Can Foreigners Get a Mortgage in Vietnam?

One of the first questions foreign buyers ask about Grand Marina Saigon is: "Can I get a bank loan in Vietnam to buy an apartment here?" It is a fair question, because the price of a Marriott & JW Marriott branded residence at Ba Son, District 1 is significant. This article explains how accessible local financing really is for foreigners, how it compares with the 70% loan available to Vietnamese buyers, and which partner banks Grand Marina works with — all figures being indicative and subject to confirmation by sales phase.

Can foreigners borrow from a Vietnamese bank to buy property?

In principle foreigners can borrow in Vietnam, but the conditions are much tighter than for locals and depend heavily on each bank's own policy.

Vietnamese law does not prohibit foreign individuals from taking out bank loans, but most domestic banks are cautious with foreign files because of issues around collateral, cash flow and residency status. In practice, many foreign buyers pay with their own funds or borrow in their home country, where rates and procedures may be more favourable. At Grand Marina, foreign buyers hold 50-year ownership, renewable under Vietnamese law, with a cap of 30% of units per building — and this tenure also affects how a bank values the collateral. For the full picture of the process, see Foreigners Buying Property in Vietnam: The A-Z Guide.

How loans for locals differ from loans for foreigners

Vietnamese buyers can typically borrow up to 70% of the unit value against a long-term pink book, while foreigners — if approved — usually face a lower loan-to-value and more demanding paperwork.

The biggest difference is the collateral. Vietnamese buyers at Grand Marina receive a long-term pink book with full rights to use, transfer, lease and inherit, so banks readily accept the mortgage and lend up to 70% over a term of around 25 years. Foreigners hold 50-year ownership and their income is often earned abroad, so banks treat the risk as higher. The specific rules on who is eligible to buy are covered in Foreigner Eligibility: Who Can Buy Property in Vietnam?.

The table above is for reference only. The actual loan-to-value, term and interest rate are decided by each bank based on the individual file and can change from one sales phase to the next.

If you want to know roughly how much your own profile might be approved for, let us connect you with a partner bank.

Partner banks and payment options at Grand Marina

Grand Marina works with banks such as Techcombank, VPBank, MB and BIDV, with an indicative loan-to-value of up to 70% and terms of up to 25 years.

Beyond borrowing, the project offers flexible payment options to choose from:

• A standard schedule of roughly 25/75 or 30/70, spread out until handover.
• A bank-loan package with a grace period / 0% interest until handover (per the policy of each phase).
• A fast-payment route of 95–100% for a discount of around 8–12%.

Note that 0% interest or grace-period schemes are typically run jointly by the developer and a bank for specific sales rounds, not fixed commitments. Because most Grand Marina units are now on the resale (secondary) market after handover, financing terms for a resale unit can differ from buying directly from the developer.

Interest rates and costs to budget for

Beyond the interest rate, you should budget for VAT, the maintenance fee, the management fee and registration tax when working out the total cost of ownership.

Home-loan interest rates in Vietnam vary over time and by bank policy, typically combining a short promotional period followed by a floating rate tied to a base rate. On top of principal and interest, a Grand Marina buyer should budget for the following costs (indicative and subject to change):

• VAT of 10% on the sale price.
• Maintenance fee of 2% (one-off).
• Management fee of ~USD 8–9 / m² / month (subsidised by the developer for the first 3 years).
• Registration tax of 0.5% plus procedural and document-translation costs.

For foreign buyers, translation and document-legalisation fees are easy to overlook. The paperwork you need is listed in our Document Checklist for Foreign Buyers in Vietnam, which helps you estimate the total cost more realistically.

Should you borrow or pay with your own funds?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer — the choice depends on your cash flow, investment goals and access to capital.

Paying fast earns an 8–12% discount and reduces paperwork, which suits buyers with funds on hand. Borrowing keeps your cash flexible but adds interest cost and depends on your file being approved. In a branded-residence segment like Grand Marina — where the product belongs to the category explained in What are branded residences? — market specialists (Knight Frank, Savills, and 2023–2024 reports) have noted that branded residences are often priced 25–35% above comparable non-branded homes. That is a market reference from that period, not a promise of price growth; actual results depend on the project, timing and policy. It is wise to weigh the whole picture rather than the interest rate alone.

Next steps if you want to finance a purchase at Grand Marina

A good first step is a short conversation about the unit you like and your finances, so you can get an estimate of your borrowing capacity before deciding.

Because financing conditions for foreigners differ by bank and change over time, the advice here is general. Before deciding, you should review the contract and the current price list carefully and speak directly with a bank. Other common questions about ownership, tax and procedures are gathered on our FAQ page.

Once you have chosen a unit you like, we can put you in touch directly with a partner bank's credit officer for advice on rates and paperwork.