Where Can Foreigners Buy Property in Qatar? 10 Freehold Zones (2026)

Foreigners can fully own property in ten areas of Qatar: West Bay (Legtaifiya), The Pearl Island, Al Khor Resort, Al Dafna, Onaiza, Lusail, Al Kharayej, Jabal Thuaileb and, since June 2026, the Simaisma Resort and Beach Project.

Foreigners can also get usufruct rights in 16 central Doha districts outside these areas. This means you can use a property and earn income from it for up to 99 years.

Foreigners can also buy standalone units in residential compounds and commercial buildings anywhere in Qatar. If you spend QR 730,000 or more, you qualify for residency. If you spend QR 3.65 million or more, you get permanent residency privileges.

This is just a brief overview. To find out how each option works, where the zones are, and how to apply, read on.

The 10 freehold zones

Freehold means you fully own the property. You can sell it, rent it out, mortgage it, develop it, or leave it to your heirs, and there is no time limit.

In June 2026, Qatar expanded the freehold list with Cabinet Resolution No. (21) of 2026. This update added Simaisma as the tenth zone.

Area	Zone
West Bay (Legtaifiya)	66
The Pearl Island	66
Al Khor Resort	74
Al Dafna	60
Al Dafna	61
Onaiza	63
Lusail	69
Al Kharayej	69
Jabal Thuaileb (Fox Hills)	69
Simaisma Resort and Beach Project	70

Simaisma: the newest zone

Simaisma is the only new zone added in the 2026 update. Qatar opened this area to foreign ownership as part of a large coastal project by Qatari Diar. The project covers about 8 million square meters along 7 kilometers of beachfront. Plans include the Land of Legends theme park, luxury resorts, a marina, and a USD 3 billion golf and villa community with Dar Global, which will feature a Trump International Golf Club.

If you are considering buying here, keep these two points in mind:

• Most of Simaisma is sold off-plan, so you buy before construction is finished. The public beach closed in mid-2025 for a multi-year redevelopment, so it will be some time before you can move in.
• Off-plan buyers now have better protections. Developers must put buyer payments into escrow accounts supervised by the Qatar Central Bank, and a new registry issues title documents for off-plan units. Be sure to ask the developer to confirm escrow compliance before you sign.

The 16 usufruct areas (99-year rights)

Usufruct gives you the long-term right to use a property owned by someone else. You can live in it, rent it out, and earn income from it for up to 99 years. The right can be renewed by agreement and passes to your heirs. In practice, it is similar to ownership, but with a long expiry date and a lower entry price.

Area	Zone
Msheireb	13
Fereej Abdul Aziz	14
Al Doha Al Jadeeda	15
Old Al Ghanim	16
Al Rufaa	17
Old Al Hitmi	17
Al Salata	18
Fereej Bin Mahmoud	22
Fereej Bin Mahmoud	23
Rawdat Al Khail	24
Al Mansoura	25
Fereej Bin Durham	25
Najma	26
Umm Ghuwailina	27
Al Khulaifat	28
Al Sadd	38
Al Mirqab Al Jadeed	39
Fereej Al Nasr	39

You can also buy outside these zones. Here is another option that many buyers miss:

Many buyers overlook this option. Anywhere in Qatar, non-Qataris can own the following:

• One standalone residential unit per residential compound, with the option to buy in more than one compound.
• Standalone offices and shops in commercial complexes and malls, with no limit on the number.

There is one restriction: you cannot change the unit’s nature, shape, or external appearance. Owning a qualifying unit can also help you apply for residency.

Residency through property: the two thresholds

If you buy property worth QR 730,000 (about USD 200,000) or more, you qualify for a real estate residence permit. The permit lasts for five years and renews automatically as long as you keep the property.

If you buy property worth QR 3.65 million (about USD 1 million) or more, you get a residence permit with permanent residency privileges. These include free public healthcare, education, and access to some investment activities.

Also worth knowing:

• You can meet either threshold with one property or by combining several properties.
• A residence card holder can sponsor their spouse, children, and parents.
• Cardholders can work for any employer in Qatar once they get a work license.
• You can still buy property for less than QR 730,000, but it does not come with residency rights.

Key rules and costs

• Registration fee: 0.25 percent of the property’s sale price, according to the Ministry of Justice.
• Vacant land: under the 2020 ownership framework, you must complete construction within four years of registration, and you cannot sell the land before construction is complete.
• Inheritance: a non-Qatari may keep one inherited residential property outside the designated zones, up to 3,000 square meters, as long as they continue to live in Qatar.
• Registration authority: since June 2026, the Real Estate Registration Department at the Ministry of Justice has handled all ownership and usufruct transactions. Digital title deeds have full legal force under Law No. (5) of 2024 on real estate registration, and the Ministry now provides usufruct services electronically through the Sak app.

Frequently asked questions