Which UAE Banks Offer Mortgages for Golden Visa Property Buyers

Several UAE banks will finance a property purchase that puts you on the path to the Golden Visa. The names you will keep seeing are Emirates NBD, ADCB, Mashreq, First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) and HSBC, along with Islamic lenders such as Dubai Islamic Bank. If you already live in the UAE, you can borrow up to 80% of the home’s value. If you live abroad, most banks lend between 50% and 65%. A rule change in February 2026 made this much easier: a mortgaged property now counts in full toward the Golden Visa, so you no longer have to pay off half the loan before you apply. Here is who lends, how much you can get, and how to line up the mortgage and the visa at the same time.

Which UAE banks lend to Golden Visa property buyers

Around ten of the UAE’s roughly thirty banks lend to buyers who do not hold a residence visa, and nearly all of them lend to residents. For a Golden Visa purchase, four names do most of the work: Emirates NBD, ADCB, Mashreq and FAB. Each runs a mortgage product built for buyers who want long-term residency through property.

Bank	Serves	Typical non-resident LTV	Worth knowing
Emirates NBD	Residents and non-residents	About 50–60%	Largest UAE bank, broad nationality acceptance
ADCB	Residents and non-residents	Up to about 60%	Fast pre-approval, dedicated Golden Visa finance
Mashreq	Residents and non-residents	About 50–65%	Quick processing, frequent fixed-rate offers
First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB)	Residents and non-residents	About 55–65%	Large loan sizes, flexible for wealthy buyers
HSBC UAE	Residents and non-residents	Up to about 60%	Handy if you already bank with HSBC abroad
Dubai Islamic Bank / ADIB	Residents and non-residents	About 50%	Sharia-compliant Ijara and Murabaha finance

Resident buyers can borrow more, up to 80% at most of these banks. The figures above are a guide; each bank sets its own limit and reviews it often.

Emirates NBD is the largest bank in the country and accepts the widest range of nationalities, which matters if your home country sits on a stricter list. ADCB has leaned into speed, and its pre-approval can land in one to three working days. Mashreq is known for quick processing and regular fixed-rate deals. FAB suits larger loans and high-net-worth buyers, and it does not set a hard ceiling for strong non-resident applicants.

HSBC is a useful option if you already bank with it in your home country, since an existing relationship smooths the income checks. For Sharia-compliant finance, Dubai Islamic Bank and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank offer the same route to the visa through Ijara and Murabaha products.

How the Golden Visa and your mortgage fit together

A mortgaged property qualifies for the Golden Visa as long as its certified value is AED 2 million or more. That is the single rule that matters most, and it holds whether you paid cash or borrowed most of the price.

The Dubai Golden Visa is a 10-year renewable residence permit. You sponsor yourself, you do not need an employer, and the visa does not lapse if you spend long stretches outside the country. You can reach the AED 2 million mark with one property or by combining a few smaller ones.

Before February 2026, mortgage buyers hit a wall. You had to have paid at least half the value, or AED 1 million, before the property counted. With a 75% or 80% loan, your paid share sat well below that line, so you waited years. That requirement is gone. Today the full value of the home counts toward the Golden Visa UAE threshold even with a large loan still outstanding.

A quick example shows the difference. Buy a ready AED 2 million apartment with an 80% mortgage and you put down about AED 400,000 plus costs. The property still counts as the full AED 2 million for your visa.

One extra document applies when there is a loan on the home. Your UAE bank issues a No Objection Certificate (NOC), a short letter confirming the mortgage and stating it has no objection to your residency application. You can read the official criteria on the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship’s Golden Residency page. Off-plan homes count too, as soon as you sign the sale agreement for a qualifying property.

The key shift in 2026: a mortgaged home counts for its full value toward the AED 2 million Golden Visa threshold. You no longer need to pay down half the loan first.

How much can you borrow? residents vs non-residents

How much a bank will lend depends mostly on one thing: whether you live in the UAE. The Central Bank sets the ceilings, and banks price and approve within them.

If you are a resident expat buying your first home worth under AED 5 million, you can borrow up to 80% of its value. That means a deposit of at least 20% in cash, plus the usual purchase costs. Above AED 5 million, the limit drops, usually to around 65%, so you need a larger deposit.

If you live abroad, banks are more cautious. Most lend between 50% and 65% of the value to non-residents, so plan for a deposit of 35% to 50%. The exact figure moves with the bank, your income and your nationality. You can see the framework in the Central Bank of the UAE’s mortgage regulations, which every licensed lender has to follow.

Two more caps are worth knowing. Off-plan property is limited to 50% financing for everyone, resident or not, so an under-construction home needs a bigger deposit. A second property also attracts a lower limit than your first. On top of the LTV rule, banks check your debt burden ratio, which caps your total monthly repayments at around half of your income.

Rates, fees and the deposit you will need

Mortgage rates in the UAE in 2026 sit in a broad band. Resident buyers can find deals from about 4%, while non-residents usually pay a little more, often between 4.5% and 5.5%. Most products fix the rate for one to five years, then move to a variable rate linked to EIBOR, the local interbank rate.

Beyond the deposit, budget for the one-off costs. The bank charges an arrangement fee of around 1% of the loan, plus 5% VAT on that fee. A property valuation runs about AED 2,500 to AED 3,500. The Dubai Land Department charges 0.25% of the loan to register the mortgage, along with a small admin fee.

Those sit on top of the standard buying costs: the 4% Land Department transfer fee on the property price, and an agency fee of about 2% if you use a broker. Add it all up and the cash you need on day one is the deposit plus roughly 6% to 8% in fees.

Banks also look at income and age. Many ask for a minimum monthly salary in the range of AED 15,000 to AED 25,000, or the equivalent from overseas earnings. The longest term is 25 years, and the loan must be repaid by age 65 for salaried buyers, or 70 for the self-employed and UAE nationals.

Islamic home finance options

If you want Sharia-compliant finance, you have the same path to the visa. Dubai Islamic Bank, Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank and Emirates Islamic offer home finance without charging interest. Instead, they use structures such as Ijara, where the bank buys the home and leases it to you, and Murabaha, where it sells the home to you at an agreed markup.

For the Golden Visa, the result is identical. The property still has to be worth AED 2 million or more, and the bank still issues a No Objection Certificate. Non-resident limits tend to sit around 50% of the value, so expect a larger deposit than a resident would need.

Which bank is the right fit for you?

The best lender depends on where you live and what you care about most.

If you are buying from abroad and want the largest possible loan, FAB and Mashreq tend to stretch furthest, and FAB is comfortable with high-value purchases. If you already hold an account with HSBC or Standard Chartered in your home country, starting there can make the income checks faster.

If speed is your priority, ADCB’s quick pre-approval is hard to beat. If your nationality has been a sticking point elsewhere, Emirates NBD accepts the widest spread of passports. And if you need Sharia-compliant finance, Dubai Islamic Bank and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank cover the same ground.

Rates and limits shift from month to month, so it pays to compare two or three banks before you commit. A mortgage broker can run your file past several lenders at once and handle the paperwork, including the NOC your visa application needs. The small fee often pays for itself in a better rate or a higher approval.

How to line up the mortgage and the Golden Visa

The smoothest way is to sort the financing first, then buy, then apply for the visa. Here is the order most buyers follow.

Get a mortgage pre-approval. Send the bank your income documents and ID. Many banks now return a binding pre-approval in one to three working days, and you can often do it without flying over.
Find a qualifying property. Choose a home worth AED 2 million or more in a freehold area open to foreign buyers, then reserve it and sign the sale agreement.
Complete the valuation and pay the deposit. The bank values the home, confirms the final loan, and you transfer your deposit and fees.
Register the purchase. The Dubai Land Department transfers the title and records the mortgage against it.
Ask your bank for the No Objection Certificate. This short letter clears the way for your residency application while the loan is still open.
Apply for the Golden Visa. Submit through the Dubai Land Department, the ICP portal or GDRFA, with your title deed, valuation certificate and NOC. You will also do a medical check and Emirates ID biometrics.

Visa approval often comes within about five working days once your file is complete.

Frequently asked questions

Can I get the UAE Golden Visa with a mortgaged property?

Yes. Since February 2026, a mortgaged home qualifies as long as its certified value is AED 2 million or more. The outstanding loan does not reduce the value that counts.

Which UAE banks lend to non-residents for a Golden Visa property?

Emirates NBD, ADCB, Mashreq, FAB and HSBC all run non-resident programmes, and Dubai Islamic Bank and ADIB offer Sharia-compliant versions. Around ten UAE banks lend to overseas buyers.

How big a deposit do I need?

Residents put down at least 20% on a first home under AED 5 million. Non-residents usually need 35% to 50%, since banks cap their loans at 50% to 65% of the value.

Does an off-plan property qualify for the Golden Visa?

Yes, if it is worth AED 2 million or more. Keep in mind that off-plan mortgages are capped at 50% financing, so you need a larger deposit.

Do I need a UAE job or income to get the mortgage?

No. Non-residents can qualify on overseas income. Banks will ask for proof of earnings, bank statements and a clean credit record from your home country.

Conclusion

Financing a Golden Visa home is simpler than it used to be. Emirates NBD, ADCB, Mashreq, FAB and HSBC all lend to property buyers chasing the visa, with Islamic options from Dubai Islamic Bank and ADIB. Residents can borrow up to 80%, non-residents between 50% and 65%, and since February 2026 a mortgaged home counts in full toward the AED 2 million mark. Get pre-approved, buy a qualifying property, collect your bank’s NOC, and apply. A good result is the keys and a 10-year residency in hand.

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