Foreign Property Buyer Restrictions by Country
Whether a non-resident foreign national can buy residential property varies enormously by country — and the rules change with each housing-market cycle. This reference tracks current restrictions (outright bans, location-based limits, residency-based exemptions) and the stamp-duty surcharges that often apply on top of standard rates. Always verify with a local conveyancer before committing.
Last reviewed: 2026-04-26. Headline rule shown only — see the country profile or an authoritative local source for the full statute.
| Country | Status | Headline rule | Stamp / transfer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | Limited | Open generally; rural and border-zone properties restricted under Law 26.737 (Ley de Tierras Rurales) limiting foreign rural ownership to 15% nationally and 30% per province. | Stamp tax province-dependent ~2.5–4%. |
| Australia | Heavily restricted | FIRB approval required. Foreign non-residents normally restricted to NEW dwellings only. Existing dwellings limited to temporary residents using as primary residence. Two-year ban on foreign buyers of established homes started April 2025. | Foreign-investor stamp duty surcharge 7–8% by state; FIRB application fee. |
| Austria | Heavily restricted | Each Bundesland has its own foreign-buyer law. Most require permission from the Grundverkehrsbehörde for non-EU buyers; some explicitly restrict secondary-residence purchases by non-residents. | Grunderwerbsteuer 3.5%. |
| Brazil | Limited | Open for urban properties. Rural land subject to caps for foreign ownership under Law 5.709 of 1971. | ITBI municipal transfer tax 2–3%. |
| Canada | Effectively closed | Prohibition on the Purchase of Residential Property by Non-Canadians Act bans non-citizens, non-PR holders, and most foreign-controlled corporations from buying residential property in census metropolitan areas. Extended to January 2027. Exceptions: refugees, work-permit holders meeting tests, international students with strong ties. | Provincial foreign-buyer taxes 15–25% in BC, Ontario. |
| Costa Rica | Limited | Open to foreign buyers. Coastal Maritime Zone (first 50 m public, next 150 m concession-only via majority-Costa-Rican corp). | Transfer tax 1.5%. |
| Denmark | Heavily restricted | Non-EU/EEA buyers require Justice Ministry permission, normally granted only after 5 years' continuous residence. EU citizens with full-time work or residence in Denmark exempt. | Stamp duty 0.6% + DKK 1,750 fixed. |
| France | Open to foreigners | Open without restriction to foreign buyers; no surcharges or special permits. | Notaire and registration fees 7–8% all-in for resale. |
| Germany | Open to foreigners | Open without restriction. Residency does not affect ownership rights. | Grunderwerbsteuer 3.5–6.5% by Land. |
| Greece | Limited | Open to foreigners. Border-zone areas (Aegean islands, Thrace) require Defence Ministry permission. Golden Visa real-estate threshold raised to €800k in central Athens, Thessaloniki, Mykonos, and Santorini. | Property transfer tax 3.09%. |
| Hong Kong | Open to foreigners | Open to foreign buyers. Property cooling measures (BSD/SSD/AVD) substantially relaxed February 2024. | AVD 4.25–7.5% depending on property value (post-relaxation). |
| Ireland | Open to foreigners | Open. Non-resident purchasers face no special restrictions. | Stamp duty 1% (under €1m), 2% (above), 7.5% (commercial). |
| Italy | Open to foreigners | Reciprocity-based: foreigners from countries that allow Italians to buy can buy in Italy. EU and most OECD nationals included. | Registration tax 2% (primary) or 9% (second home). |
| Japan | Open to foreigners | Open to foreign buyers. No nationality restrictions on real-estate ownership. | Acquisition tax 4%; registration tax 2%. |
| Malaysia | Limited | Foreigners may buy residential property above a state-set minimum (typically RM1m–RM2m). MM2H Premium tier requires property purchase. | Real Property Gains Tax 30% (held <5y), 10% (5y+). |
| Mexico | Limited | Open countrywide except a 50 km coastal / 100 km border 'restricted zone' where foreigners must hold property via a fideicomiso bank trust (50-year renewable) or a Mexican corporation. | Acquisition tax (ISAI) 2–4%. |
| Netherlands | Open to foreigners | Open to foreigners. Residence permit not required to purchase. Some municipalities (Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague) operate self-occupancy rules requiring buyers to live in the property for 4 years. | Transfer tax 10.4% for non-owner-occupiers (2025); 2% if owner-occupied primary residence under age 35; 0% first-time-buyer relief up to €525k. |
| New Zealand | Effectively closed | Overseas Investment Act bars non-residents from buying existing residential property since October 2018. Australian and Singaporean citizens exempt. | Standard rates; no PR or stamp surcharge if eligible. |
| Panama | Open to foreigners | Open to foreign buyers. Some indigenous-protected lands and border zones restricted. | Transfer tax 2% + capital gains. |
| Portugal | Limited | Foreigners may buy freely except in Lisbon, Porto, and the Algarve coast where the Golden-Visa real-estate route was closed in October 2023. Residence permit no longer attainable via real estate. | IMT 6–8% on purchase; municipal rates apply. |
| Singapore | Heavily restricted | Foreign buyers may buy condominium units freely but cannot buy landed property without LDAU approval. Government-built HDB flats off-limits. | Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty (ABSD) 60% on residential property for foreign buyers — among the steepest globally. |
| South Korea | Heavily restricted | Foreigners must report residential purchases under the 2023 amendments; certain Seoul districts (Gangnam-3) require Ministry approval. Anti-speculation cooling measures apply broadly. | Acquisition tax 1–4%. |
| Spain | Limited | Open to foreign buyers nationally. April 2025 government proposal would impose a 100% surcharge on non-EU non-residents purchasing residential property in Spain; passage uncertain. Golden Visa for property closed April 2025. | ITP 6–10% (used) or VAT 10% (new). +Municipal AJD 0.5–1.5%. |
| Switzerland | Heavily restricted | Lex Koller restricts non-resident foreign buyers to designated tourist zones with annual quotas. EU/EFTA citizens with Swiss residence permits face fewer restrictions. | Cantonal transfer tax 1–3.3%. |
| Thailand | Limited | Foreigners cannot own land. Condominium units permitted with the building's foreign-ownership quota capped at 49% of total floor area. | Specific business tax 3.3% if held <5 years; transfer fee 2%. |
| Turkey | Limited | Foreign nationals from ~180 countries may buy. Property purchases of $400,000+ qualify for the Turkish citizenship-by-investment route. | Title-deed fee 4% (split buyer/seller); VAT exemption available for first foreign-currency purchase. |
| UAE | Open to foreigners | Foreigners may buy freehold in designated zones in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah. Outside designated zones, leasehold (99-year) only. | Dubai 4% transfer fee; Abu Dhabi 2%. |
| United Kingdom | Limited | Open to foreign buyers but non-residents pay a 2% Stamp Duty Land Tax surcharge on top of the standard rate (England + Northern Ireland). Scotland and Wales have separate equivalents. | SDLT up to 17% all-in for non-resident additional-property buyers. |
| United States | Open to foreigners | Open to foreign buyers nationally. Some state-level restrictions on agricultural land (over a dozen states) and proximity to military installations have been enacted 2023–25. | FIRPTA: 15% withholding on sale proceeds for non-resident sellers (recoverable on filing). |
| Uruguay | Open to foreigners | Fully open to foreign buyers without restriction. No residency requirement. | Property transfer tax 2% buyer + 2% seller; ITP. |
Definitions
- Open to foreigners. No nationality-based restriction; foreign and domestic buyers face the same legal regime.
- Limited. Foreigners may buy with location, type, or value restrictions, or pay a meaningful surcharge relative to residents.
- Heavily restricted. Permission required from a regulator, or the property type/location is materially gated for non-residents.
- Effectively closed. Outright statutory ban on non-resident foreign purchases of residential property (existing-dwelling segment), with narrow exceptions.
See also: Tax residency matrix · Glossary · Guides.