GCC nationals' ownership rights

Dubai Law No. 7 of 2006 on real property registration sets out who may own land and buildings in the emirate. Article 4 gives the right to own anywhere in Dubai to UAE nationals, nationals of the other Gulf Cooperation Council states (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman), companies wholly owned by them and public joint stock companies. Other foreign nationals may own freehold, or hold usufruct or long leases, only in areas designated by the Ruler.

In practice the difference matters less than it sounds, because most new homes offered to any buyer are in the designated freehold areas. It matters for older districts, for land, and for company ownership: a company with any non-GCC shareholder is treated as a foreign company and limited to the designated areas.

Residency is the other difference. GCC citizens do not need a visa to enter or live in the UAE, so the Golden Visa or the property investor visa is not needed by the owner, though it may matter for family members who hold other passports.

The other emirates have their own ownership laws. The fees are the same for every buyer in Dubai: the 4% transfer fee applies whatever the nationality.