department registry: of 1,569 projects under construction, 412 (26%) are already past their planned completion date. Where it happens most and what it means for buyers.Read Escrow accounts in Dubai: how off-plan buyers' money is protectedIn Dubai, payments for an apartment under construction do not go to the developer directly: they go into an escrow account at a bank and are released in stages as the building rises. Here is how it works and what to check.Read How to choose an off-plan property in Dubai: a 12-point checklistTwelve things to check before booking an apartment in a building under construction in Dubai. Save the list and run every project on your shortlist through it.Read How to buy off-plan property in Dubai: every step from booking to keysAn off-plan purchase is not one transaction but a chain of 10 steps spread over 2–4 years. Here is each of them: what you sign, what you pay, what to check and where buyers most often go wrong.Read How to buy resale property in Dubai: a step-by-step guideOn the secondary market you buy a finished home from its owner, and the deal takes weeks, not years. Here is every step — from choosing an agent to the new title deed — and every cost on top of the price.Read UAE retirement visa: how to move to Dubai after 55The UAE issues a dedicated residence visa for retirees: five years, no employer or sponsor, renewable. Here is who qualifies, which financial condition you need to meet and how to apply.Read UAE visa through financial investment: fund, business and bank depositThe Golden Visa can be obtained not only through property but also through financial investment — a deposit in an investment fund or capital in a UAE company. Here are the options, thresholds and documents, and how they differ from a regular bank deposit.Read UAE residency through investment: all the options comparedThe UAE has no single 'investor visa' — there are several programmes with different thresholds and conditions. We put them side by side: how much you need to invest, how long the visa lasts, whether off-plan counts and whether family can be included.Read Property revaluation for the Golden Visa: if you bought below AED 2 millionFor a Golden Visa through property, what counts is not the price you paid but the property's value in an official valuation on the date you apply. If your home has gone up and is now worth AED 2 million or more, a revaluation can open the way to the visa.Read UAE mortgages for foreigners: how much you can borrow and howForeigners can take a mortgage from a UAE bank — both residents and people living abroad. Here are the Central Bank limits, the down payment, income requirements, every fee and what is different for off-plan.Read Property taxes in the UAE: what an apartment owner paysThe UAE has no annual property tax, and individuals pay no tax on rental income or capital gains. But there are fees — one-off at purchase and regular ones for upkeep. Here are all of them, plus the one people often forget: taxes in the country where you are tax resident.Read

Updated:

1 of 4

Let’s match projects to your request

What are you buying for?