Foreigners can own homes in Egypt, and several rules have changed since 2023. This guide explains the position in September 2026: what the law allows, paying from abroad, residence, costs and the checks that protect you. It is general information, not legal advice, so always use an independent Egyptian lawyer for title checks and contracts.

Can foreigners own property in Egypt?

Yes. The main law is Law 230 of 1996, which allows non-Egyptians to own buildings and land for residential use. In its original form, it sets these conditions:

  • No more than two properties for you and your immediate family, each no larger than 4,000 square metres.
  • The property must not be a site of archaeological or historic importance.
  • You cannot normally resell within five years unless the Prime Minister grants an exception; some designated tourist areas have their own rules.
  • If you buy vacant land to build a home, construction must start within five years.

Other limits sit outside this law. Foreigners cannot own agricultural land. In Sinai, including Sharm El Sheikh, foreigners generally receive long-term usage rights rather than ownership. Shops, offices and other non-residential property cannot be owned by a foreigner personally and are normally bought through a company set up in Egypt.

What changed in 2023

In 2023 the government moved to lift the two-property limit. Foreigners can now own more than two homes, provided the price is paid in foreign currency transferred from abroad through the banking system and the required security approvals are obtained. Because the rules have changed in stages, ask your lawyer which conditions apply to the property you choose.

Paying from abroad: the foreign currency rule

Since 26 March 2024, foreign buyers must show that the purchase price was transferred from abroad, in foreign currency, to a bank authorised by the Central Bank of Egypt. The notary will not complete the paperwork until this proof is provided. If the contract price is in Egyptian pounds, you still pay in foreign currency at the exchange rate of the day. If the price is set in a foreign currency, the Central Bank's prior approval is needed.

Keep every bank record of the transfer with your property documents, and never pay in cash. The pound has fallen sharply against the US dollar since 2022, including after it was allowed to trade freely in March 2024, so think about what your home is worth in your own currency, not only in pounds.

Egyptians living abroad

If you hold Egyptian nationality, you buy as an Egyptian, wherever you live. Law 230 of 1996 and the foreign currency proof described above apply to non-Egyptians. Government policy has also encouraged selling homes for foreign currency to Egyptians abroad, so check which currency your contract uses and how each payment will be converted. Every other check in this guide still applies, and if you cannot travel, ask your lawyer about signing through a power of attorney.

Residence linked to buying a home

Owning property can support an application for a renewable temporary residence permit. Under a 2023 Interior Ministry decree, the permit can be granted for:

  • one year, if you own property worth at least US$50,000;
  • three years, for property worth at least US$100,000;
  • five years, for property worth at least US$200,000.

The passports and immigration authority decides which documents it needs, and a permit is never automatic: owning a home does not guarantee a visa or its renewal. Citizenship is a separate process with its own conditions. Check the current requirements before treating residence as a reason to buy.

Registration and title

Ownership is formally recorded with the Real Estate Registration and Notarisation Authority, known locally as the Shahr El Aqary. Yet much of Egypt's housing has never been registered: when the registration law was reformed in 2022, more than 90% of properties were unregistered, and many homes still change hands on signed contracts alone.

The 2022 reform removed the need to prove every earlier sale in the chain and set a 30-day deadline for decisions on registration applications. How quickly your purchase can be registered still depends on the property's paperwork. Before you pay anything, ask your lawyer:

  • Who legally owns the property or the land today, and can it be proved?
  • Can the unit be registered in your name, and if not, which document will protect your ownership?
  • Are there unpaid property taxes, utility bills or claims by other people, including relatives of the seller?

Older buildings need particular care, because some are unregistered and subject to disputes between members of the owning family.

The costs to budget for

  • Tax when a property is sold: 2.5% of the sale value, paid by the seller. A 2026 amendment kept this rate, so you will owe it when you sell in future.
  • Annual property tax: 10% of the assessed annual rental value, after an allowance for costs. Since April 2026, a family's main home is exempt up to an annual rental value of EGP 100,000, which the tax authority equates to a market value of about EGP 8 million. Second homes are fully taxable.
  • Registry fees: fixed amounts rather than a percentage of the price. Your lawyer can confirm the current figures.
  • Legal fees: agree them in writing before any work starts.
  • Running costs: ask what maintenance and service fees the developer or compound will charge.

Off-plan or ready: checking the developer

Many new homes are sold off-plan, paid for in instalments before the unit is delivered. Many buyers pay in cash or through these developer plans, so read the terms of any payment plan carefully, including late-payment and cancellation clauses. Off-plan spreads the cost, but delays are a real risk: in August 2026, after complaints about stalled projects, a nationwide official review of property developments was ordered.

Before you commit to an off-plan unit:

  • Ask to see the project's building permit. Egypt's consumer protection law bars developers from advertising or contracting to sell units before permits are issued.
  • Visit projects the developer has already delivered and speak to people who bought from them.
  • Check the contract's delivery date, specifications, payment schedule and what happens if handover is late. A 2022 decree gives buyers rights when handover is badly delayed, up to cancelling and reclaiming the price once the delay passes 24 months, but enforcing such rights can be slow.
  • Never pay the full price upfront. Link instalments to stages of construction wherever you can.

A ready or resale home lets you see exactly what you are buying, but the title checks above matter even more, especially in older buildings.

Common mistakes to avoid

  1. Using a lawyer or translator recommended by the seller, developer or agent instead of your own independent lawyer.
  2. Paying in cash or outside the banking system.
  3. Signing a contract that does not clearly state the unit, full price, payment method and dates, and the seller's declaration that no one else has rights over the property.
  4. Assuming that buying guarantees residence or the right to resell quickly.
  5. Believing promises of guaranteed rent or resale profit. Prices and rents can fall as well as rise, and returns are never guaranteed.
  6. Forgetting ongoing costs, such as annual property tax on a second home and compound fees.

If you are considering a home in Cairo, the New Administrative Capital east of the city, the North Coast on the Mediterranean or Ain Sokhna on the Red Sea coast, speak to Montaser at Victory Real Estate. He can talk through your options, confirm what is available and arrange viewings, so you can take the next step with your own lawyer beside you.