Can a foreigner buy property in Vietnam?

Foreigners cannot own the land, only lease it or hold use rights

In Vietnam all land belongs to the people and is managed by the state, so nobody owns land in the Western sense. Foreign individuals can own housing for a limited period, under conditions, but they cannot hold land-use rights as individuals.

Updated October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.

Rules change. This page describes the structure of the rule, not prices, taxes or quotas. Confirm the current position with the official source listed below, and with a lawyer in the country, before you pay anything. This is general information, not legal advice.

Land

Land use rights are granted by the state. Foreign individuals generally cannot receive land-use rights, though foreign-invested companies can in approved projects.

Houses and flats

A foreign individual may own housing in an approved project, for a limited term, subject to the housing law. The rules on the number of units and the term are set by the law and have been changed.

Buying through a company

A foreign-invested company with the right investment licence can hold land-use rights for its project.

Limits and closed zones

Projects must be approved for foreign ownership, and some areas near defence sites are closed.

What to watch for

The housing and land laws were recently rewritten, so check the present text and ask a local lawyer.

Understand the legal system first

Vietnam belongs to the Civil law family. Property is registered and transferred differently in different traditions, so it helps to know how the system works.

Read the Vietnam legal-system profile in the Legal Families Atlas →
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Official sources

Vietnamese Government portal

TheLawToKnow Tools’s guide to foreign property ownership is an educational overview of general rules. It is not legal advice, and it does not replace the official source or a lawyer in the country. Report a mistake.