Last updated 6 November 2026 · Reviewed by Riyadh Financial Services Compliance
At a glance
- Selected Ijaar home finance can help some Australians, New Zealanders and Australian visa holders who live overseas. Your broker checks whether your citizenship or visa and the country you live in are accepted.
- It's for individuals buying in their own names, not companies or trusts.
- FIRB approval depends on who you are, not on the finance. Check foreigninvestment.gov.au.
- We don't currently offer finance for non-residents: people who aren't Australian or New Zealand citizens and don't hold an Australian visa.
Who counts as living overseas for Islamic home finance?
You may be treated as an expat customer if you're one of these people and you live in a country the financier accepts:
- an Australian citizen living overseas, including in New Zealand;
- a New Zealand citizen living in New Zealand or elsewhere outside Australia;
- an Australian permanent resident living overseas, with an accepted visa;
- an Australian temporary visa holder living overseas, with an accepted visa.
If you're a temporary visa holder living in Australia, our guide to Islamic home finance for temporary residents covers your situation, including which homes foreign persons can buy and the extra state taxes that may apply.
Do you need FIRB approval if you live overseas?
It depends mainly on your citizenship or visa. FIRB approval comes from the Australian Government and is separate from your finance application. In general terms, according to foreigninvestment.gov.au:
| Who you are | Can you apply for selected Ijaar home finance? | Is FIRB approval generally needed for a home? |
|---|---|---|
| Australian citizen living overseas | May be eligible as an expat customer | Generally no |
| New Zealand citizen living in New Zealand or elsewhere outside Australia | May be eligible, treated like an expat customer | Generally no, if you hold or are eligible for a special category visa |
| Australian permanent resident living overseas | May be eligible, if your visa and country are accepted | It depends on how long you've been outside Australia. Check foreigninvestment.gov.au |
| Australian temporary visa holder living overseas | May be eligible, if your visa and country are accepted | Generally yes: you're usually treated as a foreign person |
| Non-resident with no Australian or New Zealand citizenship and no Australian visa | Not currently offered | Generally yes |
There are exceptions and conditions. Your solicitor or conveyancer can confirm what applies to you before you sign a contract. If you'll be treated as a foreign person, the rules on established homes and the extra costs are explained in our temporary residents guide.
What's different about Islamic home finance when you live overseas?
The way the finance works is the same. With our Ijaar home finance, which uses Ijarah Muntahia Bittamleek (a lease that ends in ownership), you're the registered owner from settlement and you pay a rental rate, not interest. Read how Islamic home finance works for the full picture.
What changes is how your application is put together:
- You apply as an individual. Expat finance is for people in their own names, employed or self-employed. A company or trust can't be the customer.
- Your citizenship or visa, and where you live, are checked. Not every country or visa is accepted. Your broker will confirm whether yours is.
- Income you earn overseas may be considered. Your broker will assess your situation, and your application is assessed against credit criteria.
- Documents may need translating. If your documents aren't in English, your broker will tell you how they need to be translated.
- The property's location matters. Some regional locations aren't accepted for expat finance, so check with your broker before you commit to a property.
- Payment options. You can choose Principal and Rental payments, and Rental Only payments may be available for a limited period.
What can you use the finance for?
Depending on your circumstances, selected Ijaar home finance can help you buy a home, build one through our construction finance, or refinance a home you already own in Australia. This guide covers residential property.
If you already have a home loan on an Australian property, you may be able to switch it to Islamic finance while you're overseas. A streamlined refinance may be available if you've held your current finance for a while and kept up your payments. See switching your home loan to Islamic finance.
What are the pros and cons of buying from overseas?
Possible pros:
- You may be able to buy, build or refinance in Australia without moving back first.
- Income you earn overseas may be considered. Your broker will assess your situation.
- Your finance is structured to avoid riba. Our product structures are reviewed by our Shariah adviser, and our Shariah certificate is reviewed regularly. Ask us for a copy and what it covers.
- Accredited brokers work across Australia and online, so you can work with one from wherever you are.
Possible cons:
- Pricing for customers living overseas can differ, and fees and charges apply. Read is Islamic home finance more expensive? to see what drives the cost.
- Only individuals can apply, not companies or trusts.
- Some countries, visas and property locations aren't accepted.
- Currency movements can change what your payments cost in the currency you earn.
How do you apply from overseas, step by step?
- Talk to a broker. Share where you live and work, your citizenship or visa, how you're paid and the property you have in mind. If you don't have a broker, contact us and we can refer you to an accredited broker.
- Check the FIRB position. Ask your solicitor or conveyancer whether you need approval before you sign a contract.
- Gather your documents. Your broker tells you which identity and income documents you need, including any translations.
- The assessment. Your broker will assess your situation, and your application is assessed against credit criteria, including whether your visa and the country you live in are accepted.
- The offer. If your application is approved, you receive your finance documents to read and sign. Your solicitor or conveyancer can explain how to sign from overseas.
- Settlement. You're the registered owner from settlement (or stay the owner if you're refinancing), and your payments begin.
How can Riyadh Financial Services help?
Riyadh Financial Services arranges Shariah-compliant property finance through accredited mortgage brokers. Brokers have a best interests duty under Australian credit law, so the finance they recommend has to be in your best interests. If you're buying from overseas, we can help with:
- selected Ijaar home finance for Australian and New Zealand citizens living overseas, and some Australian visa holders;
- buying, building or refinancing a home in Australia;
- finance that uses a rental rate rather than interest, with products reviewed by our Shariah adviser;
- a referral to an accredited broker if you don't have one.