Does having a mortgage on a property give you the right to a UAE residence visa?

The important condition is that you must have paid off at least around 50% of the property value, and the property itself must meet the minimum value thresholds for a 2-year or 5-year visa. So the “I’ll get a mortgage to qualify for a visa” strategy can work — but you need to plan it properly: how long it will take to reach the required paid-up amount and which documents immigration will ask for.