What are the rights of foreign individuals who own property in Vietnam?
Pursuant to Article 161 of the Law on Housing 2014, rights of foreign entities as homeowners as follows: 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. 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. Best regard