Foreign Buyer Duty Calculator: AFAD, Surcharges & FIRB Fees

Compare foreign purchaser duty and FIRB costs, then check how each buyer’s status and ownership share affect the result.

Foreign purchaser duty is an extra charge that can apply when a foreign person acquires residential property, sitting on top of ordinary transfer duty. Eligibility for a home concession is a separate question again.

If you’re a co-owner, you’ll generally pay the surcharge on your own share as the foreign buyer. Because state definitions and exemptions matter, the same visa can have different consequences in different states. FIRB approval is a separate federal check again.

Surcharge rates by state

These general rates don’t determine whether you’re a foreign buyer or qualify for relief, and ordinary duty, land tax and other ownership costs are separate again. Check the Queensland or NSW guide where it’s relevant to you.

Who counts as a foreign buyer?

Australian citizens, permanent visa holders, New Zealand citizens and temporary residents don’t all get the same treatment. For Queensland duty, a New Zealand citizen holding a Special Category Visa is included in the permanent-resident definition, so don’t apply the NSW 200-day rule to Queensland AFAD.

NSW has its own residence and principal-place-of-residence rules, including potential relief for eligible permanent residents and New Zealand citizens. An eligible spouse exemption for federal approval doesn’t automatically exempt the same buyer from state surcharge duty, though.

Use the visa buying eligibility checker as a starting point, then read the visa home loan guide, then check your actual visa and transaction date with your solicitor before you rely on either.

On a $750,000 Queensland property bought 50/50 by a citizen and a temporary 482 visa holder, 8% AFAD on the foreign buyer’s $375,000 share is $30,000, assuming no exemption or relief applies. Ordinary transfer duty comes on top of that.

Having only an eligible person on the title may change the duty, but it’s not a universal fix, since ownership rights, beneficial interests, tax and lender requirements all matter too. Some lenders won’t accept a borrower who has no ownership interest, so read the mixed-visa couples guide before you decide who signs the contract.

The same house, three different buyers

This example uses a $750,000 new Queensland home and a transaction from 1 August 2026, and it assumes the eligible buyers qualify for the ordinary home concession but not a first-home concession. It excludes registration, legal and other costs, and assumes the temporary buyer needs an ordinary new-dwelling FIRB application.

The difference is $82,775 under these assumptions, coming from both the AFAD/FIRB costs and the home-concession eligibility change. An eligible first-home buyer of a new home could get a different result, so this isn’t a first-home example.

For transactions from 1 August 2026, you’ll need to be an Australian citizen, permanent resident or specified foreign retiree to claim the Queensland home concession. A temporary 482 visa by itself doesn’t qualify. Get a separate current duty calculation before you rely on the calculator above, particularly if you’re a temporary resident, a mixed buyer or a New Zealand citizen.

Foreign purchasers generally need approval before acquiring residential property, unless an exemption applies, and fees depend on the transaction and application type as well as the value. The table below sets out the 2026-27 ordinary application fees for residential land other than established dwellings.

Exemption certificates and permitted established-dwelling applications can use different fees. For example, the ordinary established-dwelling fee up to $1 million is $46,800, except for the separate under-$75,000 tier. Check the current government schedule for your actual application, since paying a fee doesn’t establish that a purchase is allowed.

Can you buy an established home at all?

Foreign persons, including temporary residents, are generally restricted from buying established homes under the ban that began on 1 April 2025, and the 2026–27 Budget extends that ban to 30 June 2029. Limited exceptions remain.

An exemption can apply if you’re buying as joint tenants with an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand-citizen spouse, though relationship status and the way ownership is recorded both matter. Confirm the exemption before you sign, since it doesn’t automatically remove state foreign duty. Our FIRB approval guide explains the process.

Start with your visa evidence, intended property, state, price and proposed owners, then we can assess your lending options while your solicitor or tax adviser confirms ownership and duty. The deposit calculator helps you organise the remaining cash budget.