Tax on rental income (13% / 30%), sale gains, 5-year exemption and repatriation rules for foreigners buying property in Russia. 2026 guide.
Can foreigners buy property in Russia?
Taxes at the time of purchase
Tax on rental income from Russian property
Tax on sale: the minimum ownership period rule
Repatriating sale proceeds: currency control
Yes — foreign individuals can legally purchase residential and commercial real estate in Russia. There are no restrictions on foreigners buying apartments, houses or offices in most Russian cities. The main exception is land near state borders and certain strategic areas, where foreign ownership is restricted.
Purchasing real estate in Russia as a foreign individual involves the same legal process as for Russian citizens: a sale and purchase agreement signed before a notary, registration of ownership with Rosreestr (the Federal Property Registry), and payment through a bank account opened in Russia.
The tax implications, however, differ significantly from those for Russian citizens — and are the primary consideration for any foreign buyer.
When purchasing real estate in Russia, a foreign buyer pays:
No purchase tax — Russia does not impose a stamp duty or transfer tax on the buyer of real estate
Notary fees — typically 0.1–0.5% of the transaction value, depending on the property type and transaction structure
Rosreestr registration fee — RUB 2,000 for apartments, higher for other property types
The seller pays any applicable tax on the gain from sale (see below). The buyer has no income tax liability at the point of purchase.
Property tax (nalog na imushchestvo): After purchase, the owner pays annual property tax on the cadastral value of the property. For foreign owners, the rate is the same as for Russian citizens: 0.1–2% of cadastral value depending on the property type and location. For a typical Moscow apartment with cadastral value of RUB 15 million, annual property tax is approximately RUB 15,000–30,000.
Rental income from Russian property is taxable in Russia regardless of the owner's tax residency status. Russian source income — which rental income from Russian real estate is — is always subject to Russian taxation.
Rental income from Russian property must be declared in an annual 3-NDFL personal tax return, filed by 30 April of the year following the reporting year. The tax itself is due by 15 July.
Deductions: Tax residents can deduct documented expenses related to the property (repairs, management fees, utilities paid by the owner) against the rental income. Non-residents cannot deduct expenses — they pay 30% on gross rental income.
Individual entrepreneur option: Foreign residents who receive regular rental income often register as individual entrepreneurs (IP) under the simplified tax system (УСН) at 6% on revenue or 15% on profit. This is significantly cheaper than 13–30% NDFL and can be used by both Russian citizens and foreign tax residents. Foreign non-residents cannot use this option.
When a foreign individual sells Russian real estate, the tax treatment depends on how long they have owned the property and their residency status at the time of sale.
Minimum ownership period exemption: Russian residents who have owned residential property for at least 5 years (3 years if it is their only residential property, or if it was received as a gift from a close relative or by inheritance) pay zero tax on the sale — the gain is fully exempt.
Critical point for non-residents: The minimum ownership period exemption does not apply to tax non-residents. A foreign individual who is not a Russian tax resident at the time of sale pays 30% on the full sale proceeds — not the gain, but the gross sale amount — unless they can document the original purchase price for a gain calculation.
In practice, many foreign property owners in Russia ensure they become tax residents before selling, or time the sale to coincide with a year in which they have achieved 183-day residency.
Once Russian real estate is sold, repatriating the sale proceeds to a foreign bank account involves Russia's currency control regime. Key rules as of 2026:
Sale proceeds received in rubles must first be deposited in a Russian bank account
Transfer of rubles to a foreign bank account is restricted for residents of "unfriendly" countries (EU, US, UK, Japan, South Korea, Australia and others) — subject to Central Bank authorisation limits
Residents of "friendly" countries (China, India, UAE, Turkey, Kazakhstan and others) face fewer restrictions on outbound transfers
Transfers in foreign currency (USD, EUR) from Russian banks are severely restricted regardless of nationality
Practical support for international business in Russia.