Quick answer: permanent residents and New Zealand citizens on a 444 visa can usually borrow much like Australian citizens and don’t need FIRB approval. Most temporary visa holders (482, 491, 494, 485, 461 and others) can get a home loan too, usually with a 20% deposit, but they need FIRB approval and can’t buy an established home until 30 June 2029 unless an exception applies. New homes and vacant land are still possible.
Moving countries and then buying a home is a big climb, but thousands of families do it every year, and the rules are clearer than the rumours suggest. Two things decide what you can do: your visa, which drives both lender appetite and the foreign investment rules, and your deposit. Getting a loan and being allowed to buy are separate questions, so we cover both.
Your visa at a glance
| Visa | FIRB approval? | Established homes? | Typical lending |
|---|---|---|---|
| Permanent residents (186, 189, 190, 191, 801, 887 and others) | No | Yes | Like citizens: up to 95% with LMI; 5% Deposit Scheme available |
| 444 (New Zealand citizens) | No | Yes | Many lenders treat you much like a permanent resident |
| 461 (family of a New Zealand citizen) | Yes, unless buying jointly with your NZ citizen partner | Not on your own until 30 June 2029 | Usually up to about 80%; stronger when your NZ partner applies with you |
| 482 (skills in demand / TSS), 494 | Yes | No, until 30 June 2029 | Usually up to about 80%; a few lenders go higher |
| 491 (skilled regional) | Yes | No, until 30 June 2029 | Usually up to about 80%; property must suit the visa’s regional rules |
| 485 (graduate) | Yes | No, until 30 June 2029 | Fewer lenders; time left on the visa matters a lot |
| 309 / 820 (partner, provisional) | Not if buying jointly with your citizen or PR partner | Yes, when buying jointly with that partner | Often assessed alongside your partner; some lenders treat it close to PR |
| Bridging visa (PR application lodged) | Usually yes (you’re still a temporary resident) | No, until 30 June 2029 | Limited lenders; often worth waiting for the PR grant |
| 500 (student) | Yes | No, until 30 June 2029 | Very limited; income and visa length are the hurdles |
Permanent residents: treated almost like citizens
- Most lenders treat you the same as an Australian citizen, so high-LVR loans are available, often up to 95% with LMI.
- You’re not a foreign person: no FIRB approval, no fee, and the established-home ban doesn’t apply.
- As a first home buyer you can use the 5% Deposit Scheme (5% deposit, no LMI) and your state’s stamp duty concessions and grants. See our first home buyer guide.
If PR has only just come through, you don’t need years of history in Australia. Stable income and a clean few months of statements go a long way.
New Zealand citizens (444) and their families (461)
NZ citizens on a 444 Special Category visa aren’t foreign persons under the federal rules, so they don’t need FIRB approval and can buy established homes. Many lenders treat them much like permanent residents. In NSW, a 444 holder who meets the 200-day residence test doesn’t pay the foreign buyer surcharge. The 5% Deposit Scheme is for Australian citizens and permanent residents, so if you’re on a 444 we’ll check your eligibility for each scheme before you rely on it.
461 visa holders (non-NZ family members of an NZ citizen) are temporary residents. On your own, you’ll need FIRB approval and can only buy a new home or land during the ban. Buying jointly with your NZ citizen partner usually changes that (see the spouse exemption below), and it also makes the loan application stronger.
Temporary visas: possible, with rules
Plenty of lenders lend to temporary residents, but the settings are tighter:
- Deposit: most lenders cap temporary residents at around 80% LVR, so plan for a 20% deposit plus costs. A few go higher in strong cases, or where one applicant is a citizen or PR.
- Visa runway: lenders like to see good time remaining on the visa, and a credible path to PR helps.
- Income: standard rules apply. Payslips, a stable job and Australian credit history all count. Some lenders accept overseas income or deposits; others don’t.
FIRB approval and the established-home ban
Temporary residents are “foreign persons” under Australia’s foreign investment rules. That means FIRB approval before you sign, and an application fee. For a new home or vacant land, the fee is $15,600 for a property up to $1 million and $31,300 up to $2 million (fees from 1 July 2026, indexed each year).
The bigger restriction: since 1 April 2025, foreign persons, including temporary residents, generally can’t buy an established (existing) home. The ban was due to end on 31 March 2027, but the Government has extended it to 30 June 2029 (what the extension means). Exceptions are limited. During the ban, the realistic options for temporary visa holders are:
- New homes: off-the-plan apartments, house-and-land packages, and newly built homes that haven’t been lived in.
- Vacant land to build on, with construction finished within FIRB’s timeframe. Our construction loan guide explains how those loans work.
State surcharges: foreign persons also pay a state surcharge on top of stamp duty, 9% in NSW. In NSW, partner visa holders (309 or 820) and NZ citizens on a 444 who meet the 200-day residence test are exempt. Our NSW stamp duty calculator shows the surcharge.
The spouse exemption: if you’re buying jointly with your Australian citizen, permanent resident or NZ citizen spouse or de facto partner, as joint tenants, FIRB approval generally isn’t needed: no fee and no established-home ban. For mixed-status couples this is usually the cleanest path, and it’s one of the first things we check.
How migrant families actually plan this
- If PR is close (months, not years): it’s often worth waiting. FIRB fees disappear, established homes open up, deposit requirements drop and first home buyer benefits become available.
- If PR is a long way off and you’re settled: a new build or house-and-land purchase with 20% down and FIRB approval can still beat years of rent. Run both scenarios before deciding.
- Mixed-status couples: use the joint-tenant exemption, and the citizen or PR partner’s scheme eligibility where it applies.
We speak Nepali and Hindi, and many of our clients are first-generation buyers, so we can do the whole conversation in your language. हिंदी में जानकारी यहां है. यो गाइड नेपालीमा पढ्नुहोस्.
Common questions
Can temporary residents buy property in Australia?
Yes, but not any property. Temporary residents need FIRB approval, and until 30 June 2029 they generally can’t buy established homes. New homes, off-the-plan apartments and vacant land to build on are still possible, usually with a 20% deposit.
Can I get a home loan on a 444 visa?
Usually, yes. New Zealand citizens on a 444 visa aren’t foreign persons, so FIRB approval isn’t needed and established homes are allowed. Many lenders treat 444 holders much like permanent residents, though policies vary.
Can I get a home loan on a 461 visa?
Often, yes, but 461 holders are temporary residents. On your own you’ll need FIRB approval and can only buy a new home or land during the ban. Buying jointly with your NZ citizen partner usually removes the FIRB requirement.
Can I get a home loan on a 482 or 491 visa?
Yes, with conditions: most lenders cap you around 80% LVR, you need FIRB approval (from $15,600 for a new home up to $1 million), and until 30 June 2029 you generally can’t buy an established home. On a 491, the property should also suit the visa’s regional requirements.
Can I get a home loan on a bridging visa?
A few lenders consider it, but a bridging visa holder waiting on PR is still usually a temporary resident for FIRB purposes. If the PR grant is close, waiting often saves the FIRB fee and opens up established homes and better loan options.
When does the foreign buyer ban on established homes end?
It started on 1 April 2025 and was due to end on 31 March 2027. The Government has extended it to 30 June 2029. Permanent residents and New Zealand citizens are not affected.
Sources: ATO, extending the ban on foreign purchases of established dwellings; ATO, residential fees for a foreign person; Revenue NSW, surcharge purchaser duty for individuals. Checked 6 October 2026. General information only, not legal, migration or financial advice. Foreign investment rules, fees and lender policies change; we confirm what applies to you before you commit.