Kolaboro / Buying off-plan abroad by nationality / mainland China
Buying off-plan abroad as a buyer from mainland China
What changes with your nationality when you buy off-plan in the four places where buyers from mainland China look most, from the official texts, and how the projects there compare in our data. Not legal advice; rules change, check with a lawyer.
Before you send money from home
Under the rules of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (notice Huifa [2016] No. 36), foreign currency that individuals in mainland China buy within the yearly quota of USD 50,000 may not be used to buy property abroad. Ask your bank in China and your lawyer how the purchase can be paid lawfully before you sign.
Source: SAFE Beijing branch: current account FAQ (notice Huifa [2016] No. 36), read 14 Nov 2026.
Rules by place
Dubai
In Dubai, buyers who are not nationals of the UAE or another GCC state may only own in the areas the Ruler designates for them: freehold, or usufruct or leasehold of up to 99 years. Check that the project is in such an area.
Source: Dubai Law No. 7 of 2006 (Real Property Registration), Article 4, read 14 Nov 2026.
Bali
In Bali, foreigners cannot hold freehold title (Hak Milik). A foreign individual with an immigration document can hold a right of use (Hak Pakai) on a house or an apartment unit.
Source: Government Regulation No. 18 of 2021, Articles 52, 69, 71 and 72, read 3 Nov 2026.
Phuket
In Phuket, foreigners can own a condominium unit freehold while units owned by foreigners stay within 49% of the building's floor area, and must show that the purchase money was brought into Thailand in foreign currency or paid from a foreign-currency account. Land and houses cannot be owned freehold by foreigners.
Source: Condominium Act B.E. 2522, sections 19 bis and 19 ter, read 14 Nov 2026.
Cyprus
The same rules as for every foreign buyer apply here; see the guide.
The four places in our data
data date: 13 Nov 2026
| Place | Projects | Permit number published | Past handover date | Median score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai | 170 | 149 (88%) | 7 | 78 |
| Bali | 93 | 1 (1%) | 5 | 40 |
| Phuket | 39 | 15 (38%) | 2 | 44 |
| Cyprus | 18 | 0 (0%) | 0 | 32 |
Other buyer groups
- Buying off-plan abroad as a buyer from Russia
- Buying off-plan abroad as a buyer from the Gulf states (GCC)
Rules last read 14 Nov 2026. Not legal advice.