Mortgage and the UAE Golden Visa in Dubai
A mortgage does not by itself block a UAE Golden Visa. ICP allows property financed by an approved local bank. In Dubai, the Land Department’s investor service still asks for a bank no-objection letter showing the amount paid and the balance, and its service description requires AED 2 million paid where the property is mortgaged. The loan does not count as part of that paid amount.
What “paid” means when there is a mortgage
Two authorities speak, and they do not use the same sentence. ICP says bank financing from an approved local bank is allowed for the property investor category. Dubai Land Department, which actually takes the Dubai investor file, says the mortgaged property must show AED 2 million paid and asks for the bank letter that proves it.
| Situation | How to read it | What to bring |
|---|---|---|
| AED 2 million or more already paid to the developer or seller, balance still mortgaged | DLD’s paid-amount test can be met | Bank letter with the paid amount and the outstanding balance, plus the title or Oqood. |
| Purchase price is AED 2 million but only the down payment has been made | The unpaid loan is not “paid” | Do not file the Golden Visa on the purchase price alone. Wait until the paid amount reaches the threshold, or use another route. |
| Finance from a bank outside the UAE | ICP names an approved local bank | Treat foreign finance as unconfirmed until the authority accepts it. Do not assume it qualifies. |
| Several mortgaged units | DLD counts property wholly in the applicant’s name | Each title and each bank letter has to be read together. See joint ownership. |
Sources: ICP Golden Residency Guide and DLD’s investor Golden Visa service. THAJ does not add a private “equity percentage”.
The purchase value DLD uses is the value at the time of purchase, not a later valuation you commission to make the equity look larger. A rise in the market does not repair a paid amount that was under AED 2 million. A fall in the market is a different question, covered under selling and value changes.
The bank no-objection letter
DLD’s document list for a mortgaged investor file asks for a bank no-objection letter showing the amount paid and the balance. The letter is the evidence. A mortgage contract alone does not replace it.
- It should name you as the borrower and identify the property.
- It should state the amount paid and the outstanding balance, so the paid figure can be compared with AED 2 million.
- It should be current. A letter from the year you bought, with no later statement, is a common reason a file is queried.
- If the mortgage has been refinanced, the letter should be from the bank that holds the loan now.
- If you are outside the UAE, remember DLD’s investor service requires you to be inside the UAE and to attend in person. The letter does not remove that condition.
Government fees for the 10-year investor Golden Visa at DLD total AED 9,884.75, itemised on the cost page. The mortgage, life cover the bank requires, and health insurance are separate. THAJ’s own service fee is quoted in writing after the title and the bank letter are read. It is not published as a package price.
A mortgage on an off-plan unit
Off-plan and mortgage are often the same file. ICP allows an off-plan unit of at least AED 2 million bought from an approved local developer. DLD still looks at what has been paid. A payment plan that has not reached AED 2 million paid does not become eligible because a bank pre-approved the rest.
Read the off-plan Golden Visa page for Oqood, the developer test and the purchase-value rule. Use this page for the bank letter and the paid amount. If you own with someone else, use joint ownership as well. The broader property rules sit on the property investor guide.
Mismatches that get a mortgaged file queried
- Filing on the purchase price when DLD has asked for the amount paid.
- A bank letter that shows a balance but not the paid amount.
- A name on the title that does not match the passport, including a missing middle name.
- Counting a spouse’s share as yours. The applicant’s own share has to meet the test. See joint ownership.
- Assuming the Golden Visa cancels the mortgage, or that the bank’s NOC is the visa. They are different documents.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get a UAE Golden Visa with a mortgaged property in Dubai?
Yes, if the financing is from an approved local bank and, for DLD’s investor service, AED 2 million has been paid. You need the bank letter showing the paid amount and the balance.
Does the outstanding loan count toward AED 2 million?
No. DLD’s mortgaged-property condition is about the amount paid, not the size of the facility or the purchase price.
Will any bank’s mortgage do?
ICP refers to financing from an approved local bank. A loan from outside the UAE is not something this page will treat as accepted.
Can I apply from abroad if the property is mortgaged?
DLD’s investor Golden Visa service requires the applicant to be inside the UAE and to attend in person. The mortgage does not change that.
Official sources
Facts on this page were checked against these sources on 26 October 2026. Rules and fees can change; the authority’s current page always prevails.
- Golden Residency Guide — Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security (ICP)
- Golden Visa application — Investor (fees, documents, terms) — Dubai Land Department (DLD)
- Golden visa — eligible categories — The UAE Government portal (u.ae)
Send the title and the bank letter
We read the paid amount against DLD’s test before anything is filed.