Can foreigners get house ownership certificates in Vietnam? What are rights of foreign entities as homeowners in Vietnam?

1. Do foreigners have the right to name on house ownership certificates in Vietnam?

Article 159 of the Law on Housing 2014 stipulates foreign entities eligible for the homeownership in Vietnam and forms of the homeownership in Vietnam relating to foreign entities as follows:

1. Foreign entities eligible for the homeownership in Vietnam include:

a) Foreign entities who invest in project-based housing construction in Vietnam as prescribed in this Law and corresponding regulations of law;

b) Foreign-invested enterprises, branches, representative offices of foreign enterprises, foreign-invested funds and branches of foreign banks operating in Vietnam (hereinafter referred to as foreign organization);

c) Foreign individuals who are allowed to enter Vietnam.

2. The foreign entities eligible for the homeownership in Vietnam if they:

a) Invest in project-based housing construction in Vietnam as prescribed in this Law and corresponding regulations of law;

b) Buy, rent and purchase, receive, or inherit commercial housing including apartments and separate houses in the project for housing construction, except for areas under management relating to national defense and security as prescribed in regulations of the Government.

According to Article 160 of the Law on Housing 2014, requirements pertaining to foreign entities eligible for the homeownership in Vietnam are as follows:

1. The foreign entity prescribed in Point a Clause 1 Article 159 of this Law is required to have an Investment certificate and have houses which are built under a project as prescribed in this Law and corresponding regulations of law.

2. The foreign entity prescribed in Point b Clause 1 Article 159 of this Law is required to have an Investment certificate or a Permission to run business in Vietnam (hereinafter referred to as Certificate of investment) issued by the competent agency in Vietnam.

3. The foreign entity prescribed in Point c Clause 1 Article 159 of this Law is required to have a permission to enter Vietnam and he/she is not granted diplomatic immunity and privileges as prescribed.

4. The Government provides guidance on documentary evidence for entities or requirements pertaining to foreign entities qualifying for the homeownership in Vietnam.

Pursuant to Clause 7, Article 26 of the Law on Housing 2014 stipulates the responsibilities of investors in commercial housing construction projects as follows:

7. Apply for the Certificates of housing which are granted to the buyers or the lessees by the competent agency within 50 days, from the date on which the housing is transferred to the buyers or the lessees pay off the contractual total amount, unless the buyers or the lessees wish to apply for the Certificates themselves. In case the housing is built for lease, the investors must file and store documents on housing as prescribed in Article 76 and Article 77 of this Law.

Thus, in order to own an apartment in Vietnam, you must be a person who is allowed to enter Vietnam and not be entitled to privileges, exemptions, and consular duties as prescribed by law.

When you buy and pay the seller in full, the investor will be responsible for making a house ownership certificate for you or you can do it yourself. Therefore, foreigners can still register in the house ownership certificates by themselves in Vietnam.

2. What are rights of foreign entities as homeowners in Vietnam? 

Pursuant to Article 161 of the Law on Housing 2014 stipulates rights of foreign entities as homeowners as follows:

1. The foreign entity prescribed in Point a Clause 1 Article 159 of this Law is entitled to exercise rights of homeowners as prescribed in Article 10 of this Law, if his/her house is built on a piece of leased land, he/she is only entitled to lease that house.

2. The foreign entity prescribed in Point b and c Clause 1 Article 159 of this Law is entitled to exercise rights of homeowners similarly to Vietnam citizens provided that he/she comply with following regulations:

a) He/she may not buy, rent and purchase, receive, inherit and own more than 30% of apartments in an apartment building; or more than 250 houses regarding separate houses including villas, row houses in an area whose population is equivalent to a ward-administrative division.

In case in an area whose population is equivalent to a ward-administrative division has multiple apartment buildings or regarding separate houses in a street, the Government shall provide guidance on number of apartments or number of separate houses that a foreign entity is entitled to buy, rent and purchase, receive, inherit and own;

b) In case the foreign entity receives or inherits house(s) not in accordance with Point b Clause 2 Article 159 of this Law or exceeding the number of houses prescribed in Point a of this Clause, he/she only receives the value of that house(s);

c) The foreign individuals are eligible for the homeownership as agreed in agreements on housing sale, lease purchase, gifting, or inheritance for not more than 50 years, from the day on which they are granted the Certificate and they may be also granted extension as prescribed in regulations of the Government; the duration of the homeownership must be stated in the Certificate.

If a foreign individual marries to a Vietnamese citizen or an oversea Vietnamese, he/she qualifies for stable and long-term homeownership and has all rights of homeowner similarly to Vietnamese citizens;

d) The foreign organization are eligible for the homeownership as agreed in agreements on housing sale, lease purchase, gifting, or inheritance for not longer than duration stated in their Certificate of investment, including extension duration, the duration of the homeownership shall be determined from the day on which the organization is granted the Certificate and stated in such Certificate;

dd) Before the time limit of the homeownership prescribed in this Law expires, the homeowner is entitled to gift or sell their house(s) to entities eligible for the homeownership in Vietnam; if not, their house(s) shall be under ownership of the State.

According to this Article, foreigners who own houses have the same rights as Vietnamese citizens. But in your case, you need to comply with some provisions of the law to enjoy those rights.

Best Regards!