Foreign residents can buy residential and investment property in Australia, but strict rules apply. In most cases, they must obtain approval from the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) before purchasing.
The first step is determining whether you’re considered a foreign person under Australian law.
According to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), you’ll generally be considered a foreign person if you are not:
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an Australian citizen
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an Australian permanent resident, or
-
a New Zealand citizen holding a Special Category Visa (subclass 444).
Note that permanent residents who have not been in Australia for at least 200 days in the previous 12 months may still be treated as foreign persons. Australian citizens are not foreign persons regardless of where they live.
What types of property can foreigners buy?
Foreign buyers can purchase property in Australia, but restrictions apply to the types of residential property they can buy.
Generally, foreign persons can apply to buy:
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a new or near-new dwelling
-
an off-the-plan property
-
vacant residential land
-
established dwellings for redevelopment, but only where the project delivers at least 20 additional dwellings
-
an established dwelling in limited circumstances, such as to house workers participating in eligible Pacific Australia Labour Mobility and Timor-Leste employment arrangements.
From 1 April 2025 to 30 June 2029, foreign investors are generally prohibited from purchasing established dwellings in Australia, although limited exceptions apply.
These restrictions are designed to direct foreign investment towards new housing rather than increase competition for existing homes. By encouraging investment in new construction, the government aims to increase housing supply while supporting economic activity and jobs.
Andrew Hadjidemetri
Financial Services Expert
“Not every lender assesses trust applications the same way. Borrowing capacity, documentation requirements and lending policies can vary significantly, so obtaining finance through the right lender from the outset can save considerable time and avoid unnecessary complications during the approval process.”
Andrew Hadjidemetri
Director | Australian Financial & Mortgage Solutions
What’s the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB)?
The Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) is the Australian Government advisory body that reviews foreign investment applications. The FIRB advises the Treasurer on whether proposed investments should be approved under Australia’s foreign investment framework. In practice, residential property applications are administered by the ATO and lodged through Online services for foreign investors.
If you’re buying residential property, you will not deal with the FIRB directly. Your application, your fee and your approval all go through the ATO. The FIRB’s screening role applies mainly to business, agricultural and commercial proposals.
This is commonly called FIRB approval, though the formal document you receive is a no objection notification issued by the ATO.
As part of the approval process, the government assesses whether a proposed investment is consistent with Australia’s national interest. For residential property, the rules are designed to direct foreign investment towards new housing, helping to increase housing supply while limiting competition for existing homes.
How much does it cost for foreigners to apply to buy Australian property?
Foreign investors pay a non-refundable application fee when they lodge with the ATO. The fee scales with the purchase price and with the type of property. Established dwellings attract roughly triple the fee of new dwellings and vacant land.
The fees below apply to applications made between 1 July 2026 and 30 June 2027.
Fees for new or near-new dwellings and vacant residential land
|
Amount |
Fee per action |
|
Less than $75,000 |
$4,600 |
|
$1 million or less |
$15,600 |
|
$2 million or less |
$31,300 |
|
$3 million or less |
$62,600 |
|
$4 million or less |
$93,900 |
|
$5 million or less |
$125,200 |
|
$6 million or less |
$156,500 |
|
$7 million or less |
$187,800 |
|
$8 million or less |
$219,100 |
|
$9 million or less |
$250,400 |
|
$10 million or less |
$281,700 |
|
$11 million or less |
$313,000 |
|
$12 million or less |
$344,300 |
|
$13 million or less |
$375,600 |
|
$14 million or less |
$406,900 |
|
$15 million or less |
$438,200 |
|
$16 million or less |
$469,500 |
|
$17 million or less |
$500,800 |
|
$18 million or less |
$532,100 |
|
$19 million or less |
$563,400 |
|
$20 million or less |
$594,700 |
|
$21 million or less |
$626,000 |
|
$22 million or less |
$657,300 |
|
$23 million or less |
$688,600 |
|
$24 million or less |
$719,900 |
|
$25 million or less |
$751,200 |
|
$26 million or less |
$782,500 |
|
$27 million or less |
$813,800 |
|
$28 million or less |
$845,100 |
|
$29 million or less |
$876,400 |
|
$30 million or less |
$907,700 |
|
$31 million or less |
$939,000 |
|
$32 million or less |
$970,300 |
|
$33 million or less |
$1,001,600 |
|
$34 million or less |
$1,032,900 |
|
$35 million or less |
$1,064,200 |
|
$36 million or less |
$1,095,500 |
|
$37 million or less |
$1,126,800 |
|
$38 million or less |
$1,158,100 |
|
$39 million or less |
$1,189,400 |
|
$40 million or less |
$1,220,700 |
|
More than $40 million |
$1,245,500 |
Fees for established dwellings
Because foreign persons are banned from buying established dwellings until 30 June 2029, these fees now apply only to the limited exception, like redevelopment projects that significantly increase housing supply, and purchases under the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme.
|
Amount |
Fee per action |
|
Less than $75,000 |
$13,800 |
|
$1 million or less |
$46,800 |
|
$2 million or less |
$93,900 |
|
$3 million or less |
$187,800 |
|
$4 million or less |
$281,700 |
|
$5 million or less |
$375,600 |
|
$6 million or less |
$469,500 |
|
$7 million or less |
$563,400 |
|
$8 million or less |
$657,300 |
|
$9 million or less |
$751,200 |
|
$10 million or less |
$845,100 |
|
$11 million or less |
$939,000 |
|
$12 million or less |
$1,032,900 |
|
$13 million or less |
$1,126,800 |
|
$14 million or less |
$1,220,700 |
|
$15 million or less |
$1,314,600 |
|
$16 million or less |
$1,408,500 |
|
$17 million or less |
$1,502,400 |
|
$18 million or less |
$1,596,300 |
|
$19 million or less |
$1,690,200 |
|
$20 million or less |
$1,784,100 |
|
$21 million or less |
$1,878,000 |
|
$22 million or less |
$1,971,900 |
|
$23 million or less |
$2,065,800 |
|
$24 million or less |
$2,159,700 |
|
$25 million or less |
$2,253,600 |
|
$26 million or less |
$2,347,500 |
|
$27 million or less |
$2,441,400 |
|
$28 million or less |
$2,535,300 |
|
$29 million or less |
$2,629,200 |
|
$30 million or less |
$2,723,100 |
|
$31 million or less |
$2,817,000 |
|
$32 million or less |
$2,910,900 |
|
$33 million or less |
$3,004,800 |
|
$34 million or less |
$3,098,700 |
|
$35 million or less |
$3,192,600 |
|
$36 million or less |
$3,286,500 |
|
$37 million or less |
$3,380,400 |
|
$38 million or less |
$3,474,300 |
|
$39 million or less |
$3,568,200 |
|
$40 million or less |
$3,662,100 |
|
More than $40 million |
$3,736,500 |
What the application fee doesn’t cover
The FIRB application fee is only the first cost. Foreign buyers should also budget for:
- Stamp duty surcharge — an extra 7% to 9% of the purchase price in most states
- Annual vacancy fee — double your original application fee, if the property sits empty
- Surcharge land tax — an annual charge in most states
- Higher deposit and interest rate on any Australian mortgage
Can foreigners buy a home from overseas?
Yes. Foreigners can buy property in Australia while living overseas, provided they comply with Australia’s foreign investment rules and obtain approval from the FIRB, where required.
If you live overseas and don’t hold an Australian visa, you’ll generally be purchasing as a foreign investor. In most cases, this means you can’t buy an established home. Instead, you’ll typically be limited to buying a newly built property, an off-the-plan property or vacant residential land.
If you hold a temporary Australian visa valid for at least 12 months, you can apply to buy a new dwelling, an off-the-plan property or vacant residential land. You can’t buy an established home, even to live in as your principal place of residence. This is the case until 30 June 2029.
How can foreigners get a mortgage from an Australian bank or lender?
Before buying property in Australia, foreign buyers will generally need approval from the FIRB. Many lenders will require evidence of FIRB approval before your purchase can proceed.
Australian lenders offer specialist home loans for different types of foreign borrowers.
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Non-resident home loans are designed for overseas buyers, temporary visa holders and other non-citizens purchasing property in Australia.
-
Expat home loans are for Australian citizens and permanent residents living overseas who want to buy or invest in property back home.
Because lending to foreign borrowers is considered higher risk, fewer lenders offer these loans and the eligibility criteria are often stricter. Some major banks, including Westpac, ANZ, NAB and CommBank, as well as specialist non-bank lenders, may offer home loans to eligible foreign borrowers.
Compared to Australian residents, foreign buyers will typically need a larger deposit, often between 20% and 40% of the property’s value. Many lenders also discount foreign-sourced income by around 20% to 30% when assessing borrowing capacity to account for exchange rate fluctuations. Depending on your circumstances, you may also be charged a higher interest rate.
Mansour Soltani
Financial Services Expert
“Finance is often the biggest hurdle for foreign buyers rather than finding the right property. Different lenders have very different policies around visa types, overseas income and acceptable deposits, so shopping around can significantly improve both borrowing capacity and loan options. The right lender choice can make the difference between an approval and a decline.”
Mansour Soltani, Director, Soren Financial
As with any home loan application, you’ll need to demonstrate a stable income, a good credit history and that you meet the lender’s visa and residency requirements.
How to apply to buy residential property as a foreign person
If you’re a foreign person looking to buy residential property in Australia, you’ll generally need to follow these steps:
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Confirm you’re eligible to buy and check the rules that apply to the type of property you want to purchase.
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Create a foreign person profile with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO).
-
Submit your application through ATO Online services for foreign investors, providing details of your proposed property purchase.
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Pay the applicable FIRB application fee, which varies depending on the property’s purchase price.
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Obtain finance, if required, and ensure you meet your lender’s borrowing criteria.
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Complete the purchase once you’ve received FIRB approval and satisfied any conditions attached to your approval.
-
Register your property with the ATO within 30 days of settlement.
FAQs about how foreigners can buy property in Australia
What visa categories can purchase property in Australia?
Australian permanent residents can generally buy residential property without the restrictions that apply to foreign buyers. Examples of visas that can lead to permanent residency include:
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Skilled Independent visa (subclass 189)
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Skilled Nominated visa (subclass 190)
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Partner visa (once permanent residency has been granted).
Temporary residents who hold an eligible visa valid for 12 months or more may also be able to purchase residential property in Australia, subject to the foreign investment rules. Examples include:
-
Skills in Demand visa (subclass 482)
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Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485)
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Skilled Work Regional (Provisional) visa (subclass 491).
Depending on your circumstances, other visa holders may also be eligible to purchase property. Special rules can also apply to New Zealand citizens holding a Special Category Visa (subclass 444) and the spouses or de facto partners of Australian citizens or permanent residents.
Are New Zealand citizens treated as foreigners?
It depends on their visa status. New Zealand citizens who hold, or are eligible to hold, a Special Category Visa (subclass 444) are generally not treated as foreign persons for the purposes of Australia’s foreign investment rules. This means they can usually buy residential property without needing approval from the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB).
The Special Category Visa allows eligible New Zealand citizens to live, work and study in Australia indefinitely. It is generally granted automatically when an eligible New Zealand citizen enters Australia and remains valid while they are in the country.
New Zealand citizens who do not hold, or are not eligible for, a Special Category Visa may be considered foreign persons. In that case, they must comply with the same foreign investment rules that apply to other overseas buyers, including obtaining FIRB approval where required.
How long do you have to live in Australia before you can buy a house?
There is no minimum period you must live in Australia before you can buy property. In fact, it’s possible to purchase Australian property even if you live overseas.
Instead, your eligibility depends on your residency and visa status. These determine the types of property you can buy, whether you need approval from the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB), and the rules you’ll need to comply with throughout the purchase process.
Can I get Australian citizenship if I buy a house?
No. Buying a house in Australia does not grant you citizenship, permanent residency or a visa, and it does not automatically improve your chances of obtaining them.
Your right to live in Australia depends on meeting the relevant visa, residency or citizenship requirements, regardless of whether you own property.
Mansour Soltani
Financial Services Expert
With over two decades of experience in Australia’s real estate sector, Mansour has built a career specialising in the acquisition and sale of investment and commercial properties, spanning major metropolitan hubs and regional areas. As the founder and owner of a finance brokerage firm, he manages a loan portfolio exceeding $250 million while serving a broad range of clients nationwide.
A frequent contributor to money.com.au, Mansour has developed a deep understanding of diverse investment strategies, enabling him to provide valuable, well-informed perspectives on market trends and opportunities.