You do not need to live in Dubai to buy here. This is the last part of my guide: how to buy from abroad, step by step, which purchases can support a residence visa, what the official sources say about it and where they disagree, and the questions to settle at home before you send money.
The short version
- The developer's contract provides for a freehold title registered in the buyer's name, so buyers of any nationality can own a unit outright.
- Much of the process can run remotely. What must be signed in Dubai can be signed by someone you appoint under a power of attorney, legalised in your country and in the UAE.
- A property worth Dh2M or more can support a 10-year golden visa. At The WOW Tower that means an office, or a combination of homes, at the October starting prices.
- For an off-plan unit, ask how much must be paid before you apply. The rules allow off-plan purchases, but the application can ask for proof of what is paid.
- The UAE does not tax an individual's rent or gain on property. Your home country may.
How to buy from abroad, step by step
- Choose the unit. Floor plans, views by floor and the October terms can all be handled by video call and document exchange. Mr. Eight's own published answer is that consultations, presentations and documents can be handled remotely, while signing, identification and payment depend on the transaction.
- Reserve and pay the booking instalment. Pay only to the project's escrow account named in your documents, and confirm any bank details by phone before you transfer. What to check first is in Part 11.
- Sign the SPA. The developer then registers the sale in Oqood, DLD's interim register, within 90 days.
- Pay the construction instalments as the stages are reached; Part 5 has the schedule.
- Take handover after the estimated completion in Q3 2029, in person or through your attorney, after an inspection of the unit.
Three ways to sign
| Route | What it needs | Suits | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| In person | A trip to Dubai for the booking or the SPA | Buyers who want to see the site and the sales centre first | Matching the trip to the unit you want, before it sells |
| Remotely with the developer | Documents and transfers by the developer's process for overseas buyers | Booking quickly from Europe | Verify every payment instruction yourself, as the developer also advises |
| Power of attorney | A POA signed before a notary, legalised by your foreign ministry, the UAE embassy in your country and the UAE's Ministry of Foreign Affairs | Signing, registration and handover while you are away | A POA to buy is valid for 5 years from notarisation; one to sell or mortgage for 2 years |
The legalisation chain is DLD's own requirement for a power of attorney issued outside the UAE, and it takes weeks, not days. A purchase POA made at booking would still be valid at the estimated completion; one to sell or mortgage lasts only 2 years, so prepare that one when you need it.
Paying from Europe
The price is set in dirhams, and the dirham is pegged to the US dollar at Dh3.6725. For a buyer in euros, every instalment is a currency transaction. The October starting prices in euros and dollars are in Part 4; what changes over the plan is the exchange rate, not the dirham price.
Two practical points:
- Your bank converts at its own rate. On a transfer of this size the gap between that rate and the market rate is a real cost, so compare before the first payment.
- On a large transfer your own bank may ask where the money comes from. Have the source of funds documented before the booking deadline, not after.
A UAE mortgage during construction is limited to 50% of the value of an off-plan property under the Central Bank's rules, which apply to residents and non-residents alike; each bank sets its own policy for non-residents within those caps. Most buyers from abroad pay the construction instalments from their own funds and decide on finance, if any, nearer handover.
The golden visa: which purchases qualify
The official threshold is a property, or several, worth at least Dh2M. At the October starting prices:
| Purchase at The WOW Tower | Price | In USD | In EUR | Reaches Dh2M |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| One office | Dh2,700,000 | $735,200 | €653,800 | Yes |
| A studio and a two-bedroom | Dh2,541,000 | $691,900 | €615,300 | Yes |
| Three studios | Dh2,223,000 | $605,300 | €538,300 | Yes |
| Two one-bedrooms | Dh2,200,000 | $599,000 | €532,700 | Yes |
| A studio and a one-bedroom | Dh1,841,000 | $501,300 | €445,800 | No |
| One two-bedroom at the starting price | Dh1,800,000 | $490,100 | €435,900 | No, unless the unit you choose is priced at Dh2M or more |
Mr. Eight describes a golden visa support package for buyers who qualify: the property and payment documents, an explanation of the records and an introduction to an authorised specialist. It does not issue visas or promise approval, and says so: the visa runs for 10 years, but no purchase guarantees it.
What the official sources say, and where they disagree
| Source | Validity | Threshold | Off-plan | With a mortgage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DLD, Golden Visa for investors | 10 years, renewable | Dh2M, wholly owned, one or more properties | Title deed or electronic certificate among the documents | Allowed, with a bank letter showing the amount paid and the balance |
| ICP, UAE Golden Residency (updated 10 Sep 2026) | 10 years | Dh2M | Off-plan units totalling Dh2M qualify if bought from an approved local real estate company | A loan from an approved local bank is allowed |
| u.ae, federal portal (updated 28 Jul 2026) | Lists 5 years for real estate investments | Not stated on the page I read | Not stated | Not stated |
DLD and ICP, the two bodies that handle the application, both say ten years; I follow them. DLD lists the fees for its service at Dh9,884.75 in total, with a processing time of 7 to 10 working days, and ICP allows the holder to sponsor family, including parents, with health insurance required.
The open point for any off-plan buyer is the amount paid. The rules accept off-plan purchases, but DLD asks a mortgaged buyer for a letter showing the amount paid, and the developer's own answer says the authority may ask for evidence that the qualifying amount has been paid. If the authority asks for Dh2M actually paid, the timing on the October plans would be:
- On the 35/65, at handover, for any purchase of Dh2M or more, because the 65% is paid that day.
- On the 50/50, one office at Dh2.7M: about 9 months after handover over 18 months, or 18 months over 36.
- A studio and a two-bedroom at Dh2,541,000: about 11 months after handover over 18 months, or 21 over 36.
- Two one-bedrooms or three studios: about 15 months after handover over 18 months, or 29 to 30 over 36.
That assumes monthly instalments after handover and no early payments. Get a case-specific answer before you plan a move around the visa.
Tax, at home and in the UAE
The UAE has no personal income tax, and under Cabinet Decision No. 49 of 2023 an individual's real estate investment, letting or selling property without a business licence, is outside Corporate Tax. So rent and gains from a WOW Tower home owned in your own name are not taxed in the UAE.
Your home country is another matter. Most European countries tax their residents on income from abroad, and some also tax assets held abroad. A UAE residence visa does not by itself change where you are tax resident; that depends on your own country's rules. Take advice at home before you buy, and decide in whose name to buy, yours, jointly or through a company, before the SPA is signed. For the offices, VAT also applies; Part 9 explains it.
Owning from abroad after handover
- Letting. The tenant pools for each unit type, and the rents they pay, are in Part 8. A tenancy is registered in Ejari, and rent increases at renewal follow Dubai's rent index rules.
- Running costs. The service charge is paid to the building each year; the estimates are in Part 3.
- Offices. The guaranteed lease runs without a tenant search; Part 7 has the terms.
- Your will. Ask a UAE lawyer how your will at home is treated for property in Dubai, and whether you need a separate one.
Talk to me before you book
If The WOW Tower is on your list, message me on WhatsApp at +971 58 686 6733 or use the Request exclusive pricing form on this page. I will send you the current price list and availability for the units that fit your budget, take you through the October terms and the contract's main points, and answer your questions on the visa and the process. The full guide, all 12 parts, is in the WOW Tower investor guide.
Sources and dates
- Freehold title: the developer's SPA, general point only. Remote purchase, golden visa support package, eligibility of off-plan purchases: Mr. Eight, Questions and answers, mr8.ae, read 7 Oct 2026.
- Power of attorney legalisation and validity: DLD Frequently Asked Questions, read 7 Oct 2026. Oqood registration within 90 days: DLD, Request to register the initial sale, read 7 Oct 2026.
- Golden visa: DLD service "Golden Visa application, Investor" (Dh2M, 10 years, fees Dh9,884.75, 7 to 10 working days); ICP "UAE Golden Residency", page updated 10 Sep 2026; u.ae golden visa page, updated 28 Jul 2026. All read 7 Oct 2026.
- Purchase combinations: the developer's October 2026 starting prices. USD at the peg of Dh3.6725; EUR at Dh4.1297, the site's rate feed of 6 Oct 2026. Timing to Dh2M paid: my calculation, 20% at booking, 30% by handover, the rest in equal monthly instalments.
- Mortgage caps: CBUAE Rulebook, Regulations regarding Mortgage Loans, Article 3, read 7 Oct 2026.
- UAE tax on individuals' property income: Cabinet Decision No. 49 of 2023 and the Federal Tax Authority's guide Real Estate Investment for Natural Persons (October 2024), read 8 Oct 2026.
- Rent increases at renewal: Decree No. 43 of 2013, Dubai Legislation Portal, read 7 Oct 2026.
- Estimated handover Q3 2029: Mr. Eight fact sheets (May and June 2026).
Request exclusive pricing
Starting prices are public in this guide. The full price list, the units still available and the offers that apply to them I send directly. Four details, and WhatsApp opens with your message ready to send.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. The developer's contract provides for a freehold title in the buyer's name, so buyers of any nationality can own a unit outright, and much of the process can be handled from abroad, with a legalised power of attorney for anything that must be signed in Dubai.
Yes. Consultations, presentations and documents can be handled remotely, and a power of attorney, legalised in your country, at the UAE embassy and at the UAE's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, lets someone sign and take handover for you.
A purchase worth at least Dh2M can support an application for the 10-year golden visa, for example one office, or two one-bedrooms, at the October starting prices. The developer offers support with the documents but does not issue visas or guarantee approval.
Yes, in principle. ICP accepts off-plan units totalling at least Dh2M bought from an approved local real estate company. The application can ask for proof of what has been paid, so get a case-specific answer before you rely on it.
Ten years, renewable, according to DLD and ICP, which handle the application. The federal portal u.ae still lists five years for real estate investments, so check the current rule when you apply.
DLD lists the fees for its investor golden visa service at Dh9,884.75 in total, covering the medical test, Emirates ID, confirmation, DLD's own fee and an admin fee, with a processing time of 7 to 10 working days.
No, not as an individual owner. The UAE has no personal income tax, and property investment by an individual without a business licence is outside Corporate Tax. Your home country may tax the rent, so take advice there.
Banks may lend at most 50% of the value of an off-plan property under Central Bank rules, which apply to residents and non-residents alike, and each bank sets its own policy for non-residents. Most buyers from abroad pay the construction instalments from their own funds.
On WhatsApp at +971 58 686 6733, or through the Request exclusive pricing form on any page of this guide. He sends the current price list and availability for your budget and answers questions on the terms, the visa and the process.