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FIRB ApprovalIndependent guide

Checked 5 October 2026

Buying Australian property from overseas

The FIRB rules are the same for every nationality. What changes by country is how you move money, which tax treaty applies, which currencies lenders accept, and which visa routes buyers use. Choose your country for what is specific to it.

SingaporeSGDHong KongHKDChinaCNYIndiaINRUnited KingdomGBPUnited StatesUSDUnited Arab EmiratesAEDMalaysiaMYRNew ZealandNZD

Rules that apply to every country

  • Unless you are an Australian citizen, hold a permanent visa, or are a New Zealand citizen who holds or is eligible for a Special Category visa (or buying as joint tenants with such a spouse), you are a foreign person and need FIRB approval to buy residential property.
  • Foreign persons can buy new homes, off-the-plan homes and vacant land, and are banned from buying established homes from 1 April 2025 to 30 June 2029.
  • State governments charge a surcharge on stamp duty to foreign buyers.
  • Australian tax applies to rent and gains, and lenders treat foreign income cautiously.

Frequently asked questions

Do the rules differ if I am Chinese, Indian or British?

The FIRB rules do not. Your residency status decides whether you are a foreign person, not your nationality. What differs is capital controls at home, tax treaties and the currencies lenders accept.

Sources

Checked 5 October 2026.

firbapproval.com.au is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to the Foreign Investment Review Board, the Australian Treasury or the Australian Taxation Office. We do not lodge or process applications. Applications are made to the ATO. General information only, not legal, tax, migration or financial advice.