Documents an Indian Buyer Needs to Purchase Property in Dubai

The paperwork, not the property, is where most Indian purchases in Dubai slow down. This checklist sets out the documents an Indian resident buyer is normally asked for, the order they are needed in, and who issues each one - so that nothing is discovered late, at the trustee office, with money already remitted.

Before you commit to anything

1. Passport, with sufficient validity, and a clear copy for every buyer named on the title.
2. Proof of address and identity as required by your Indian bank for a Liberalised Remittance Scheme remittance.
3. Confirmation that the property lies in a designated freehold area, checked against Dubai Land Department records.
4. Confirmation that the developer or brokerage is registered with the Dubai Land Department and, for brokers, holds a valid RERA licence.

For the remittance from India

The remitting bank is the gatekeeper. It is obliged to establish that the remittance falls within the Liberalised Remittance Scheme, which permits a resident individual to remit up to USD 250,000 per financial year for permitted transactions including purchase of immovable property abroad.

• Form A2 and the bank's LRS declaration.
• PAN details.
• Evidence of the source of funds - salary, sale proceeds, business income or accumulated savings.
• The purchase contract or booking form naming the payee account, which must be the escrow or seller account in the contract.
• Confirmation from your bank of the Tax Collected at Source position applicable at the time of remittance, under the Finance Act then in force.

For the transaction in Dubai

Resale (ready property)

• Memorandum of Understanding (Form F) signed by buyer and seller.
• Seller's title deed.
• Developer's No Objection Certificate confirming service charges are settled.
• Manager's cheque or transfer for the price and the Dubai Land Department fees, handled at a registration trustee office.
• New title deed issued in the buyer's name.

Off-plan (under construction)

• Booking form and the developer's Sale and Purchase Agreement.
• Payment plan schedule, with each instalment tied to the escrow account.
• Oqood interim registration of the sale with the Dubai Land Department.
• Payment receipts for every instalment, retained until handover and title issuance.

If you cannot travel

A purchase can be completed through a power of attorney. The document is typically executed in India, then notarised and attested so that it is recognised in the UAE. Attestation takes time and is a common cause of delay, so it should be started well before the transfer date rather than during it. The scope of the power should be drawn narrowly - the specific property and the specific acts required.

Keep after completion

• Title deed, and the Oqood record for an off-plan purchase.
• Every remittance advice and A2 form, matched to the payment schedule.
• Sale and Purchase Agreement, MOU and all receipts.
• Ejari registration if the property is let, and service charge statements.
• Records needed for the foreign assets schedule of your Indian income tax return.

Verification, not trust

Every Dubai-side document in this list can be checked at source. Title and ownership records, project registration and escrow status are held by the Dubai Land Department and are accessible through its official channels, including the Dubai REST application. A document that cannot be verified against the register should stop the transaction, not delay it.

This checklist describes documentation and process only. It is not legal, tax or investment advice and contains no prices, returns or availability. Requirements change - confirm the current position with your bank, a chartered accountant and the Dubai Land Department before transacting.