Today, Dubai is one of the most popular real estate investment destinations among Russians. Apartments, villas, office spaces, and even entire buildings are being purchased here. But the main question facing almost every investor is how to pay for Dubai real estate in rubles . Bank transfers are becoming less and less efficient, transporting cash across borders is unsafe, and transactions require speed. In this situation, the hawala systеm comes to the fore .
What is hawala?
Hawala is a traditional money transfer method that originated hundreds of years ago in the East. Today, it operates through trusted intermediaries: you deposit rubles in Moscow or another Russian city, and in Dubai, your developer or partner receives the required amount in dirhams.
Essentially, this is a mirror exchange: the money does not cross the border but remains in Russia, but its equivalent in local currency appears in the Emirates.
Why is hawala convenient for purchasing real estate?
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Speed. You can receive your money in Dubai on the same day of the transfer. This is especially important when you need to pay a deposit quickly.
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Flexibility. You can transfer anything from small amounts for a reservation to millions of rubles for full payment.
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Confidentiality. No need to undergo complex bank checks.
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Direct payment to the developer. Many developers in Dubai are accustomed to working with hawala and accept such transfers without issue.
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Fixed exchange rate. You know in advance how much you’ll receive in dirhams.
How does the process work?
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Contact the hawala operator and discuss the amount.
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Fix the ruble/dirham exchange rate.
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You transfer cash rubles in Russia.
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In Dubai, your developer or agent receives an agreed amount in dirhams.
Companies often provide receipts or proof of receipt of funds, which provides additional security.
A practical example
An investor from Moscow decided to buy an apartment in Dubai for 1.5 million dirhams. Instead of waiting for a SWIFT bank transfer, which could take weeks, he used hawala. Within a few hours, the developer received the entire amount in dirhams and finalized the transaction.
Result
Transferring rubles to Dubai via hawala is fast, convenient, and secure. Today, this method has become the standard solution for those looking to pay for real estate in the UAE with rubles .
