The 30% Foreign Quota: How to Check Slots Are Still Open

What is the 30% foreign ownership cap?

The 30% cap is a Vietnamese legal rule that lets foreigners own a maximum of 30% of the total apartment units in any single building, with the remainder reserved for Vietnamese buyers.

When you buy an apartment in Vietnam, foreign and Vietnamese buyers hold different ownership rights. Vietnamese citizens receive a permanent pink book with full rights to use, transfer, lease and inherit. Foreigners may own for 50 years, renewable under Vietnamese law, and still keep the right to transfer and lease. The single most important point for a foreign buyer is this 30% ceiling: it does not decide whether you can buy, it limits how many units are available to foreign owners within the same tower.

Getting the ownership mechanics clear first makes the rest easier to follow — see our guide to the Vietnam Pink Book Explained: Permanent vs 50-Year Title for the difference between permanent and 50-year tenure.

Why is there a 30% cap per building?

The 30% rule balances attracting foreign investment with keeping the majority of the housing stock in Vietnamese hands.

The policy was designed to open the door for foreigners to own homes in Vietnam while ensuring the resident community is not fully "internationalised" and that housing still serves domestic needs. A few points worth knowing:

• The ceiling applies per building, calculated on that building's total number of apartment units.
• At the administrative ward level there are also limits on the number of landed houses foreigners may own, but for apartments the key figure remains the 30% per tower.
• Officetel units at Grand Marina also carry 50-year tenure, so when buying one you must confirm whether that specific product type still has slots.

In other words, even when a tower still has plenty of units to sell, its "foreign slots" may already be close to the 30% ceiling — especially for projects in high demand among international buyers, such as Marriott branded residences. That is exactly why checking availability must happen before you place a deposit.

How quickly do foreign slots fill up?

The 30% quota usually fills fastest in the unit types foreigners prefer, so two buyers eyeing the same line may end up competing for the last foreign slots.

At a project like Grand Marina Saigon — Vietnam's first Marriott & JW Marriott Branded Residences — the appeal to international buyers is strong, so the foreign ceiling in certain towers and certain unit lines may already be largely taken. The fill rate is rarely even: one tower might still have plenty of slots in its 1BR line yet be sold out of foreign slots in its river-view 2BR line, or vice versa. Because the quota is counted per tower, two different towers in the same project can have completely different availability.

According to market reports from Knight Frank and Savills (2023–2025), branded residences are typically priced 25–35% above comparable non-branded luxury apartments, and the segment clearly draws international demand. This is a market reference figure, not a promise about the price or returns of this particular project.

How to check the 30% quota tower by tower

The most reliable method is to ask the developer or agent to confirm in writing the number of remaining foreign slots for your exact tower and unit line, right before you place a deposit.

A practical check usually follows these steps:

• Pin down the tower you want (Grand Marina has 4: Lake – Marriott brand; Lagoon, Cove and Sea – JW Marriott brand).
• Pin down the unit type and view (1BR, 2BR, 3BR, Dual-Key, Officetel and so on), since slots may remain in one line but be gone in another.
• Ask the sales team to look up the current list of remaining foreign slots for that tower.
• When reserving or depositing, ask that the paperwork explicitly states the unit is sold under a "foreign slot" to avoid disputes later.
• Have a valid passport and entry stamp ready to prove your eligibility for foreign ownership.

One important caveat: the remaining-slot figure is live data that changes with every transaction and each sales phase. A confirmation from last week may no longer hold today, so verify again at the moment you decide. If it helps, you can also browse our FAQ to understand the related paperwork steps.

Quick comparison: foreign vs Vietnamese buyers

Vietnamese buyers receive a permanent pink book with no per-tower quantity limit, while foreigners own for 50 years (renewable) and are subject to the 30% cap per building.

This table is indicative and summarises what is stated on the site. Loan conditions, tenure and exact procedures can change by regulation and by bank; you should read the legal documents and the price list for each phase carefully before deciding.

Once you have a slot: what to do next

After confirming a foreign slot is available, you'll want to bring funds into Vietnam through compliant channels and understand the taxes that apply to owning, leasing or reselling.

Securing a slot is only the first step. For a complete and safe transaction, foreign buyers should also keep in mind:

• Remit the purchase funds through legal channels and keep the records, so you can later repatriate capital and profits.
• Know the purchase-related fees: 10% VAT, a one-off 2% maintenance fund, management fees of about 8–9 USD/m²/month (subsidised for the first 3 years by the developer), and 0.5% registration.
• Understand your tax obligations in advance if you plan to lease the apartment.

On the money side, see our guide to Foreign Buyer Payments: Remitting Funds In and Profits Out; and if you intend to rent the unit out, read up first on Rental Income Tax in Vietnam: PIT & VAT on Leasing. The fee figures above are indicative and may change by sales phase, so confirm them before committing.

Frequently asked questions about the 30% cap

The 30% cap doesn't make it hard for foreigners to buy, but it makes checking availability tower by tower a mandatory step before any deposit.

A few common questions come up. "If the foreign slots are gone, is there another route?" — you can consider a different tower or unit line that still has slots, or watch the secondary market (buying from a foreign owner who is reselling). "Can I just buy under a Vietnamese person's name?" — this carries legal risk, so it's better to buy under a proper foreign slot for clear, protected rights. To understand why this segment is so sought after by international buyers, you can also read What are branded residences?. All guidance here is general; you should review the specific legal documents of each unit before deciding.