Kolaboro / Buying off-plan abroad by nationality / the Gulf states (GCC)
Buying off-plan abroad as a buyer from the Gulf states (GCC)
What changes with your nationality when you buy off-plan in the four places where buyers from the Gulf states (GCC) look most, from the official texts, and how the projects there compare in our data. Not legal advice; rules change, check with a lawyer.
Rules by place
Dubai
In Dubai, nationals of the UAE and of the other Gulf Cooperation Council states (and companies fully owned by them) may own property anywhere in the emirate. Buyers of other nationalities may only own in the areas the Ruler designates, freehold or as usufruct or leasehold of up to 99 years.
Source: Dubai Law No. 7 of 2006 (Real Property Registration), Article 4, read 14 Nov 2026.
Bali
In Bali, foreigners cannot hold freehold title (Hak Milik). A foreign individual with an immigration document can hold a right of use (Hak Pakai) on a house or an apartment unit.
Source: Government Regulation No. 18 of 2021, Articles 52, 69, 71 and 72, read 3 Nov 2026.
Phuket
In Phuket, foreigners can own a condominium unit freehold while units owned by foreigners stay within 49% of the building's floor area, and must show that the purchase money was brought into Thailand in foreign currency or paid from a foreign-currency account. Land and houses cannot be owned freehold by foreigners.
Source: Condominium Act B.E. 2522, sections 19 bis and 19 ter, read 14 Nov 2026.
Cyprus
The same rules as for every foreign buyer apply here; see the guide.
The four places in our data
data date: 13 Nov 2026
| Place | Projects | Permit number published | Past handover date | Median score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai | 170 | 149 (88%) | 7 | 78 |
| Bali | 93 | 1 (1%) | 5 | 40 |
| Phuket | 39 | 15 (38%) | 2 | 44 |
| Cyprus | 18 | 0 (0%) | 0 | 32 |
Other buyer groups
Rules last read 14 Nov 2026. Not legal advice.