In depth · Property
Buying property in Hanoi: what foreign buyers may own
The rules for buying a home in Hanoi as a foreigner. It is general information, not legal or tax advice.
Updated October 2026
What a foreigner may own
An apartment or a house in a commercial housing project, outside areas restricted for defence and security. The project must be one in which foreigners may buy; your lawyer can check.
50 years, renewable once
Ownership runs for 50 years from the date of the certificate and may be extended once.
The 30 per cent cap
Foreigners may hold no more than 30 per cent of the apartments in a building, and no more than 250 houses in an area the size of a ward.
Land-use rights
Vietnamese land belongs to the people and is administered by the state; Vietnamese owners hold land-use rights. A foreign individual owns the apartment or house, not the land beneath it.
A draft revision
In October 2026 a draft revision of the Housing Law proposed limiting foreign ownership to apartments. Check the law in force with your own lawyer before you commit.
Where people live
See our property guide for Tây Hồ, Ciputra, Ba Đình and the French Quarter, Cầu Giấy and the west, and Long Biên and Ecopark. We don’t publish prices or yields.
Questions and answers
Can foreigners buy property in Hanoi?
Yes, with limits: apartments and houses in commercial housing projects, for 50 years renewable once, within the quotas, under the Housing Law 2023.
Can a foreigner own land in Vietnam?
No: land is administered by the state. A foreign individual owns the home, not the land.
General information only, not legal or tax advice. Confirm every step with a Vietnamese lawyer.