CRESCO HOMES USA · BUYER RULES
There is no federal ban on foreign buyers. The rules are state by state, and Florida and Texas use different tests.
Short answer: there is no federal ban on foreigners buying homes in the United States. The restrictions are state laws, and they target buyers connected to a short list of countries, usually China, Russia, Iran and North Korea. For most UAE, Saudi, Indian and Pakistani passport holders, Florida and California are open. Texas is open too, except to citizens of the listed countries.
The detail that catches people out is that each state uses a different test. Florida looks at where you live permanently. Texas looks at your citizenship. That difference matters for Iranian passport holders living in Dubai.
| State | What the law restricts | Test used | Iranian passport holder living in Dubai |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida (SB 264, 2023) | Buyers domiciled in a country of concern, including China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela's Maduro regime and Syria. For most of these countries the limit covers farmland and land within 10 miles of military bases or critical infrastructure. Every buyer signs an affidavit at closing. | Domicile: where you live and intend to stay | Assessed on the UAE, not Iran, if the UAE is your permanent home. Confirm with a Florida attorney. |
| Texas (SB 17, from September 1, 2025) | Governments, companies and individuals tied to designated countries, including citizens of those countries living abroad who hold no other citizenship. | Citizenship and domicile | Restricted. Penalties include a state jail felony and forced sale. |
| California | No state law barring foreign individuals from buying homes. Legislative attention has focused on agricultural land. | Not applicable | Not restricted for homes |
| Passport, living in the UAE | Florida | Texas | California |
|---|---|---|---|
| UAE, Saudi, Qatari, Kuwaiti, Omani, Bahraini | Open | Open | Open |
| Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan | Open | Open | Open |
| British, European, Canadian | Open | Open | Open |
| Iranian, with no second citizenship | Generally open if the UAE is your permanent home, with legal advice | Restricted | Open |
| Chinese or Russian | Check carefully: extra limits apply | Restricted | Open |
This table is general information about typical cases. It is not legal advice. Dual citizens, green card holders, people who split their year between countries, and anyone buying through a company should get advice from a lawyer in that state before reserving.
Committee of 100, which tracks these laws, counted 26 states with laws restricting foreign property ownership as of August 2026. Most focus on farmland or land near military sites. Some go further: Indiana's law, effective July 1, 2026, bars nonresident citizens of China, Russia, North Korea and Iran from buying property in the state. Check the current law in any state before you commit money there.
We ask for passport and country of residence before we show a single home. If either raises a question, we stop and refer you to a lawyer in that state before anything else happens. See Cresco Homes USA.
Yes. There is no federal ban. Some states restrict buyers connected to certain countries, usually China, Russia, Iran and North Korea, so check the state before you reserve.
Florida's law applies to people domiciled in Iran, meaning those whose permanent home is there. An Iranian citizen whose permanent home is the UAE is generally assessed on the UAE. Get advice from a Florida attorney before reserving.
Texas law from September 1, 2025 restricts citizens of designated countries, including Iran, who live abroad and hold no other citizenship. Penalties include a state jail felony and forced sale.
California has no state law barring foreign individuals from buying homes. Its legislative focus has been agricultural land.
Sources: Florida SB 264 and Florida Administrative Code R. 73C-60.001 (domicile means the place where the individual is physically present and intends to remain permanently or indefinitely); Attorneys' Title Fund guidance on foreign principals; Texas SB 17 as summarised by Greenberg Traurig, July 2025; FinCEN Residential Real Estate Rule, effective March 1, 2026, via National Law Review, February 24, 2026; Committee of 100 state tracker, updated August 12, 2026. Laws in this area change often. This is general information, not legal advice.
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