Where does this countries where u.s. citizens can buy property data come from?

Name: Countries Where U.S. Citizens Can Buy Property
Creator: Rankodex

Rankodex compiles it from World Population Review and the primary sources it cites: Foreign ownership - Wiki; The Best and Worst Countries for Americans To Buy Property - GOBankingRates; 10 countries where Americans buy property abroad - MediaFeed; Best countries to buy property as an American: 2025 guide - Wise.

Country rankings

Countries Where U.S. Citizens Can Buy Property

Countries Where U.S. Citizens Can Buy Property: compare 139 countries on 3 metrics.

Law139 countries · 3 metricsUpdated Sep 16, 2025Original page

26 sources

Can US Citizens Buy Property?

4 values across 139 entries

Can US Citizens Buy Land?

6 values across 137 entries

Data

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139 countries


Afghanistan	No	No	Foreigners in Afghanistan cannot own houses or apartments outright, since ownership of the underlying land is not allowed; they can only lease property.
Albania	Yes	Yes	—
Algeria	Yes	Require government approval	Foreigners cannot own agricultural land.
Andorra	Yes	Some Restrictions	Acquiring agricultural land is prohibited, and purchasing land for development purposes is subject to stringent conditions.\| As of April 16, 2025, a new law introduced restrictions on the purchase of residential property by foreign investors, aiming to reduce pressure on the l…
Angola	Yes	No	Foreigners can legally own property in Angola, but they do not own the land itself—instead, they receive surface rights ("direito de superfície") granting long-term usage (often up to 60 years), typically renewable. This applies to residential, commercial, and industrial prope…
Anguilla	Yes	Yes	—
Antigua and Barbuda	Yes	Yes	—
Argentina	Yes	Yes	—
Armenia	Yes	Yes	Restrictions on owning agricultural land and property within 5 kilometers of the country's borders. Foreigners can acquire these types of land through long-term leases or by establishing a legal entity in Armenia.
Australia	Yes	Yes	From 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2027, there is a temporary ban on foreign persons, including temporary residents and foreign-owned companies, purchasing established dwellings, with limited exceptions.
Austria	Yes	Yes	Some restrictions apply based on nationality and location. Agricultural Land: Subject to stricter regulations; often requires demonstrating a genuine interest in farming or related activities.
Azerbaijan	Yes	No	It is generally prohibited from owning land, including agricultural and forested areas. Instead, they can lease land for up to 99 years., For border areas and strategic locations, additional restrictions may apply.
Bahamas	Yes	Yes	—
Bahrain	Restricted	Restricted	Foreigners can purchase property in Bahrain, but only in designated freehold zones such as Amwaj Islands, Juffair, Bahrain Bay, and Durrat Al Bahrain. Ownership outside these areas requires special government approval.
Bangladesh	Restricted	No	Foreigners are only allowed to purchase flats for residential purposes, and they must obtain approval from the Bangladesh Board of Investment. In addition, the property must be located in an approved area, and the purchase price must be paid in full in foreign currency, Acqui…
Barbados	Yes	Yes	—
Belarus	Yes	No	Foreigners cannot own land in Belarus. They may lease land for up to 99 years., Ownership of agricultural land is prohibited for non-citizens
Belgium	Yes	Yes	—
Belize	Yes	Yes	—
Benin	Restricted	No	According to the 2013 Land Code (Law No. 2013-01), foreigners are prohibited from owning land in Benin. However, they may acquire buildings in urban areas, provided there are reciprocity agreements or international treaties in place .
Bermuda	Yes	—	—
Bhutan	No	No	—
Bolivia	Some restrictions	Some restrictions	Foreigners can purchase residential properties in cities and interior regions without significant limitations, provided they have at least temporary residency status and a Bolivian-issued foreigner ID card, Foreigners are generally prohibited from purchasing rural land.
Bosnia and Herzegovina	Yes	Yes	Foreigners are generally restricted from purchasing agricultural land unless they establish a local company.
Botswana	Yes	No	Foreigners are prohibited from owning land in tribal areas, such as Tlokweng, Mogoditshane, and Molepolole.\| Foreigners cannot own state land outright. However, they can lease it for up to 99 years, subject to approval from the Ministry of Lands and Housing.
Brazil	Yes	Yes	—
Brunei	No	No	Foreigners cannot own residential property (houses, apartments) in Brunei. They may lease property for up to 99 years with government approval. Agricultural land ownership is prohibited for foreigners
Bulgaria	Yes	Yes	Agricultural/Forest Land: Prohibited for all foreigners, regardless of nationality.
Burkina Faso	No	No	Recent legislation prohibits foreign nationals from acquiring property titles, particularly in rural areas. However, they are permitted to lease land for extended periods, typically up to 10 years, subject to government approval. This policy aims to retain land ownership withi…
Burundi	No	No	Foreigners are generally not allowed to directly own land in the country. They may be able to lease land for a specified period or invest in land through a Burundian company or a local partner.
Cambodia	No	No	Under Article 44 of the Cambodian Constitution, “only natural persons or legal entities of Khmer nationality shall have the right to land ownership.” Foreigners are prohibited to own or possess land in Cambodia.\| Foreigners may own up to 70% of the units in a condominium build…
Cameroon	No	No	No, foreigners cannot own residential property (houses, apartments) in Cameroon. They may acquire buildings through leasehold arrangements, typically lasting between 30 to 99 years and are renewable. However, foreigners are not permitted to own land outright.
Canada	No	No	On December 2, 2022, the Privy Council passed an Order in Council confirming regulations related to the Prohibition on the Purchase of Residential Property by Non-Canadians Act (the Act). The Prohibition on the Purchase of Residential Property by Non-Canadians Regulations (the…
Cape Verde	Yes	Yes	—
Cayman Islands	Yes	Yes	—
Central African Republic	No	No	—
Chad	No	No	No, foreigners face significant restrictions on owning residential property (houses, apartments) in Chad. While the constitution guarantees private property , the enforcement of property rights is weak . In practice, foreigners can only own property if legally permitted by the…
Chile	Yes	Yes	—
China	Yes	No	According to the Chinese Property Law, foreigners cannot buy land in China, as the land belongs to the state. Even if some limitations exist, foreigners who work in China or want to relocate here can acquire property through land-use rights (usually 70 years for residential us…
Colombia	Yes	Yes	—
Comoros	No	No	Foreigners cannot own residential property (houses, apartments) in Comoros outright. However, they can lease property for up to 99 years, granting them rights akin to ownership but not full ownership., Additionally, foreign investors are typically restricted to owning a certa…
Costa Rica	Yes	Yes	—
Croatia	Yes	Yes	General Ownership: Allowed under the principle of reciprocity, Agricultural Land: Prohibited unless you establish a Croatian business directly related to agriculture.
Cuba	No	No	Prohibited Transactions: U.S. citizens cannot purchase or lease property in Cuba unless authorized by the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)
Cyprus	Yes	Yes	Non-EU Citizens: Allowed to buy up to two properties or a plot of land not exceeding 4,014 m²; Must obtain prior approval from the Council of Ministers before the property can be registered in their name.
Czechia	Yes	Yes	—
Denmark	Some restrictions	Some restrictions	A foreigner may buy property in Denmark only for their main place of residence or business., Conditions. But only if he meets one of the requirements:+2
Djibouti	Yes	No	Foreigners legally residing in Djibouti have the right to own property, including residential, commercial, and industrial real estate., All land in Djibouti is state-owned. Foreigners can acquire long-term leasehold rights or land-use concessions, typically ranging from 25 to…
Dominica	Some restrictions	Some restrictions	Foreigners, including U.S. citizens, can own property in Dominica. However, acquiring land exceeding 1 acre for residential use or 3 acres for commercial use requires an Alien Landholding License (ALHL). This license costs 10% of the property's value or purchase price, whichev…
Dominican Republic	Yes	Yes	—
DR Congo	Yes	No	Foreigners, including U.S. citizens, cannot own land outright in the DRC. Instead, they can obtain usage rights through long-term lease agreements or concessions
Ecuador	Yes	Yes	—
Egypt	Yes	Yes	—
El Salvador	Yes	Yes	—
Estonia	Yes	Some restrictions	Border Areas: Foreign individuals are prohibited from acquiring real estate near state borders, including maritime borders., Islands: Acquiring property on certain islands (e.g., Saaremaa, Hiiumaa, Vormsi, and Muhu) is restricted for non-EU nationals.
Ethiopia	Yes	No	Foreigners cannot own land in Ethiopia; all land is state-owned. They can buy residential property (houses, apartments) under certain conditions, such as a minimum investment of USD 150,000.
Fiji	Yes	Restricted	Foreigners can buy residential property (houses, apartments) in Fiji, but most land (about 87%) is Native Land and cannot be sold to foreigners. Freehold land purchases require government approval and usually a commitment to develop the property within two years. Leasehold lan…
Finland	Yes	Some restrictions	To buy real estate that includes land or a house, U.S. citizens must obtain a permit from the Finnish Ministry of Defence. This requirement applies regardless of residency status. The permit is property-specific and costs €170. If denied, you must sell the property within six …
France	Yes	Yes	—
Georgia	Yes	Yes	Agricultural Land: Foreigners generally cannot own agricultural land unless they have Georgian citizenship or inheritance rights. Alternatively, a foreign-owned company can acquire agricultural land if at least 51% of its shares are held by Georgian nationals
Germany	Yes	Yes	—
Ghana	Yes	—	—
Greece	Yes	Yes	The only restriction is for land near national borders and some islands, where special permission from the Ministry of Defense is required.
Grenada	Yes	Yes	Foreigners, including U.S. citizens, can buy property in Grenada but must obtain an Alien Landholding License, which usually costs 10% of the property value. This applies to land and residential property. Without the license, ownership is not permitted.
Guatemala	Yes	Yes	—
Haiti	Yes	No	Land: Foreigners cannot own land, only lease (up to 50 years).
Honduras	Some restrictions	Some restrictions	Foreigners can directly purchase residential property up to 3,000 m² (about 0.74 acres).\| Restrictions apply near coastlines and international borders— specifically areas within 40 km of these zones. If you want to buy property beyond that size or in restricted zones, you must…
Hong Kong	Yes	Yes	U.S. citizens can lease land or property in India, including agricultural land, usually for a short- or long-term lease, but they cannot own agricultural land outright.
Hungary	Some restrictions	Some restrictions	Foreigners, including U.S. citizens, can buy property in Hungary but need approval from the local government office. EU citizens are exempt from this requirement. Agricultural land is generally restricted.
Iceland	Some restrictions	No	Non-EEA Citizens: Must obtain permission from the Minister of Justice to acquire residential property., Foreigners can only lease land on a long-term basis, typically for 99 years.
India	Yes	No	—
Indonesia	Yes	No	U.S. citizens cannot own land or residential property outright in Indonesia; they can only acquire property through long-term leases (Hak Sewa/Hak Pakai) or via a foreign-owned company
Iran	Restricted	No	U.S. citizens cannot own land or residential property outright in Iran; they can only acquire property through special permissions, joint ventures, or companies.
Iraq	No	No	U.S. citizens cannot directly own residential property or land in Iraq; only via special permissions, joint ventures, or companies.
Ireland	Yes	Yes	—
Israel	Yes	No	U.S. citizens can buy residential property in Israel, particularly in urban areas where private ownership is common. However, they cannot own land outright due to the dominance of state-owned land in the country. Leasing options are available for state-owned land, but these co…
Italy	Yes	No	—
Ivory Coast	Yes	No	U.S. citizens cannot own land outright in Ivory Coast, but they can own houses or apartments if built on leased land (usually up to 99 years).
Jamaica	Yes	Yes	—
Japan	Yes	Yes	—
Jordan	Some restrictions	Some restrictions	U.S. citizens can buy land and residential property in Jordan, but they must get prior approval from the Ministry of Interior, cannot buy in restricted areas (border zones, military zones, archaeological sites), and generally cannot own agricultural land.
Kazakhstan	Some restrictions	Some restrictions	U.S. citizens can purchase residential property in Kazakhstan by obtaining permanent residency. Agricultural land ownership is restricted, but commercial property can be acquired through a registered legal entity.
Kenya	Yes	No	U.S. citizens can buy residential property (houses, apartments) in Kenya under leasehold agreements up to 99 years. Ownership of land, especially freehold or agricultural land, is restricted to Kenyan citizens, though foreigners may acquire it through a Kenyan company with gov…
Kuwait	No	No	U.S. citizens cannot own residential property (houses or apartments) in Kuwait unless they are long-term residents with government approval, and even then, they are limited to owning a single property for personal use. Land ownership is generally prohibited for non-Kuwaitis; h…
Kyrgyzstan	Some restrictions	No	U.S. citizens can own residential property (such as houses and apartments) in Kyrgyzstan, provided they obtain a special permit from the government. However, foreigners are generally prohibited from owning land, especially agricultural plots; they may only acquire land through…
Laos	No	No	U.S. citizens cannot directly own residential property (houses or apartments) in Laos; they can only lease property long-term, usually up to 30 years with possible renewal. Foreigners are prohibited from owning land, including agricultural land, though they may acquire land-us…
Latvia	Yes	Some restrictions	Non-EU/EEA/OECD nationals are prohibited from purchasing agricultural or forest land, and often face restrictions for land in border zones or protected coastal/military areas unless they obtain special permission.
Lesotho	Some restrictions	No	U.S. citizens can own residential property (houses or apartments) in Lesotho, provided they have a local partner who holds at least 20% ownership in the property., Foreigners are generally prohibited from owning land, including agricultural plots; they may only acquire land t…
Libya	No	No	Foreigners cannot outright own residential property in Libya. In practice, they are limited to leasehold arrangements, often facilitated through setting up a local Libyan company or joint venture., Foreign nationals are strictly prohibited from owning land, especially agricul…
Lithuania	Yes	Yes	Foreigners can acquire all types of real estate in Lithuania, except agricultural and forest land
Madagascar	Restricted	No	U.S. citizens can acquire residential property in Madagascar through long-term leases (up to 99 years), but they cannot own land outright, including undeveloped or agricultural plots, unless using an approved corporate vehicle for commercial purposes.
Malaysia	Some restrictions	Some restrictions	U.S. citizens can buy residential property in Malaysia if it meets the minimum price set by the state and is not reserved for Malays or low-cost housing, but they generally cannot buy agricultural land.
Maldives	No	No	U.S. citizens cannot own land or residential property in the Maldives; freehold ownership is reserved for Maldivian nationals, but foreigners may lease property, including houses or resorts, for up to 99 years.
Malta	Some restrictions	No	U.S. citizens can buy residential property in Malta if they obtain an AIP permit, except in Special Designated Areas where no permit is needed. They generally cannot own land outright but may lease it for up to 99 years.
Mauritius	No	No	U.S. citizens cannot own land in Mauritius. Foreigners can legally own property only within government-approved schemes such as the Property Development Scheme (PDS), Integrated Resort Scheme (IRS), Real Estate Scheme (RES), or Smart City Scheme (SCS), which grant long-term ow…
Mexico	Some restrictions	No	Restrictions. As a foreigner, you are not allowed to buy property within 62 miles (100 km) of the international border or 31 miles (about 50 km) of the coast. However, these restrictions can be circumvented legally, either by purchasing the property through a Mexican land trus…
Moldova	Yes	Yes	U.S. citizens cannot own agricultural land
Montenegro	Yes	Yes	Foreigners can not buy property less than one kilometer from the state border, as well as facilities on islands and objects of strategic importance., Cannot directly own agricultural or forest land; to acquire such land, foreigners must establish a Montenegrin company.
Myanmar	No	No	Foreigners cannot own residential property or land outright in Myanmar. They may lease land for up to 70 years (50+10+10) with approval from the Myanmar Investment Commission (MIC) under the Myanmar Investment Law (2016). Additionally, foreigners can own up to 40% of units in …
Namibia	Some restrictions	Some restrictions	Foreigners can legally purchase residential property in Namibia, provided they have valid residence status., Foreigners may face restrictions on owning land near borders or in areas designated for conservation or strategic purposes.
Nepal	No	No	Foreigners cannot directly own residential property or land in Nepal. The Land Act of 1964 prohibits non-citizens from holding land or property in their name. However, foreigners can establish a business in Nepal through the Foreign Investment and Technology Transfer Act (FITT…
Netherlands	Yes	Yes	—
New Zealand	No	No	Overseas people usually cannot buy a house or land in New Zealand. If you have a residence class visa but you are not yet 'ordinarily resident', you can buy or build one home to live in as long as you get consent from the Overseas Investment Office before you buy. You can appl…
Nicaragua	Yes	Yes	Cannot own land within 50 kilometers of the national border or coast unless they establish a Nicaraguan corporation.
North Korea	No	No	Private property ownership is prohibited under the country's socialist constitution
North Macedonia	Yes	Yes	Cannot own agricultural land; instead, they may lease it long-term (up to 99 years) if their home country permits Macedonian citizens to do the same.
Norway	Yes	Yes	—
Pakistan	Some restrictions	No	U.S. citizens can purchase residential, commercial, or industrial property in Pakistan—but only with prior approvals, including a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Board of Investment or Home Department, and are subject to provincial variations in law.
Panama	Yes	Yes	—
Papua New Guinea	Restricted	No	U.S. citizens cannot own residential property or land outright in Papua New Guinea; they may acquire property only through leasehold arrangements (typically up to 99 years) on alienated state land, while customary land is entirely off-limits.
Paraguay	Yes	Yes	—
Peru	Yes	Yes	Cannot own land or property within 50 kilometers of any international border, unless they receive special government authorization.
Philippines	Some restrictions	No	U.S. citizens cannot own land outright in the Philippines. Constitutional law restricts land ownership to Filipino citizens or corporations with at least 60% Filipino ownership, and attempts to circumvent this using nominees can violate the Anti-Dummy Law. However, they can le…
Poland	Some restrictions	Some restrictions	Foreigners are allowed to buy properties in Poland. EU companies and citizens are unrestricted. While other nationals and corporations may be required to obtain permit from Ministry of Internal Affairs. Purchase of apartment predominantly does not require a permit.
Portugal	Yes	Yes	—
Russia	Yes	Yes	Foreigners can buy residential property (apartments, houses) and commercial property without a residence permit., Agricultural Land: Foreigners cannot own agricultural land, land in border zones, seaport areas, or other restricted zones; ownership is generally prohibited.
Saint Kitts and Nevis	Yes	Yes	—
Saint Lucia	Some restrictions	Some restrictions	Saint Lucia: Foreigners, including U.S. citizens, can buy residential and commercial property but must obtain an Alien Landholding License before acquisition.
San Marino	Yes	Yes	Foreigners can buy residential and commercial property without restrictions., Agricultural Land: Foreigners can purchase up to two residential units; purchases are not permitted via financial leasing.
Serbia	Yes	Yes	Foreigners can buy residential and commercial property without restrictions., Agricultural Land: Foreigners cannot own agricultural land unless their country has a bilateral agreement with Serbia; they can lease it for up to 30 years.
Seychelles	Restricted	No	Foreign ownership is generally restricted to investment projects, typically in tourism or development, and requires government approval., Agricultural Land: Foreigners cannot own agricultural land; ownership is restricted and controlled.
Singapore	Yes	Some restrictions	Foreigners can buy private condominiums and apartments without prior approval. However, purchasing landed residential properties requires approval from the Land Dealings Approval Unit (LDAU) under the Residential Property Act. Foreigners must be permanent residents for at leas…
Slovakia	Yes	Yes	—
Slovenia	Some restrictions	Some restrictions	Foreigners can buy residential and commercial property without restrictions if they are EU citizens., Agricultural Land: Non-EU citizens generally cannot directly acquire agricultural land unless their home country grants reciprocal rights; otherwise, they must establish a Sl…
South Africa	Yes	Yes	Agricultural land acquisition is restricted: non‑EU citizens can only purchase if their home country grants reciprocal rights to South African nationals; otherwise, they must establish a South African company to acquire such land. Forest and protected land have similar restric…
South Korea	Yes	Yes	Foreigners can buy residential and commercial property but must obtain government approval in designated areas, such as Seoul, certain Gyeonggi cities, and districts in Incheon., Agricultural Land: Foreigners can buy agricultural land only if they demonstrate intended use; di…
Spain	Yes	Yes	—
Sweden	Yes	Yes	—
Switzerland	Restricted	Restricted	Foreigners can buy residential property only in designated tourist areas (e.g., Zermatt, St. Moritz) with a maximum of 200–250 m² and 1,000 m² land; requires cantonal approval.
Tajikistan	No	No	Foreigners cannot own land; land is state-owned. Foreigners can lease land for up to 50 years and can own buildings on leased land. Ownership of agricultural land by foreigners is prohibited. Property transactions require government approval and registration.
Thailand	No	No	U.S. citizens are prohibited from buying land in Thailand, they can, however, apply for long term land leases of up to 30 years and build structures upon the land. They can also buy condominiums from property developers.
Tunisia	Some restrictions	Some restrictions	Foreigners can purchase property in designated urban and tourist zones but require prior approval from the local governor.
Turkey	Yes	Some restrictions	Foreigners can buy residential, commercial, and agricultural property, with exceptions for citizens of Syria, Armenia, North Korea, Nigeria, and Cuba., Land: Maximum 30 hectares per person; up to 10% of a town's land area.+1
Ukraine	Yes	Yes	Foreigners can buy residential and commercial property in cities., Agricultural Land: Foreigners cannot own; purchase is prohibited until a national referendum allows it.+1
United Arab Emirates	Some restrictions	No	United Arab Emirates: Citizens of the UAE and other Arab states (Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar) can buy property anywhere in full ownership., Non-Arab foreigners can buy residential and commercial property only in designated freehold areas in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Um…
United Kingdom	Yes	Yes	—
United States	Yes	Yes	—
Venezuela	Yes	Yes	—
Vietnam	No	No	Foreigners cannot own land; land is state-owned., Residential & Commercial Property: Foreign individuals can lease apartments for up to 50 years (extensions possible); foreign companies—according to their investment certificate; resident foreigners cannot sublet purchased pro…

Quick answers

Where does this countries where u.s. citizens can buy property data come from?: Rankodex compiles it from World Population Review and the primary sources it cites: Foreign ownership - Wiki; The Best and Worst Countries for Americans To Buy Property - GOBankingRates; 10 countries where Americans buy property abroad - MediaFeed; Best countries to buy property as an American: 2025 guide - Wise.

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