The UAE lets Golden Visa buyers borrow, but the required stake still tops a typical new U.S. home

Editor’s note: This article was updated after a review of the UAE executive regulation, emirate-level guidance and ICP’s current Golden Residency Guide, which allows bank-financed property and lists a 10-year term for real-estate investors. It clarifies that approved mortgages are permitted while Dubai and Abu Dhabi require AED 2 million to be paid or held as investor capital.

The UAE will let a Golden Visa buyer finance a qualifying property. The catch is that, in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the mortgage only starts to help after at least AED 2 million has been paid or is held as investor capital.

That required stake is about $544,600, using the Central Bank of the UAE’s dollar intervention rates of 3.672 to 3.673 dirhams per dollar. The U.S. Census Bureau reported a median sales price of $393,700 for new houses sold in August 2026, the latest monthly release available when this article was updated.

In other words, the UAE Golden Visa stake alone is about $150,900, or 38%, more than the full price of the median new U.S. home. This is not a comparison of home values in the two countries. It shows how much capital an investor must document before the UAE mortgage provision becomes useful.

What the UAE mortgage provision actually finances

The national rule sets the framework. Article 8 of the UAE’s executive regulation on the entry and residence of foreigners requires real-estate investors to own one or more properties with a total value of at least AED 2 million. It also says the property may be financed through a local bank designated by the competent local authority.

Dubai and Abu Dhabi spell out what that means in practice.

The Dubai Land Department says mortgaged property can qualify, but the applicant must provide a bank letter indicating that AED 2 million has been paid. The bank’s no-objection letter must show the amount paid and the outstanding balance.

The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai reaches the same result. Its guidance says property may be financed by a local bank and that an owner becomes eligible for Golden Residence once at least AED 2 million of the property’s value has been paid.

Abu Dhabi’s official investor guidance is even more explicit. Mortgages through national banks are permitted for properties worth more than AED 2 million, but the investor’s capital must be at least AED 2 million. The page gives an example: a property worth AED 5 million can have no more than AED 3 million outstanding on its mortgage.

The arithmetic shows where financing begins. These figures are illustrations, not lending offers or guarantees of visa approval.

One federal webpage said “without loans”

When this article was first published, ICP's general Golden Residency page asked real-estate investors for property worth at least AED 2 million “without loans” and listed a five-year term. That page no longer loads. ICP's current Golden Residency Guide lists 10 years for real-estate investors and says the property may be financed through a loan from an approved local bank. The same guide still says capital on the public-investment routes, such as a bank deposit or a company stake, must not come from a loan.

One federal mismatch remains. The UAE Government portal still lists 5 years for real-estate investors, while ICP's guide, Dubai Land Department and Abu Dhabi list 10 years. Applicants should not assume that a mortgage structure processed in Dubai or Abu Dhabi will be handled the same way in another emirate.

The careful conclusion is that the federal guide permits a loan from an approved local bank, and Dubai and Abu Dhabi then publish a minimum paid amount or investor-capital requirement of AED 2 million. What remains unclear is how other emirates apply the rule, so ask the local land and residency authorities before relying on financing outside Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

How Portugal, Greece and Italy compare

Among four prominent investor-residency destinations, the UAE stands out because its official rules expressly address a property mortgage. But the comparison does not support a simple claim that Europe bans financing.

Greece requires the qualifying acquisition value to be paid in full before an application is filed, according to Article 100 of its Migration Code. The main thresholds are €800,000 in designated high-demand areas and €400,000 elsewhere. Qualifying conversions to residential use and listed-building restorations can use a €250,000 threshold. The provision specifies accepted payment methods but does not expressly prohibit the buyer from borrowing money. Full payment to the seller and the source of the buyer’s funds are different questions.

Portugal removed real-estate purchases from the routes available to new Golden Visa applicants. AIMA’s current list instead includes job creation, research, cultural support, non-real-estate investment funds and company capitalization.

Italy also separates the visa investment from a home purchase. The official Investor Visa portal lists four choices: €250,000 in an innovative startup, €500,000 in an Italian limited company or an Italian venture-capital fund, €1 million in a philanthropic initiative or €2 million in Italian government bonds.

For UAE applicants, the key distinction is between permission to borrow and permission to reduce the investment. Published Dubai and Abu Dhabi guidance offers the first, not the second. A buyer considering financed property should obtain written confirmation from the relevant property-registration and immigration authorities before committing capital. Mortgage approval, property eligibility and Golden Visa approval remain separate decisions.

This story was produced by Movingto and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.