Foreign‑buyer rules for residential property are shifting rapidly worldwide, with some markets tightening restrictions while others are reopening to overseas investors. Understanding the specific mechanism that limits ownership—whether it is a ban, a lease‑only regime, a quota, or a tax—and the direction of policy change is essential before committing funds.
Open‑ownership markets
- United States – No federal restriction on foreign ownership. Buyers can take title in their own name, but a 15 % federal withholding tax applies on the sale price when a foreign owner sells (e.g., $75,000 on a $500,000 sale). Some states add additional transfer taxes for non‑residents.
- United Kingdom (England & Northern Ireland) – No ownership ban; a 2 % stamp‑duty surcharge is added for foreign buyers on top of standard rates.
- Western Europe (Italy, France, Ireland, Portugal, Greece) – No nationality test for residential purchases. Recent changes affect residency pathways: Portugal removed property from its golden‑visa program in 2023; Greece raised its investor‑residency threshold to €800,000 for purchases in Athens, Thessaloniki and major islands.
- Japan – No restriction on foreign ownership of homes or land; treatment mirrors that of domestic buyers.
- Georgia, Panama, Brazil – Allow freehold ownership of urban property to foreigners; Brazil limits freehold only for rural and borderland areas.
Partial‑ownership regimes (condominium caps, lease‑only land)
- Thailand – Foreigners may own condominium units outright, but foreign ownership is capped at 49 % of a building’s floor area. Once the quota is filled, only 30‑year or 10‑year leases are available. Proposals to raise the cap to 75 % and extend leases to 99 years have not become law as of August 2026.
- Philippines – Similar to Thailand: foreigners can own condominium units but cannot own land; purchases are limited to lease arrangements.
- Vietnam – Under the 2023 housing law and 2024 land law, foreigners may own apartments on renewable 50‑year terms, with a 30 % building‑unit cap and a limit of 250 houses per ward. Land‑use rights never transfer.
- Mexico – Direct ownership is allowed nationwide except within 50 km of the coast and 100 km of a border, where the constitution bars foreign title. Buyers use a fideicomiso (bank trust) or a Mexican company to hold title.
- Turkey – Foreign ownership is permitted across most of the country, with a $400,000 property investment qualifying for citizenship. Restrictions apply near military/security zones, a 30‑hectare per‑buyer limit, and a 10 % district‑wide cap. Certain nationalities remain barred under a post‑2012 list.
Gate‑keeper markets (approval processes or high taxes)
- Switzerland – Federal “lex collar” law restricts most non‑resident foreigners from buying residential property and limits the number of holiday homes sold to foreigners each year. A 2026 public consultation considered tightening these rules further.
- Singapore – Condominiums are open, but a 60 % Additional Buyer’s Stamp Duty (ABSD) applies to foreign purchasers (U.S. citizens and a few treaty partners are exempt). Landed homes require rare government approval, typically only in the Sentosa Cove enclave.
- Malaysia – Foreign buyers must meet a minimum purchase price, commonly RM 1 million, varying by state, and most transactions need state‑level consent.
Behavioral and residency‑linked restrictions
- South Korea – Since 26 August 2025, foreigners need a permit to buy in Seoul, 23 cities/counties of Gyeonggi Province, and 7 districts of Incheon. Permit holders must move in within four months and retain ownership for at least two years. The designation was set to expire 25 August 2025 but was extended to 25 August 2026, with possible further extensions.
- India – Non‑resident Indians (NRIs) and Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) can buy freely. Other foreign nationals require central‑bank approval, and citizens of several neighboring countries are outright barred.
Closed or highly restricted markets
- Canada – A ban on foreign nationals and foreign‑controlled companies buying residential property took effect in 2023 and is extended to 1 January 2027. The ban applies only to census metropolitan areas and agglomerations; smaller towns and rural areas remain open. Exemptions include certain students, temporary workers, refugee claimants, and buildings with four or more units.
- Australia – A freeze on foreign purchases of established housing began in April 2025, originally set to end March 2027, but the May 2026 federal budget extended it to June 2029. New builds remain available to approved foreign buyers.
- China – Generally allows only one residential unit per foreigner for personal use, after at least one year of residence, work, or study.
- Indonesia – Freehold ownership (hak milik) is reserved for citizens. Foreigners may obtain leasehold rights, use titles, or purchase through an Indonesian company, none of which confer outright land ownership.
- New Zealand – Since 2018, most foreign residential purchases are banned, with exemptions for Australians, Singaporeans, and new‑apartment buyers. In 2025, amendments allowed holders of the Active Investor Plus visa to buy properties valued at NZD 5 million or more; the change took effect March 2026.
Markets moving toward openness
- New Zealand – The 2025 amendment opened a lane for high‑value investors, showing that previously closed markets can relax rules.
- Saudi Arabia – A law effective January 2026 permits foreigners to buy in designated zones, allowing one home per foreign resident (with stricter conditions in Makkah and Medina). This replaces a system that limited purchases to premium‑residency holders.
Markets tightening despite openness
- Spain – While foreign buyers can still purchase, the golden‑visa program closed to new applicants on 3 April 2025. A proposal to tax non‑EU, non‑resident buyers up to 100 % of property value stalled, and in October 2026 the housing decrees were rejected, causing the tax proposal to lapse. Political uncertainty (snap election scheduled for 29 November 2026) leaves the future direction unclear.
Practical checklist for cross‑border buyers
- Ownership type – Confirm whether you can obtain freehold title or only a lease/right‑to‑use arrangement.
- Location eligibility – Verify that the specific city, district, or development is open to foreign buyers under current rules.
- Policy trajectory – Identify whether the governing mechanism is slated to tighten, stay steady, or relax in the near term (e.g., upcoming consultations, legislative deadlines).
Before wiring funds, obtain written confirmation on all three points from a qualified investment‑migration professional. This reduces the dominant policy risk that now outweighs traditional asset‑price risk in many jurisdictions.
