Latest News

Dubai Government passes new Property Law allowing expat Freehold Ownership.

The Dubai government have now issued a long awaited property law, which partly legalises foreign ownership of properties in the emirate.

In an historic move, freehold ownership of land and property for United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) citizens is legalised, while non-GCC expatriates will be given the same rights to acquire freehold and 99-year lease but only in pre-designated areas.

The law comes nearly four years after the government first announced freehold ownership to expatriates, grouped under three Dubai-government owned entities Emaar Properties, Nakheel and Dubai Properties, the local daily Gulf News reports.

The new law paves the way for expatriate homeowners to register their properties in their names with Dubai Lands and Properties Department, which has been gearing up for the rush in registration.

The law will be followed by a number of new bylaws that will identify the freehold areas in Dubai.

In August 2005, a law was introduced allowing UAE nationals to own and trade land, GCC citizens to do so but within designated investment areas and other expatriates to invest only on a leasehold basis within these investment areas.