Can foreigners buy property in the Philippines?

The one-line rule

Foreign nationals generally cannot own Philippine land — the Constitution reserves land ownership to Filipino citizens and corporations that are at least 60% Filipino-owned. Everything else a foreign buyer does is built around that rule.

What you can own outright

Condominium units are the clean exception: a foreigner may own a condo unit in fee simple (with a CCT in their own name), provided foreign ownership in the project stays under 40% of total units. Buildings check the cap at the project level, so confirm with the administration before paying a reservation.

• Condo units — up to 40% foreign ownership per project, CCT issued to the foreign buyer.
• Long-term leases — land can be leased for 50 years, renewable once for 25 more (Investors' Lease Act), with buildings you construct owned by you.
• Corporate structures — a domestic corporation at least 60% Filipino-owned can hold land; control arrangements that defeat the 60% rule are legally risky and voidable.

Marriage and inheritance

A foreigner married to a Filipino cannot put the land in their own name — the Filipino spouse holds title, and "in trust for" arrangements are treated skeptically by courts. Former natural-born Filipinos who took foreign citizenship may re-acquire limited residential lots under Batas Pambansa 185 and RA 8179 (subject to area caps), and foreign heirs may inherit land but must generally dispose of it if they are not qualified to hold it.

Practical buying tips

Buy the unit, not the structure workaround — direct condo ownership with your own CCT is the only arrangement with zero legal fiction. For land access, use a properly drafted long-term lease instead of nominee or dummy arrangements, which courts routinely void. And budget the same closing costs as any buyer — foreign status changes ownership rules, not the tax bill. This guide is orientation, not legal advice; a Philippine property lawyer is the right spend before any large commitment.