FBAR
The US report of foreign financial accounts, required when they total more than $10,000 at any time in a year. Dubai property held directly is not reported on it.
What FBAR means for a buyer
The FBAR (FinCEN Form 114) is the annual report US persons file for financial accounts held outside the United States. The IRS comparison of Form 8938 and FBAR requirements (updated 19 September 2026) sets the threshold: an FBAR is required if the aggregate value of your foreign financial accounts exceeds $10,000 at any time during the calendar year.
For an American buying in Dubai, the property itself is not an account: the IRS states that foreign real estate held directly is not reportable on the FBAR or on Form 8938. A UAE bank account opened to receive rent or hold purchase funds is a foreign financial account and counts towards the threshold. Holding the property through a foreign company changes the Form 8938 position.
See US tax on Dubai property and the United States buyer guide.
Related terms
Guides that use this term
Where FBAR comes up in practice, with the costs, rules and steps around it.
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