Finance & Mortgage · 6 min · 2026-10-23
Mortgage for Golden Visa Buyers: AED 2 Million Property, LTV and Down Payment
The UAE Golden visa through real estate starts at a property worth AED 2 million. Here is how mortgage LTV, down payment and costs work at that level, and what to check with ICP.
The UAE Golden visa through real estate requires a property worth at least AED 2 million (official UAE government portal, u.ae). If you plan to finance that property with a mortgage, the loan follows the Central Bank rules: an expatriate first home below AED 5 million can be financed up to 80% (CBUAE "Regulations Regarding Mortgage Loans", Article 3.2), so an AED 2,000,000 property means a loan of up to AED 1,600,000 and a down payment of at least AED 400,000. How a mortgaged property is treated for the visa is decided by the visa authority: check with ICP (Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security) and u.ae before you buy.
Two separate rulebooks
| Topic | Who decides | Where to check |
|---|---|---|
| Property value threshold for the visa | UAE government | u.ae / ICP |
| Treatment of a mortgaged property for the visa | UAE government | ICP / u.ae |
| Maximum loan, LTV, DBR, term | Central Bank rules + lender policy | CBUAE regulation, your lender |
| Transfer and registration fees (Dubai) | Dubai Land Department | DLD |
This article covers the mortgage side only. We do not state any visa rule beyond the AED 2 million threshold.
LTV and down payment at AED 2 million (Article 3.2)
Example: property price AED 2,000,000, expatriate buyer, example loan rate 4%, 25 years.
| Situation | Maximum LTV | Maximum loan | Minimum down payment | Monthly payment at 4% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First home, ready | 80% | AED 1,600,000 | AED 400,000 | ≈ AED 8,445 |
| Second home or investment | 60% | AED 1,200,000 | AED 800,000 | ≈ AED 6,334 |
| Off-plan (any buyer) | 50% | AED 1,000,000 | AED 1,000,000 | ≈ AED 5,278 |
The table uses the expatriate limits; for UAE Nationals the first-home limit is 85%.
The valuation matters
The LTV applies to the appraised value (Article 1), based on an independent on-site valuation that cannot include expected future price growth (Article 2.5). If the valuation is lower than the price, the loan is lower too. Check how this interacts with the visa threshold with ICP, see property valuation for a mortgage.
Can your income support the loan?
The LTV is only one limit. The loan must also fit:
- 7 times annual income for expatriates (Article 3.4): a loan of AED 1,600,000 needs an annual income of at least about AED 228,600 (AED 19,050 a month).
- 50% DBR, stress tested at 2 to 4 points above the rate (Article 3.1). At a 6% stress rate, the AED 1,600,000 loan costs about AED 10,309 a month, so you would need assessed income of at least about AED 20,620 a month with no other debts.
- For an investment property, the DBR deducts at least two months' rent (Article 3.1).
Check your figures with the Golden visa property calculator and the LTV calculator.
Cash needed on an AED 2,000,000 first home
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Down payment (20%) | AED 400,000 |
| DLD transfer fee (4%, usually paid by the buyer in practice) | AED 80,000 |
| Mortgage registration (0.25% of AED 1,600,000) | AED 4,000 + admin fees |
| Title deed | AED 250 |
| Trustee office fee | AED 4,000 + VAT (AED 200) |
| Total before lender and agency fees | AED 488,450 |
Lender fees must appear in a separate schedule attached to the loan contract, with the total cost of the loan (Article 4).
Off-plan route
For off-plan, the maximum LTV is 50%. Your own equity is paid to the developer first and loan payments follow milestones confirmed by an independent professional (Article 2.1). In Dubai, buyers' payments go into the project's escrow account (Dubai Law No. 8 of 2007). See the off-plan calculators.
Your rights in the loan contract
Whatever the purpose of the purchase, Article 4 of the regulation sets out what the lender must give you:
- The total cost of the loan over its lifetime and a separate schedule of fees and charges.
- The loan amount, repayment period, instalment, interest or profit rate, insurance requirement and a clear pre-payment policy.
- For property under construction, the milestones that trigger progress payments.
- No change to the terms without your written consent, and at least two months' notice of any fee change.
- No impediment to refinancing, with early repayment and refinancing charges capped at the lender's actual break cost and/or the fees in Regulation 29/2011.
If you later want to reduce or repay the loan, these rules apply. You can estimate the effect with the mortgage buyout calculator.
FAQ
Can I get the Golden visa on a mortgaged property?
That is a visa question: check the current conditions with ICP and on u.ae. We do not state a rule on this point.
What is the minimum down payment on an AED 2 million home?
For an expatriate first home: 20%, so AED 400,000 (Article 3.2), plus purchase costs.
Does the property value or the loan amount count for AED 2 million?
The u.ae threshold refers to the property value. How the authority looks at financed properties must be checked with ICP.
I am self-employed: can I still qualify for the loan?
Yes, if your income is verifiable. See our self-employed mortgage guide.
Plan your purchase with the Golden visa property calculator.
Reviewed by Ahmed Benjas, co-founder & CEO of Cevitas Real Estate
Moroccan real estate expert based in Dubai, co-founder & CEO of Cevitas Real Estate, a RERA-licensed brokerage (NGI House, Deira), with an AED 200M+ track record. He works in French, Arabic, Darija and English.
Related guides
Calculators for this guide: Mortgage calculator Dubai & UAE · Dubai mortgage for non-residents · Off-plan calculator Dubai