Can I buy property in Australia on my visa?

Check your visa, the proposed owners and the property before you make an offer. A lender may accept your income while the purchase still needs foreign-investment approval or extra cash for duty.

Your visa is the starting point. Your relationship, who will own the home and the property itself can change the answer. State duty and loan approval also need their own assessment.

For 494 sponsored regional buyers, student visa holders and Australian expats, use the dedicated guide. The visa home loan hub compares the wider lending options.

Australian citizens, holders of Australian permanent visas and qualifying New Zealand citizens have residential purchase exemptions. Most temporary residents and foreign non-residents face restrictions on established homes, with limited exceptions.

This table covers purchase rules. Our visa home loan guide explains the separate lending assessment and deposit requirements.

If you buy as joint tenants with an Australian citizen, Australian permanent visa holder or qualifying New Zealand citizen spouse or de facto partner, a federal spouse exemption may apply. Your solicitor needs to confirm the relationship and title requirements.

Another option we can assess is the citizen or permanent resident spouse owning the home while both spouses apply for the loan. Some lenders accept that arrangement, subject to the visa and full application. Your solicitor should explain the ownership rights, any beneficial interest and duty before you choose it.

Buying with a friend or relative does not create the spouse exemption. The names on the loan and the names on the title do different jobs. Our mixed-visa couples guide and partner visa guide explain those options.

A federal exemption does not automatically remove state foreign buyer duty. We check the loan while your solicitor confirms what the proposed owners can buy and the duty they will pay.

The general restriction on foreign purchases of established homes runs from 1 April 2025 to 30 June 2029. It includes temporary residents, with limited exceptions. Treasury’s residential-land guidance explains the current position.

New homes and vacant land may still be possible with foreign-investment approval and conditions. For land, check the construction deadline in your approval and whether the build fits your budget. An off-the-plan purchase also needs a timing check because your visa, income or lender policy could change before settlement.

Tell us your current visa and where you live and work. We can check whether we can help with the loan while your solicitor confirms your buying rights.

Foreign-investment approval is often called FIRB approval. Where it is required, arrange it before you acquire the property or have your solicitor prepare an appropriate conditional contract. An auction purchase may leave you committed before approval is in place.

For the 2026-27 financial year, the ordinary application fee for a new home valued from $75,000 to $1 million is $15,600. Other values and application types have different fees. A developer’s exemption certificate may also affect whether you need a separate application.

The usual statutory decision period starts after the correct fee has been paid and can be extended. Allow time for approval in your purchase plans. Read our FIRB approval guide and check the current fee schedule.

Queensland’s additional foreign acquirer duty, or AFAD, is generally 8% of the foreign buyer’s share of the residential property. It is charged on top of ordinary transfer duty unless relief applies.

For example, on a $750,000 property owned equally by two buyers, a foreign buyer’s $375,000 share produces $30,000 in AFAD. That assumes the dutiable value is $750,000 and no exemption or relief applies. Ordinary duty and other costs are extra.

A New Zealand citizen holding an SCV when entering the Queensland transaction is generally outside AFAD. There is no blanket Queensland 200-day waiting period for that treatment. QRO also has anti-avoidance guidance for someone entering Australia to obtain an SCV for the purpose of avoiding AFAD.

NSW uses different residence rules, including a 200-day test and a possible home-occupation exemption. Check the state where you are buying. A Queensland answer cannot settle the NSW position.

Our foreign buyer duty guide explains the costs. Treat calculator figures as estimates and have your solicitor confirm the duty for the actual owners, shares and transaction date.

The scheme’s Information Guide gives ‘permanent resident’ the meaning in the Australian Citizenship Act 2007. Since 1 July 2023, a determination under that Act treats NZ citizens holding a subclass 444 visa as permanent residents, so SCV holders can qualify. The participating lender confirms eligibility for each application. Other Scheme requirements apply, and your lender must approve the loan.

Check the property price cap, your deposit, previous property ownership and whether you will live in the home. Every joint applicant needs to qualify. A temporary-resident partner on a visa such as 482 generally cannot join a scheme application just because the other borrower is eligible.

Start with our 5% Deposit Scheme guide. The NZ citizen home loan guide covers lending options for New Zealanders living and working in Australia.

The Queensland First Home Owner Grant is a separate program. It has its own new-home, citizenship or residency, ownership and occupancy requirements. SCV holders with a current New Zealand passport can qualify. A temporary resident may qualify when applying with an eligible applicant. The 1 August 2026 duty rule is separate, so each buyer must also be an Australian citizen, permanent resident or specified foreign retiree to claim a Queensland duty concession. Read our first home buyer guide.

If the federal scheme does not fit your application, compare the available low-deposit loans and check whether an LMI waiver applies to your circumstances.

A permanent visa can open up more purchase and lending options. State duty still depends on the relevant dates, residence rules and exemptions. A PR grant does not automatically remove every surcharge or refund duty already paid.

For Queensland transactions entered into from 1 August 2026, a temporary 482 visa alone does not qualify for the home concession. An eligible permanent resident may qualify. On a $750,000 home, ordinary duty is $26,775 without the home concession or $19,600 with it, before first-home relief or foreign charges.

If you expect PR soon, ask your solicitor for two dated assessments: signing now and signing after the grant. Compare the loan options alongside those costs. Allow for uncertain visa timing, rent and possible changes in property prices.

Have your visa grant notice, passport, income documents and deposit details ready. Tell us who will buy the property, where it is and whether it is an established home, new home or vacant land. Your solicitor may also need travel history and evidence of your relationship.

I can check which lenders may consider the application and the cash you would need to contribute. Use our deposit calculator to start a budget, including duty, legal fees and a reserve for other costs.