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Glossary

Bank NOC

A bank NOC is the letter your mortgage lender writes saying it doesn't object to a residence permit on the property and stating what you've paid and what you still owe. A mortgaged property qualifies for the Golden Visa; the letter is how you prove it. Banks call it a liability letter and charge about AED 50 to 90.

The rule, from the two authorities

GDRFA Dubai's Golden Residence card: "Owning a property or a group of properties within UAE (mortgaged property is acceptable, and includes all types of properties)." And: "It is required to place a lien on the property to ensure the continuity of ownership throughout the validity of the Golden Residency, (in accordance with the procedures of the Land Department.)"

The Land Department's Golden Visa page says what the bank must write, twice, differently. In its description: "In the event that a mortgaged property, a bank letter indicating 2 million AED paid amount as a proof to be provided." In its service terms: "The property may be mortgaged, and a no-objection bank letter to be submitted indicating that the bank does not object to issuing a residence permit on the property, indicating the paid amount and the balance". The first reading requires AED 2 million already paid; the second requires a statement of the split. The page's own itemised document list mentions no bank letter at all. Our AED 2 million rule page sets the two texts side by side; the safe course is a letter that states both figures, and a file in which the total value clears AED 2 million.

One more version circulates. The partner service centre that processes files answers, in its own FAQ, that you "can apply for a 10-year real estate investor visa if you pay one million dirhams in value the property, and bring an authorization letter from the mortgage bank in addition to the total amount paid on the mortgage." That is a private operator's page and its "one million" contradicts both government pages; we quote it so you recognise it, not as the rule.

What the banks call it

No UAE bank sells a product called a "Golden Visa NOC". The document is the standard liability letter. Emirates NBD: "A Liability Letter is an official document that lists and confirms your current financial obligations such as loans and credit cards with the bank. It's valid for 15 days." HSBC UAE says it "covers any outstanding balances owed, interest owed to date, interest owed over the next 15 days, and other details", and lists among the reasons you might need one: "Apply at an embassy for a visa or residency". ADCB prices a "Clearance letter", a "No Objection Certificate (NOC)" and a "Mortgage loan liability letter" as three separate items; FAB prices a "liability letter" and an "NOC" differently. Ask for a mortgage liability letter that also states the bank's no objection to a residence permit on the property, and check it carries the paid amount and the balance before you leave the branch.

What it costs

The Central Bank's Appendix 2 to Regulation 29/2011 sets maximum retail fees, "exclusive of UAE VAT charges", which is why bank fees cluster at AED 89.25, the AED 85 cap plus 5% VAT. All read 26 September 2026.

How long it takes, and how long it lasts

Emirates NBD is the one bank that states both: "Your request will take 6 working days to be processed" and the letter is "valid for 15 days". Other banks don't publish either figure. No GDRFA or DLD page states how old a bank letter may be when filed; the "30 days" that appears on broker sites is their rule of thumb. Time the request so the letter is fresh on the day you file, and expect a week to get it.

The other NOCs, so you ask for the right one

The NOC to sell. When a mortgaged property changes hands, the bank issues a mortgage release letter and the lien comes off. DLD's "Mortgage release application" requires "a letter from the bank for mortgage removal" and charges AED 1,000 for an ordinary mortgage plus AED 250 for the new deed, AED 20, and AED 300 plus VAT at a trustee. DLD's "Registering the sale of a mortgaged property" completes "after submitting a mortgage release letter from the bank", with AED 1,290 for the release and AED 315 for the registrar on top of the 4% transfer fee. That letter clears the lien. The Golden Visa letter leaves the lien in place; the two are opposites.

The developer's letter. The same DLD sale page accepts, in place of the bank's liability letter, "a letter from the developer of the remaining amount" where the balance is owed to the developer rather than a bank. A developer's no-objection letter for a resale is a separate document with a developer-set fee that DLD does not publish.

A claim to ignore

Several broker sites state that since 2026 mortgaged properties are accepted without a bank letter. DLD's Golden Visa page, read on 26 September 2026, still requires the letter in two places, and GDRFA's card still requires the lien. Until one of those pages changes, bring the letter.

Where this comes up

Golden Visa with a mortgage · The AED 2 million rule · GDRFA Dubai

Frequently Asked Questions

This entry is part of the Home Guide Dubai glossary - the vocabulary a Dubai buyer or Golden Visa applicant actually meets, defined in plain English and kept consistent with our verified guides.