Foreign Buyer Duty Calculator: AFAD, Surcharges & FIRB Fees

Additional Foreign Acquirer Duty — an extra 8% transfer duty charged when a foreign person acquires residential land in Queensland (as at July 2026). It applies on top of standard transfer duty, and only to the foreign acquirer’s share of the property.

Per owner. If a citizen and a temporary visa holder buy 50/50, the surcharge applies to the foreign partner’s 50% share only — and if only the eligible partner goes on the title, no surcharge applies at all. Who goes on the title is a decision, not a default.

Title structuring has legal and tax consequences — work through it with your solicitor and accountant.

Generally not in Queensland when they hold the Subclass 444 visa and are ordinarily resident in Australia. NSW exempts NZ citizens who have been in Australia for 200 days or more in the previous 12 months. A Kiwi who has only just arrived can be treated differently — timing matters.

It depends on the purchase price tier — indicatively around $15,100 for a new dwelling up to $1 million (fees are indexed every 1 July). Always confirm the current fee with the official estimator at firb.gov.au before budgeting.

Not on their own until 30 June 2029 — foreign persons, including temporary residents, are banned from buying established dwellings. The main exception is buying jointly with an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible NZ-citizen spouse.