Yes, foreigners can buy property in Vienna. Whether you need government approval depends solely on your nationality — not on your budget. Citizens of the EU are treated like Austrian nationals and buy without restriction. Nationals of the EEA (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway) and Swiss private individuals need neither a permit nor a confirmation. Non-EU (third-country) nationals — including buyers from the Gulf states, the UK, the US and Asia — need, for the purchase to be valid, an approval under the Vienna Foreigner Property Acquisition Act (Wiener Ausländergrunderwerbsgesetz, WrAuslGEG) or a negative confirmation (Negativbestätigung) from the land-transfer authority. Without that document, the land registry court will not register your ownership. In Vienna, the competent authority is MA 35.
This guide explains who needs approval, how the process works, what it costs, and how a discreet purchase in the luxury segment is structured.
Can foreigners buy property in Austria?
In principle, yes. Austria has no general ban on foreign buyers. However, foreigner property acquisition is a matter of provincial law — each federal province has its own land-transfer rules. In Vienna, the Vienna Foreigner Property Acquisition Act (WrAuslGEG) applies. A "foreigner" is anyone without Austrian citizenship, as well as legal entities based abroad or predominantly foreign-owned.
What matters is your category:
EU citizens: treated as Austrian nationals — no permit, no confirmation. For registration, contact the land registry court directly.
EEA nationals (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway) and Swiss private individuals: no permit or confirmation required; a negative confirmation may be issued on request.
Non-EU nationals (incl. the Gulf states): subject to approval under the WrAuslGEG — unless an exemption applies.
Do I need approval to buy property in Austria?
Only if you are a non-EU national buying in Vienna. Approval under the WrAuslGEG is required when a third-country national acquires ownership (or co-ownership), a building right, a personal servitude (such as a right of residence), or wants to register a lease in the land register. It covers all transactions between living persons — typically the purchase contract, but also gifts. Not subject to approval: acquisition by inheritance and the registration of a mortgage. So if you finance the purchase with a bank loan, the mortgage can be secured in the land register without a WrAuslGEG permit.
Conditions for approval
Approval is granted if one of the following is demonstrated:
Social interest: the purchase meets an urgent housing need of the applicant — the most common ground for a private apartment or house purchase.
Economic interest: the purchase serves to establish or expand a business and create jobs.
Rounding-off (Arrondierung): the plot serves exclusively to make better use of an adjacent property you already own and is small by comparison.
Buying an apartment in Vienna as a non-EU citizen: the exemptions
In several situations neither a permit nor a negative confirmation is required:
EEA nationals and Swiss private individuals buy freely.
Joint purchase with a spouse/registered partner where one party holds Austrian (or EU) citizenship.
Ownership partnership under § 13 WEG 2002 between an Austrian/EU citizen and a non-EU national — provided the unit is already completed and appears as its own object in the land register. Caution: for units not yet completed ("future condominium ownership"), the acquisition remains subject to approval for the non-EU buyer — relevant when buying off-plan from a developer.
Acquisition by inheritance.
Persons covered by the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement holding an "Article 50 TEU" residence title.
A special case from a 1932 treaty: Japanese nationals with an Austrian residence title may obtain a negative confirmation.
What is a negative confirmation (Negativbestätigung)?
A negative confirmation is the authority's official statement that a transaction which would in principle require approval is, in the specific case, exempt. It is relevant above all where the buyer can rely on an EEA freedom — for example the free movement of capital (§ 3 Z 2 lit. e WrAuslGEG) when the buyer's centre of life is in another EU country. The exemption must be evidenced (e.g. registration, employment or bank confirmation abroad). In practice, the land registry court requires either the permit or the negative confirmation before registration — so plan this document into your timeline from the start.
Process, authority and timeline
In Vienna the competent body is the Immigration and Citizenship Department (MA 35), Dresdner Straße 93, 1200 Vienna, phone +43 1 4000-3535. The WrAuslGEG procedure can be handled entirely electronically — no in-person appointment is required (system change effective 8 October 2025).
A typical purchase runs as follows:
Selection and due diligence — land register extract, zoning, encumbrances and (for apartments) ownership structure.
Purchase contract — drafted by a lawyer or notary, signed and notarised. A mere draft is not sufficient for the application.
Application to MA 35 — for the permit or negative confirmation, filed online.
Decision with finality clause — the document you submit to the land registry.
Purchase-price handling via an escrow trustee and registration in the land register.
Documents required by MA 35
For every approval: signed and notarised purchase contract, a current land register extract, proof of citizenship (passport), and the buyer's residence title. On the basis of social interest, additional proof of your current housing situation and who will live in the property. Documents not in German or English must be translated by a court-certified translator; many foreign documents require an apostille or diplomatic authentication.
The cost of buying property in Vienna as a foreigner
There are two cost layers: the administrative fees of the land-transfer procedure and the general purchase costs.
Fees in the WrAuslGEG procedure (MA 35):
Approval for ownership/co-ownership: EUR 130 per applicant,
Approval for a personal servitude (e.g. right of residence): EUR 80 per applicant,
Finality clause: EUR 5 administrative fee + EUR 21 federal fee,
EUR 21 federal fee per application and land-register entry; EUR 6 (max. EUR 36) per copied attachment.
General purchase costs (for all buyers, regardless of nationality) — roughly 10 to 12 % of the purchase price:
Property transfer tax: 3.5 % of the price,
Land register registration fee: 1.1 % for entering ownership,
Contract drafting/notarisation (lawyer/notary): approx. 1.5–3 % plus VAT,
Broker commission: up to 3 % plus VAT,
if financed, an additional 1.2 % registration fee for the mortgage.
Note: the temporary exemption from the registration fee for a primary residence (§ 26a GGG, up to EUR 500,000) expired on 30 June 2026 and no longer applies; it was rarely relevant for luxury-segment purchases anyway. Please verify tax and fee rates at the time of purchase.
Vienna property as an investment: what non-EU buyers should note
Vienna is one of Europe's most stable property markets — political security, high quality of life, and scarce prime stock in the 1st (1010), 9th (1090), 13th (1130), 18th (1180) and 19th (1190) districts. Three points are key for international buyers: the ownership structure (a predominantly foreign-owned Austrian company also counts as a "foreigner" under the WrAuslGEG); timing (the permit or negative confirmation needs lead time, coordinated in parallel with contract signing); and discretion (luxury objects are often offered off-market).
A realistic valuation before you buy protects against inflated prices — see our article on property valuation in Vienna. If you are weighing new-build against a period property, our comparison of new-build vs. old-build in the luxury segment will help. For the full step-by-step process, see our guide to buying an apartment in Vienna.
FAQ — Buying property in Vienna as a foreigner
Can non-EU citizens buy property in Vienna?
Yes. They need approval under the WrAuslGEG or a negative confirmation from MA 35; EU, EEA and Swiss private buyers acquire freely.
Do I need approval to buy property in Austria?
Only as a non-EU national, and the rules are provincial. In Vienna, non-EU buyers need a WrAuslGEG permit or a negative confirmation.
How long does the property permit take?
There is no statutory deadline. The timeline depends on the completeness of your documents — a well-prepared application speeds things up considerably.
What does the permit cost?
The administrative fee is EUR 130 per person for ownership, plus federal fees — separate from the general purchase costs of about 10–12 %.
Do I need approval for a mortgage?
No. Registering a mortgage is not subject to approval.
Conclusion
Buying property in Vienna is open to non-EU buyers too — legally secure and predictable, provided the land-transfer procedure is planned from the outset. EU, EEA and Swiss buyers acquire without restriction; non-EU nationals need MA 35 approval or a negative confirmation. What matters is a properly drafted contract, complete documents, and a partner who coordinates the search, the authorities and the escrow.
LANDAA Immobilien has guided international buyers discreetly through the entire process since 2009. Arrange a no-obligation consultation or explore selected apartments in Vienna. See our services for the full scope.
