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Golden Visa on a Mortgaged Property: The 2026 Rules
A standard Dubai mortgage no longer blocks the 10-year Golden Visa. What the bank must put in writing, what replaced the old 50% equity rule, and the one paid-amount question that still needs confirming before you file.
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Yes, a mortgaged property can qualify for the Golden Visa. Under current DLD and GDRFA Dubai conditions, mortgaged property is accepted with a bank no-objection letter, and the old requirement to have paid 50% (or AED 1 million) was removed. One thing to know: DLD's own service page contradicts itself on how much must be paid - its description asks for a bank letter proving AED 2 million paid, while its Service Terms ask only for a letter disclosing the paid amount and the balance, and GDRFA Dubai names no paid-amount condition at all (all read 1 September 2026). Confirm your case with DLD before you rely on either reading.
| Fact | Position |
|---|---|
| Mortgaged property | Accepted, with a bank no-objection letter |
| Bank NOC required | Yes - it must state the paid amount and the balance |
| Old 50% equity rule | Removed (reported January 2024, restated February 2026) |
| Old AED 1M cash-paid rule | Removed in the same updates |
| What matters | DLD-certified value reaching AED 2 million on application day (confirm the current paid-amount requirement with DLD) |
| Visa length | 10 years, renewable |
How the Rule Changed
For years, a mortgaged property was the hardest case. Buyers were told they needed 50% equity in the property, or a minimum amount paid, before it would qualify. That blocked many people who had just bought with a standard Dubai mortgage.
Those conditions were removed - first reported in January 2024 and most recently restated in a February 2026 policy circular covered by investment-migration press. Mortgaged property is now accepted for the Golden Visa. Here is the change side by side:
| The old barrier | Now | |
|---|---|---|
| Equity rule | 50% of value paid, or AED 1M cash | The 50% equity rule was removed |
| Mortgaged home | Often disqualified early on | Accepted, with a bank no-objection letter |
| What DLD asks for | Proof of substantial equity | DLD-certified AED 2M value plus a bank NOC stating the paid amount and balance |
- In its service description: "In the event that a mortgaged property, a bank letter indicating 2 million AED paid amount as a proof to be provided." That reads as a threshold - AED 2 million actually paid.
- In its Service Terms section: "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." That is a disclosure requirement with no threshold at all.
So the disagreement is not only between two authorities - it is inside a single DLD page. We cannot tell you which sentence governs, and no source reconciles them. Do not assume a minimal deposit is enough, and do not assume AED 2 million must be paid either. Get your specific case confirmed in writing by DLD or the Cube service centre before you commit. The tension is tracked in the Rule Tracker.
How a Mortgaged Property Qualifies
- The property is freehold residential in a designated area.
- Its DLD-certified value is AED 2 million or more.
- It is registered in your name at DLD, with the mortgage recorded against it.
- You provide a bank no-objection letter stating that the bank does not object to a residence permit being issued on the property, and indicating the paid amount and the balance (a required document on DLD's service page).
The mortgage itself does not disqualify you. DLD certifies the value and the bank's charge is noted on the title; the bank NOC is the document that lets the application proceed.
Practical Points for Mortgage Buyers
- Get the bank NOC early. DLD requires a bank no-objection letter stating the paid amount and balance. Ask your bank for it as soon as you decide to apply, as timing can hold up the file.
- Keep the mortgage in good standing. The visa depends on holding the qualifying property, so a default that costs you the property can affect your residence.
- DLD-certified value is the headline test. The AED 2M+ DLD value is what qualifies the property; but because DLD's live guidance still asks the bank letter to evidence AED 2 million paid, confirm the current paid-amount requirement for your loan-to-value with DLD.
- Rules are still settling. The press-reported February 2026 change and DLD's live service text have not been fully reconciled; confirm the current position with DLD and GDRFA Dubai when you apply.
Costs for Mortgage Buyers
Mortgage buyers pay the same government fees as cash buyers, plus the lender-side lines below. Every figure is from the Land Department's own service pages or the Central Bank's rulebook; the "AED 290 admin fee" repeated on broker sites appears on neither.
| Line | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Sale registration | 2% from each side (4% in total unless agreed otherwise), AED 250 deed, map AED 225 or AED 250, AED 20 knowledge and innovation, trustee AED 4,000 + VAT (AED 2,000 under AED 500,000) | DLD sale registration page; Executive Council Resolution 30 of 2013, Article 3 |
| Mortgage registration | 0.25% of the mortgage value + AED 250 deed + AED 20; trustee AED 4,000 + VAT (AED 5,000 + VAT on an off-plan Oqood mortgage) | DLD mortgage registration page |
| Mortgage release, later | AED 1,000 + AED 250 deed + AED 20; trustee AED 300 + VAT | DLD mortgage release page |
| Bank liability letter for the visa file | Central Bank cap AED 85 before VAT; banks charge AED 52.50 to 89.25 | CBUAE Appendix 2 (2019); bank tariffs on the bank NOC page |
| Early or partial settlement | Capped at 1% of the outstanding balance or AED 10,000, whichever is less, before VAT | CBUAE Appendix 2 (2019); Regulation 29/2011, Article 20 |
| Processing and valuation | No Central Bank cap exists. One bank's published terms: processing 1.05% of the loan, valuation AED 3,150 including VAT | Emirates NBD home loan key facts statement |
| Golden residence permit | DLD's bundle AED 9,884.75; GDRFA's permit lines AED 1,640 | Verified cost table |
On a AED 1.5 million mortgage the registration fee is AED 3,750 plus the fixed lines. The resolution puts mortgage fees on "the person to whom the rights are transferred" unless agreed otherwise; in practice lenders pass them to borrowers, which is contract, not law. Loan-to-value caps are the Central Bank's: 80% under AED 5 million and 70% above for an expatriate's first home, 60% for a second, 50% for any off-plan purchase, maximum tenor 25 years; the regulation has no non-resident category.
The full line-by-line fee breakdown is in the verified cost table; every purchase cost, mortgage or not, is on what it costs to buy.
Do you qualify?
Six questions cover ownership shares, spouses, mortgages and off-plan. See whether your mortgaged property qualifies and the route that fits.
Check your eligibility →Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get the Golden Visa if my property has a mortgage?
Yes, a mortgaged property is accepted under current DLD and GDRFA Dubai conditions, provided you supply a bank no-objection letter. The DLD-certified value must reach AED 2 million. DLD's live guidance still asks that bank letter to evidence AED 2 million paid, so confirm the current paid-amount requirement for your case with DLD.
Is the 50% equity rule still in force?
No. The 50% equity requirement on mortgaged property was removed - first reported in January 2024 and restated in a February 2026 policy circular covered by investment-migration press.
How much of the mortgage do I need to have repaid?
No source answers this cleanly. GDRFA Dubai, which issues the residence, sets a pure value test with no paid-amount condition. DLD's page contradicts itself: its description asks for a bank letter showing AED 2 million paid, while its Service Terms ask only for a letter disclosing the paid amount and the balance. Confirm your own case in writing with DLD or the Cube centre before you commit money.
What paperwork does the bank need to provide?
A bank no-objection letter stating that the bank does not object to a residence permit being issued on the property, and indicating the paid amount and the outstanding balance. It is a required document on DLD's service page.
What happens to my visa if I default on the mortgage?
The visa depends on holding the qualifying property. Losing the property could affect your residence, so keep the mortgage in good standing and confirm any change with DLD and GDRFA Dubai.
Do mortgage buyers pay extra fees?
Yes - a mortgage registration fee of 0.25% of the loan amount plus fixed fees (AED 270-290) applies at DLD, on top of the 4% transfer fee and standard visa costs. Confirm current figures with DLD.
Buying with a mortgage?
Tell us your bank, your loan and your property value. We'll tell you what the bank letter needs to say and what to confirm with DLD. A person replies by email, usually within a working day. If you'd like an introduction to a licensed agency, say so. That introduction is how this site makes money, and it's disclosed.
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Sources
- Dubai Land Department - Golden Visa (Investor) service page (service terms require a bank no-objection letter indicating the paid amount and balance for mortgaged property)
- Dubai Land Department - mortgage registration service (0.25% of loan value)
- GDRFA Dubai - golden residence for property investors ("mortgaged property is acceptable")
- The February 2026 removal of the equity condition as reported by investment-migration press
- Dubai Land Department - Mortgage release application - AED 1,000 + AED 250 + AED 20; trustee AED 300 + VAT - accessed 16 October 2026
- Dubai Land Department - Property sale registration - fee lines - accessed 16 October 2026
- DLD legislation compendium (PDF) - Executive Council Resolution No. (30) of 2013 - Article 3, who pays; Table 1 rows 1, 10, 13 - accessed 16 October 2026
- Central Bank of the UAE - Resolution 96/2019 amending Appendix 2, retail fee caps - liability letter AED 85, early settlement 1% or AED 10,000 - accessed 16 October 2026
- Central Bank of the UAE - Mortgage regulations, Article 3 - loan-to-value, tenor - accessed 16 October 2026
- Emirates NBD - Home loan key facts statement (PDF) - processing 1.05%, valuation AED 3,150 - accessed 16 October 2026
Accessed July 2026; confirm current fees and processes with DLD before applying.