Paying a year’s rent upfront could soon become a thing of the past for some Dubai tenants.

A new Rent Now, Pay Later service is expected to launch in Dubai in September, giving eligible renters the option of spreading their annual housing costs across up to 12 months with zero interest.

The initiative is being developed by the Dubai Land Department (DLD) in partnership with a local bank and is aimed at giving residents more flexibility when managing one of their biggest monthly expenses.

How will the Rent Now, Pay Later service work?

Under the proposed arrangement, a tenant would select a residential property as usual.

The participating bank would then pay the landlord the full annual rent upfront.

Instead of paying the entire amount at once, the tenant would repay the bank through flexible, interest-free instalments over a period of up to 12 months.

The model could effectively turn an annual rent commitment into a monthly payment arrangement, potentially making it easier for residents to manage their cash flow.

However, the scheme is still being developed, so several important details have yet to be announced.

Who will be eligible?

DLD and its banking partner have not yet released the full eligibility criteria.

Details covering applications, qualifying tenants and properties, repayment arrangements and how landlords will participate are expected to be announced when the service officially launches.

Until those rules are published, tenants should not assume that every Dubai rental property or resident will automatically qualify.

When will the new scheme launch?

The Rent Now, Pay Later service is expected to be introduced in September.

If implemented as planned, the initiative could make Dubai the first city to introduce this type of rental payment model as part of its residential rental market.

The scheme also builds on Dubai’s wider push to give tenants more flexibility in how they pay for housing.

Flexible rent payments

The new service follows DLD’s Flexi Rent initiative, announced in June.

That programme was designed to give tenants alternatives to traditional rental payment arrangements, including the ability to pay rent monthly, quarterly or twice a year.

During its first phase, DLD partnered with 12 real estate companies to provide more flexible arrangements for tenants.

Depending on the participating company and agreement, options included:

• Monthly rental payments
• Instalment plans extending up to 12 months
• Grace periods
• Adjusted payment schedules
• In some cases, waivers on rental increases

The Flexi Rent initiative was made available to both new and existing tenants.

Could monthly rent become the new normal?

Dubai’s rental market has traditionally involved tenants paying rent through a limited number of large payments, making the timing of rental cheques a significant financial consideration for residents.

The combination of Flexi Rent and the proposed Rent Now, Pay Later service could give tenants more ways to spread those costs throughout the year.

The key difference is that the upcoming bank-backed scheme would allow the landlord to receive the annual rent upfront, while the tenant repays the bank over time.

That could offer a different solution to the traditional monthly-rent model.

More details to come

The proposed service remains under development, meaning the final terms could change before launch.

Tenants will need to wait for DLD and its banking partner to confirm the precise requirements, participating properties, application process and repayment conditions.

For now, however, the headline proposal is straightforward: Dubai renters could soon have the option to spread an annual rent bill over as many as 12 months without interest.

Businesses across the UAE that play music for commercial purposes will face a new licensing system from December 2026, under rules announced by the Ministry of Economy and Tourism.

The new framework introduces licensing fees for a wide range of businesses and organisations that use music commercially, including restaurants, cafes, hotels, shopping malls, gyms and airlines.

Radio and television broadcasters, as well as concert organisers, will also fall under the new system.

The changes are outlined in the ministry’s new Collective Management in Music Guide, which sets out how music copyright and related rights will be managed across the UAE.

Which businesses will have to pay?

The new licensing requirements will apply to venues and businesses that commercially use music.

This includes:

When do the new UAE music fees start?

The new licensing fees are scheduled to come into effect in December 2026.

Businesses that require a licence will receive a renewable one-year licence. The fees will be collected through the organisations responsible for managing music rights, including the Emirates Music Rights Association and Music Nation.

These organisations represent rights holders across the music industry, including composers, songwriters, singers, instrumentalists, record producers and music publishers.

Why is the UAE introducing the new system?

The government says the new framework is designed to create a more structured system for managing copyright and related rights in the UAE.

According to the Ministry of Economy and Tourism, standardising licensing requirements and fees should help reduce copyright violations while bringing the UAE’s approach more closely in line with international practices.

For businesses, that means music used as part of the customer experience, whether in a restaurant, hotel, gym or another commercial setting, will be subject to clearer licensing requirements.

Who is exempt from the music licensing fees?

Not every organisation or event will be covered by the new commercial licensing requirements.

The guide identifies exemptions that include:
Schools and academic institutions
Non-commercial celebrations
National events

This means the new fees are primarily focused on the commercial use of music rather than private or educational settings.

New fund will support UAE music talent

The new framework also includes a support mechanism for the country’s music industry.

A Cultural Support Fund in the Field of Music will be established to provide financial assistance and technical support to artists, performers and producers.

Under the new system, 10 per cent of the fees collected will be directed towards the fund.

The money will be used to support emerging musical talent and help promote Emirati music internationally.

What does this mean for UAE businesses?

For businesses that regularly play music for customers, the biggest change will be the introduction of a formal licensing requirement and associated annual fees.

The exact amount will depend on how the music is being used and the characteristics of the business, rather than being a single flat charge for every venue.

Businesses that rely on music as part of their atmosphere or entertainment offering will therefore need to factor the new licensing requirements into their operations from December 2026.

At the same time, the government says the system is intended to ensure creators and other rights holders receive appropriate recognition and compensation when their work is used commercially.

Music licensing rules: 

Start date: December 2026
Licence period: One year, renewable
Applies to: Commercial users of music
Examples: Restaurants, cafes, hotels, malls, gyms and airlines
Also covered: Radio, television and concerts
Fee structure: Sliding scale based on use and business characteristics
Exemptions: Schools, academic institutions, non-commercial celebrations and national events
Music support fund: 10% of collected fees

For UAE businesses, the new rules mark a significant change in how commercial music use will be licensed, while the accompanying support fund is designed to put part of those revenues back into the country’s developing music sector.

Indian travellers planning a holiday in Abu Dhabi can now have the cost of their UAE entry visa covered under a new tourism initiative.

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has launched a limited-time programme for eligible Indian passport holders who book qualifying Abu Dhabi holiday packages through participating travel companies and online travel agencies.

The offer is available until October 31, 2026, during an initial pilot that will support up to 20,000 visas.

However, the offer comes with specific booking requirements. Travellers must book a package that includes both a return flight from India and at least three consecutive nights at an Abu Dhabi hotel.

Who is eligible for the free UAE visa offer?

The programme is aimed at Indian passport holders travelling from India to Abu Dhabi.

To qualify, travellers must book through a participating travel partner or online travel agency. The holiday package must include:

• A minimum three-night stay at an Abu Dhabi hotel
• A return flight from India
• Booking through an eligible participating travel partner or OTA

The visa benefit cannot be claimed through an independent application. It is tied to qualifying holiday bookings made through the programme’s participating partners.

When is the Abu Dhabi free visa offer available?

The initiative runs from:

August 1 to October 31, 2026

DCT Abu Dhabi says the pilot programme will initially support up to 20,000 visas.

For eligible bookings, the tourism authority will cover the full cost of the UAE entry visa, potentially reducing the upfront expense for Indian visitors planning a trip to the emirate.

How does the visa fee waiver work?

Travel partners participating in the scheme have two ways to process the visa arrangements.

One option is to work with a DCT-appointed destination management company (DMC). In this case, DCT Abu Dhabi will pay the visa costs directly.

Travel companies can also use their existing DMC partners. Under this arrangement, DCT Abu Dhabi will reimburse Dh285 for each visa issued under the programme.

For travellers, the key point is that the benefit is handled through the participating travel partner rather than by applying for reimbursement independently.

Why is Abu Dhabi targeting Indian travellers?

India continues to be an important international source market for Abu Dhabi’s tourism sector.

According to DCT Abu Dhabi, the new programme is part of wider efforts to make the destination more accessible to Indian visitors while strengthening relationships with travel companies and improving connectivity between India and Abu Dhabi.

The initiative also aims to encourage visitors to spend more time in the emirate exploring its hotels, cultural attractions, entertainment options and natural landscapes.

Is the UAE visa completely free for all Indian tourists?

No.

The offer does not mean that every Indian passport holder automatically receives a free UAE tourist visa.

The visa fee is covered only when travellers meet the programme’s conditions and book through a participating travel partner or online travel agency.

The booking must include at least three consecutive hotel nights in Abu Dhabi and a return flight from India.

Travellers should therefore check with their chosen travel provider before booking to confirm that the package and visa arrangement qualify for the offer.

Abu Dhabi holiday offer: 

Who: Eligible Indian passport holders travelling from India
Destination: Abu Dhabi, UAE
Offer period: August 1–October 31, 2026
Hotel requirement: Minimum three consecutive nights
Flight requirement: Return flight from India
Booking requirement: Participating travel partner or OTA
Visa cost: Covered by DCT Abu Dhabi for eligible bookings
Pilot capacity: Up to 20,000 visas
Independent applications: Not eligible for the programme

For Indian travellers already considering an Abu Dhabi getaway, the initiative could make an eligible holiday package more affordable, but checking the participating travel provider and meeting all the booking conditions will be essential.