If you live in India, you can buy off-plan property in Dubai and send the money under the Reserve Bank of India's Liberalised Remittance Scheme, which RBI says may be used to buy property abroad. If you are a non-resident Indian, different rules apply to your funds. Either way, you pay into the project's escrow account in Dubai, most steps can be done from India, and Indian tax may apply, so speak to a tax adviser in India before you commit.
Which Indian rules apply to you depends on your residential status, not your nationality.
On the Dubai side, the rules are the same for both. Under Dubai Law No. 7 of 2006 on real property registration, non-UAE nationals can own freehold property in designated areas, whether or not they live in the UAE.
The Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) lets resident individuals send money abroad for permitted purposes. The key points for property:
Your bank in India arranges the remittance and asks for the documents it needs. Read RBI’s own answers in its Liberalised Remittance Scheme FAQs and FAQs on buying property outside India.
Plan your payment schedule against the limit. A developer’s plan may ask for several instalments within one financial year, and the LRS limit applies to everything you send abroad in that year.
Indian tax rules may apply when you send money abroad, while you earn rent from a Dubai property and when you sell it. How they apply depends on your residential status and your circumstances, and the rules change.
We do not give tax advice and we do not summarise Indian tax rules on this site. Speak to a tax adviser in India before you commit, and see the Income Tax Department of India guidance on double taxation relief.
The UAE position is set out by the authorities. There is no income tax on individuals, and their real estate investment income is not subject to Corporate Tax. That statement covers UAE tax only. It does not mean your income from a Dubai property is free of tax in India.
Every payment for an off-plan unit goes into the project’s escrow account in Dubai, under Dubai Law No. 8 of 2007 on escrow accounts. The account details are in your sales and purchase agreement, and you can check them against the project’s escrow details in the Dubai REST app. Pay only into that account, by bank transfer, and keep every remittance record from your bank.
Remember that you pay in dirhams while you earn in rupees. A change in the exchange rate between booking and the final instalment changes what each payment costs you.
Most steps can be done without travelling:
If someone will act for you in Dubai, DLD requires a power of attorney issued outside the UAE to be ratified by a notary public and the foreign affairs ministry in India, the UAE Embassy in India, and the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Read the full guide: Buying property in Dubai remotely.
You can pay the instalments from your own funds, or look at a UAE mortgage for the balance at handover. Central Bank rules cap borrowing on an off-plan purchase at 50% of the property value, and each lender decides whether it lends to non-residents and on what terms. If you plan to borrow in India to fund a purchase abroad, ask your bank and your tax adviser how that is treated. Read the full guide: UAE mortgages for non-residents.
Our team of 30 includes members who speak Hindi, Gujarati, Tamil, Malayalam and Punjabi, as well as English and Arabic. You can talk through projects, payment plans and documents in the language you are most comfortable with.
For the full picture, from LRS paperwork to handover, read our guide on buying property in Dubai from India.
General information only
This page is general information, not legal, tax, immigration or financial advice. Rules and fees are set by the authorities and can change. Confirm the details with the authority or a licensed adviser before you act. Read our disclaimer.
If you are resident in India, yes, within the Liberalised Remittance Scheme. RBI allows resident individuals to remit up to USD 250,000 per financial year, and the scheme may be used to buy property abroad. Your bank in India handles the remittance and its paperwork. The money goes to the project's escrow account in Dubai named in your sales and purchase agreement.
You may. Indian tax can apply when you send money abroad, on rental income and when you sell, depending on your residential status and circumstances. The UAE does not levy income tax on individuals, but that does not settle your position in India. Speak to a tax adviser in India and see the Income Tax Department's guidance on double taxation relief.
Yes. Our team speaks Hindi, Gujarati, Tamil, Malayalam and Punjabi, as well as English and Arabic. Choose your language in the enquiry form and a team member who speaks it will contact you during working hours, Monday to Saturday, 9:00 to 18:00 Dubai time.
Official sources used on this page. Each was checked on the date shown.
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Yes, a resident Indian can buy freehold property in Dubai, and RBI allows money for it to be sent under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme within a yearly limit of USD 250,000. This guide explains the Dubai ownership rules, how remittance works in general terms, how to pay into a project escrow account from India, signing remotely, and where Indian tax questions should go. It is general information, not tax or FEMA advice.
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You can buy off-plan property in Dubai without visiting. Developers register sales online with DLD, electronic signing may be available where the developer offers it, and payments go by bank transfer to the project's escrow account. A few steps may need you in person or a representative with a power of attorney. This guide explains what can be done from abroad, how to view and verify a project, how to pay safely, and how to handle handover and leasing from overseas.
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Non-residents can borrow from some UAE banks to buy property in Dubai, but whether a bank lends to you, and on what terms, is the bank's decision. The Central Bank's limits on loan size, term and affordability still apply. This guide explains those limits, the documents banks usually ask for, how off-plan lending works and the alternatives. It does not quote rates or name banks.
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