You can buy a home in Australia on a visa, but the rules depend on your visa, the type of property and the lender. This page explains how it works in plain English, with links to the official sources and guides to the questions people ask us most.
Who this is for
- Temporary visa holders, for example on a skilled (482 or 494), graduate (485), student (500) or bridging visa
- New permanent residents, for example recently granted a 186, 189 or 190 visa
- Couples where one partner is an Australian citizen or permanent resident and the other is on a temporary visa
Three questions that decide your options
1. Are you a foreign buyer?
Temporary and bridging visa holders are generally treated as foreign persons and need foreign investment approval to buy residential property. Australian citizens, permanent residents and New Zealand citizens on a Special Category (444) visa don't.
2. What can you buy?
On a temporary visa you can apply to buy a new home, an off-the-plan home or vacant land to build on. You can't buy an established home from 1 April 2025 to 30 June 2029, apart from limited exceptions. Our guide explains what you can buy on a temporary visa.
3. What will lenders accept?
Lenders look at your visa type and the time left on it, your income and job in Australia, your deposit and your credit history. Their policies differ a lot, so the right lender matters more than usual.
If you're a new permanent resident
Permanent residents don't need foreign investment approval, so established homes are open to you. You may also be eligible for the Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme, which is only for citizens and permanent residents.
In NSW, permanent residents avoid surcharge purchaser duty if they've been in Australia for at least 200 days in the 12 months before the contract, or if they buy in their own name and live in the home as their main residence continuously for at least 200 days within 12 months of the contract.
Extra costs if you're on a temporary visa
- Foreign investment application fee: $15,600 for a new home or vacant land up to $1 million (2026–27 fees)
- NSW surcharge purchaser duty: 9% of the price, on top of normal stamp duty
- Annual vacancy fee if the home is empty for 183 days or more in a year
Guides for your situation
- Can I buy a house in Australia on a temporary visa? Temporary visa holders can't buy established homes until 30 June 2029, but can buy new homes, off-the-plan or land with approval. Fees and duty explained.
- Can I get a home loan on a 482 visa? Some lenders lend to 482 (Skills in Demand) visa holders. What they look at, the documents to prepare, what you can buy, and how the path to PR fits in.
- Should I buy a home now or wait until I get PR? Buying on a temporary visa vs as a permanent resident in NSW: what you can buy, extra fees and duty, first home buyer schemes, and a worked $750,000 example.
Calculators
- Borrowing power calculator Estimate how much you could borrow from your income, expenses and debts, using the same 3% buffer lenders use.
- Mortgage repayment calculator Work out weekly, fortnightly or monthly repayments and the total interest, principal and interest or interest-only.
- Offset account calculator See how much interest your savings in an offset account could save, and how much sooner you could pay off the loan.
- Extra repayments calculator See how much interest extra repayments could save, and how much sooner you could own your home.
- Interest-only vs principal and interest calculator Compare interest-only and principal and interest repayments, and see the extra interest over the loan.
- Refinance calculator Compare your current loan with a new rate: the change in repayments and interest, and when the switching costs are covered.
- Equity calculator Work out your equity and LVR, how much equity you might be able to use, and what it could mean for buying another property or your next home.
- NSW stamp duty and First Home Guarantee calculator Work out NSW stamp duty, including first home buyer exemptions and the foreign buyer surcharge, and check the First Home Guarantee.
- Can I get a home loan? Check your situation Five quick questions on your visa, income, credit history and deposit: see what lenders usually look at for someone like you.
How MoneyGenie helps
- Works out early whether you're treated as a foreign buyer, and what you can buy.
- Finds lenders whose policies fit your visa type and the time left on it.
- Keeps your loan and any foreign investment approval on the same timeline.
Nabita compares options from MoneyGenie's panel of 35+ lenders, tells you upfront which are realistic for your situation, and handles the application with you through to settlement. Our service is generally at no cost to you, as we're paid a commission by the lender, which we disclose to you upfront. Details are in our Credit Guide, available on request. Talk to Nabita: call 040 110 1608 or send an enquiry.
Call 040 110 1608 Send an enquiryFrequently asked questions
Can I buy a house on a bridging visa?
Bridging visa holders are generally treated as foreign buyers, so the same rules as other temporary visas apply: a new home, off-the-plan or vacant land with approval, but not an established home until 30 June 2029.
Does my partner's citizenship help?
It can. Buying as joint tenants with a spouse who is an Australian citizen or permanent resident is exempt from needing foreign investment approval. Ask your solicitor or conveyancer to confirm how it applies to your purchase.
Do I need a bigger deposit on a visa?
Sometimes. Some lenders ask temporary visa holders for a larger deposit than citizens or permanent residents, but policies vary by lender and visa type.
Last reviewed by Nabita, mortgage broker, MoneyGenie Finance.
Official sources
- ATO: Types of property a foreign person can buy (updated 13 May 2026)
- ATO: Residential fees for a foreign person (updated 1 July 2026)
- Foreign Investment Review Board: Guidance Note 2, Key concepts (version 4, 27 May 2025)
- Revenue NSW: Surcharge purchaser duty for individuals (updated 27 May 2026)
- First Home Buyers (Housing Australia): 5% Deposit Scheme FAQs
The rules and figures on this page were checked against the official sources above on the review date. Government rules and lender policies change, so check your own situation with us or the relevant authority before acting.