How can expats buy property in China?

外籍人士如何在中国购买房产？

In recent years, the number of expats coming to China has been increasing, and many of them need to work and study here for an extended period. Over time, they develop a liking for life here and, desiring a stable and comfortable living environment, decide to settle down and buy a house. Therefore, buying property in China has become a necessity for many expats.

近年来，来华的外籍人士越来越多，其中许多人需要在这里长期工作和学习。随着时间的推移，他们对这里的生活产生了喜好，渴望一个稳定舒适的生活环境，决定定居并买房。因此，在中国买房已成为许多外籍人士的必需品。

For them, buying a house in a foreign country inevitably raises many questions, such as what conditions need to be met and what documents are required to purchase property in China. Here are some answers.

对他们来说，在国外买房不可避免地会引发很多问题，比如需要满足哪些条件，在中国购买房产需要哪些文件，以下是一些答案。

Which foreigners can buy property in China?

哪些外国人可以在中国购买房产？

1.Foreigners holding Chinese permanent residency.

1.持有中国永久居留权的外国人。

2.Foreigners who have been working or studying in China for more than one year.

2.在中国工作或学习一年以上的外国人。

3.Foreigners without other real estate in China.

3.在中国没有其他房产的外国人。

4.Must have a labor contract (holding a work visa).

4.必须有劳动合同（持有工作签证）。

Conditions and requirements for foreigners to buy property in China:

外国人在中国购买房产的条件和要求：

1.Provide identification: "Foreign Permanent Resident ID Card," passport, and work permit.

1.提供身份证明：《外国永久居民身份证》、《护照》和工作许可证。

2.A labor contract is mandatory (holding a work visa).

2.劳动合同是强制性的（持有工作签证）。

3.Provide local continuous social security or income tax payment records for one year or more (back payments are not accepted). For example, if planning to buy a house in November, provide social security, labor contracts, etc., from October of the previous year to the present.

3.提供当地连续一年或一年以上社保或所得税缴纳记录（不接受滞纳金），如计划在11月买房，提供上年10月至今的社保、劳动合同等资料。

4.No other real estate in China.

4.中国没有其他房地产。

5.The purchased property is intended solely for personal use, and a written commitment is required to ensure that the property will be used exclusively for personal purposes. Overseas individuals cannot purchase non-residential properties (such as office buildings, commercial properties, etc.) in China.

5.所购买的物业仅供个人使用，并需要书面承诺以确保该物业将完全用于个人用途。海外个人不能在中国购买非住宅物业（如办公楼、商业物业等）。

6.Foreign individuals can only purchase one residential property per family.

6.外国个人每个家庭只能购买一套住宅物业。

Provide original and photocopy of family members' identification documents:

提供家庭成员身份证明文件原件及复印件：

Provide the original and photocopy of the marriage certificate for married individuals. For divorced individuals, provide the divorce certificate along with the agreement or divorce decree (overseas documents need certified translation; if there is a history of multiple marriages, provide documents for each marriage).

已婚人士须提供结婚证原件及复印件。已离婚人士须提供离婚证及离婚协议书或离婚判决书（海外文件需经认证翻译；如有多次婚姻史，须提供每段婚姻的文件）。

If the buyer's family has underage children, provide the original and photocopy of the birth certificate (overseas documents need certified translation).

如果买家家庭有未成年子女，提供出生证明原件和复印件（海外文件需要认证翻译）。

Other Considerations:

其他注意事项：

Foreigners should carefully check whether the pre-sale permit for the property they intent to purchased indicates it is for foreign sales. If the property is designated for foreign sales, foreigners can proceed to sign a property purchase contract. If not, the developer should report to the National Security Bureau to change the status to a property for foreign sales before both parties can sign a property purchase contract.

外国人应仔细检查其意图购买的物业的预售许可证是否表明是对外销售的。如果物业被指定对外销售，外国人可以继续签订物业购买合同。如果没有，开发商应向国家安全局报告，将身份变更为对外销售的物业，双方才能签订物业购买合约。

In a joint property purchase, clearly specify the ownership percentage; otherwise, ownership on the property certificate defaults to equal distribution among those listed.

在共同购买房产时，应明确规定所有权百分比；否则，房产证上的所有权会在列出的人之间默认平均分配。

Ensure that the sales contract and personal qualification materials are error-free to avoid impacting the final application results.

确保销售合同和个人资格材料无误，以避免影响最终的申请结果。

When signing the contract, ensure that both Chinese and foreign names are explicitly stated in the contract.

签订合同时，确保在合同中明确说明中外名称。

If the provided notarized documents are in a foreign language, they must be translated by a translation company. Some materials provided by foreigners, such as power of attorney and consent forms, must be notarized and certified by domestic and foreign institutions to be valid.

如果提供的公证文件是外文的，必须由翻译公司翻译。外国人提供的某些材料，如授权委托书和同意书，必须经过国内外机构的公证和认证才能有效。