Can foreigners buy land in Vietnam? Housing eligibility explained

Can a foreign individual buy a land plot?

Land belongs to the entire people, with the State acting as the representative owner and exercising unified management. The State allocates or leases land and recognises land use rights under Article 12 of the 2024 Land Law. Eligibility depends on the land-user categories in Article 4; foreign individuals are not an ordinary individual land-user category under Land Law 31/2024/QH15, Articles 4 and 12. A residence permit does not change nationality. A calculator result does not establish eligibility.

What housing may an eligible foreign individual own?

Housing Law 27/2023/QH15, Articles 16–18, permits eligible foreign individuals to own commercial housing in qualifying projects outside defence and security areas. Article 19 sets collective caps: 30% of apartments in a building or 250 houses in an area with population equivalent to a ward. These are shared foreign-ownership limits, not a personal allowance. Check the project and remaining quota with the provincial housing authority.

Term and spouses

Article 20(2)(c) generally permits up to 50 years from certificate issue, with one extension of up to 50 years subject to the rules. It separately addresses foreign spouses of Vietnamese citizens living in Vietnam and spouses of overseas Vietnamese permitted entry. Marriage does not itself create a standalone right to acquire a vacant land plot. Obtain case-specific legal review.

Use tools for reference

Check location and planning, read indicative prices in VND, and budget transaction fees. Verify eligibility before a deposit. Have a lawyer or notary confirm the buyer’s own eligibility and the transaction documents before payment. Draft legislation is not enacted law; check the law again before signing.

Reviewed 30 October 2026 · Land Law 31/2024/QH15 (original Vietnamese text) · Housing Law, consolidated 132/VBHN-VPQH, 29 August 2025

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For reference. Not legal, valuation or investment advice. Confirm the current law and parcel records before acting.

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