vietnam housing law amendment: Only Apartments for Foreigners? Complete Guide to the Draft Excluding Detached Houses (2026)

The vietnam housing law amendment is still a draft, and under this wording vietnam foreign property ownership would be narrowed to apartments only. Detached houses, villas and townhouses would be excluded, and foreigners can own for up to 50 years from the pink book issuance date with renewal available, converting to long-term (permanent) ownership upon sale to a Vietnamese national. What is confirmed on procedure is that the submission under Resolution No. 21-NQ/TW (28 July 2026) will be reviewed at the second session of the National Assembly in October 2026.

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Suppose you are contracting for a detached house in Thao Dien by unit. You plan to relocate in three years, buying directly now and selling later. The issue is that this draft is not yet finalised.

I am Ly Nguyen, head of the Korea client sales team based in Ho Chi Minh. I verify bills by document number, not by rumour.

What does the vietnam housing law amendment change

The difference between the current law and the draft is a single item: the eligible property type. Note that the term, quota and acquisition channels remain unchanged in the draft.

The current basis is No. 27/2023/QH15 dated 27 November 2023. The current implementing rules are No. 95/2024/ND-CP (promulgated 24 July 2024) and No. 05/2024/TT-BXD (issued 31 July 2024) (per world.moleg.go.kr).

Housing Law 2023 full text and No. 95/2024/ND-CP can be directly compared in this original source.

When are holders of detached houses in Vietnam affected

Under the draft, ownership of a detached house already purchased would not be cancelled immediately. So for additional purchase plans, it is safer to hold the documents and postpone signing the contract.

• Sign the detached house purchase contract immediately without deferring the move-in date
• Check only the developer's remaining quota and units owned by other foreigners
• Include a clause on law-amendment risk in the special terms of the Sale and Purchase Agreement (SPA)

For foreigners buying apartments in Vietnam, the current rules remain unchanged

Apartments remain included in the draft. To buy now, first check three points.

1. Buy directly from the developer or identify the seller from other foreign-owned inventory. You cannot buy a unit owned by a Vietnamese individual (vietnam property law Article 17, Clause 2).
2. You can own for up to 50 years from the pink book issuance date with renewal available, and upon resale to a Vietnamese national it converts to long-term (permanent) ownership.
3. A 30% quota per building and a 250-house limit per administrative area apply (vietnam property law Article 19).

A foreigner married to a Vietnamese national and residing in Vietnam can own housing with the same rights as one of the contracting parties (vietnam property law Article 20, Clause 2, point c).

Risk: where cash is at stake

The largest loss is the deposit. A deposit received by an ineligible seller is difficult to recover. The documents that prevent this are the original Sale and Purchase Agreement (SPA) and pink book, and the quota confirmation for the building. Make it a habit to obtain these three in writing before paying any deposit.

Calculate subsequent costs in advance as well. Personal income tax on sale is 2% of the transfer price and is payable even at a loss (VietnamNet, reported 29 January 2026, effective 1 July 2026).

FAQ

can foreigners own property in vietnam: what are the regulations

However, whether detached houses will be removed in the draft remains unconfirmed.

can foreigners buy property in vietnam only from ETFs

Eligible purchases are new units from the developer, the developer's remaining units in completed buildings, or units owned by other foreigners. Based on Ho Chi Minh, there are 93 projects eligible for foreign ownership as of 14 January 2026 (HCMC Press Center, as of 14 January 2026).

Will the vietnam real estate law take effect in 2026

There is no confirmed schedule. It will be reviewed at the second session of the National Assembly in October 2026, and the effective date will be set separately after approval.

Three items to confirm in writing before payment: 1) the remaining foreign quota for the building, 2) the expected pink book issuance timeline, and 3) conditions for cancellation or termination of the purchase due to a law amendment.

If you contact us via chat, we will promptly provide the official price list for the project, the remaining quota by building, and a comparison table against the amendment.