Investing in Dubai, from Belgium.

A clear framework for foreign buyers

A resident of Belgium can buy freehold in the areas of Dubai open to foreign buyers, under Law No. 7 of 2006 on real property registration. There is no need to be a UAE resident or to have a local partner.

The title deed is registered with the Dubai Land Department, in your name. That public register is what counts.

Many of the families I work with in Belgium are Moroccans abroad: they speak French or Dutch at work, Darija at home, and want someone who understands both worlds.

Paying from your Belgian bank

You pay in euros, by international transfer from your account in Belgium. The UAE dirham is pegged to the dollar at 3.6725 AED per USD: the euro-dollar effect is built into every calculation, and I show it to you in black and white.

Your bank will ask about the source of funds. Payments go into the project's escrow account for an off-plan purchase, or follow the DLD process for a ready property. See paying for a Dubai property from abroad.

Doing everything remotely

Dubai is three hours ahead of Brussels in winter and two in summer. Viewings are done by video, documents are exchanged online, and an off-plan contract is generally signed electronically.

For a ready property, the transfer can be signed by a representative holding a compliant power of attorney, legalised under the rules that apply in Belgium. Allow time for this in advance. The details are in buying in Dubai remotely.

Off-plan or ready: two approaches

Off-plan, you pay in stages during construction, under Law No. 8 of 2007: an escrow account supervised by RERA, Oqood registration, progress tracked on the Dubai REST app. Read buying off-plan in Dubai and off-plan payment plans.

A ready property can be let straight away: the steps are in buying a resale property in Dubai.

The costs to plan for

The Dubai Land Department charges 4% of the price, plus administrative and registration fees. Then come the service charges, approved by RERA. See Dubai buying costs.

Off-plan, the agency commission is paid by the developer. On a resale, it is usually 2% of the price, confirmed in writing before any commitment.

On the Belgian side: your declarations

The UAE levies no personal income tax. As a Belgian tax resident, you follow Belgian rules for a property located abroad, taking into account, where relevant, the tax treaty between Belgium and the UAE. A tax adviser in Belgium validates your situation; FPS Finance publishes the official rules.

If you open a bank account in the UAE, it must be declared in your tax return and to the Central Point of Contact of the National Bank of Belgium. I send you the relevant documents. To go further: Dubai property taxation.

The steps, in order

The order makes all the difference: budget and payment channel first, then the choice of property, and the reservation last.

• A call to frame your goal and your time horizon
• Checking the payment channel from your Belgian bank
• A short selection of properties, with official documents
• The reservation, then the contract (SPA) signed online
• Registration with the DLD and following the instalments
• The handover of the keys and, if you wish, letting the property

Let's talk about your project

I run Cevitas Real Estate, a RERA-licensed brokerage in Dubai, after more than twenty years in finance. I work in French, Darija, Arabic or English. The Moroccans in Belgium page also covers buying in Morocco.

A free 30-minute call is enough to see things clearly. Book your call.