Freehold Areas in Qatar: Where Foreigners Can Buy

If you're a non-Qatari looking to buy property here, your first question is probably the right one: where are you actually allowed to own? Qatar restricts foreign ownership to specific zones, and the list has expanded over the last few years.

Quick answer

Foreigners can own freehold property in 10 designated areas in Qatar under Law No. 16 of 2018 and Cabinet Decision No. 28 of 2020. The main freehold zones are The Pearl, West Bay Lagoon, Al Qassar (administrative area), Al Dafna (administrative area), Onaiza (administrative area), Lusail, Al Khraj, Jabal Thuaileb, Rawdat Al Jahhaniya, and Al Kharaij. Beyond these, 16 additional areas allow 99-year usufruct (leasehold) rights. Freehold ownership comes with residency benefits once the property value hits QAR 3.65 million.^[1][2]

The 10 freehold areas in Qatar

Under Cabinet Decision No. 28 of 2020, non-Qataris — including GCC nationals, other foreigners, and foreign companies — can own property outright in these zones:^[1]

• The Pearl-Qatar — the original foreign-ownership flagship, mostly apartments and villas on reclaimed land.
• West Bay Lagoon — villas, mostly.
• Al Qassar (administrative area) — Doha waterfront.
• Al Dafna (administrative area) — the West Bay business district.
• Onaiza (administrative area) — upscale residential near the Diplomatic Area.
• Lusail — the new city north of Doha. Big one. Includes Marina District, Fox Hills, Qetaifan, and several other sub-zones.
• Al Khraj
• Jabal Thuaileb
• Rawdat Al Jahhaniya
• Al Kharaij

Freehold means full ownership — you can sell, lease, mortgage, inherit, and gift the property. No time cap. This is the strongest form of real estate right available to non-Qataris, and it only exists inside those 10 areas.^[1][2]

What about the other 16 areas?

The same Cabinet Decision lists 16 additional areas where non-Qataris can hold usufruct rights for up to 99 years, renewable. That's not freehold — you don't own the land — but it's a long-term interest you can transfer, mortgage, and bequeath.

The usufruct zones include Msheireb, Fereej Abdul Aziz, Al Doha Al Jadeeda, Ghanim Al Qadeem, Al Rifaa, Old Al Hitmi, Aslata, Fereej Bin Mahmoud (both administrative areas), Rawdat Al Khail, Al Mansoura and Fereej Bin Dirham, Najma, Umm Ghuwailina, Al Khulaifat, Al Sadd, Al Mirqab Al Jadeed and Fereej Al Nasr, and the Airport area.^[1]

Honestly, most people get this part wrong — they'll see "Qatari property for foreigners" marketing on a flat in Al Sadd and assume it's freehold. It's not. It's a long leasehold. Read the title deed before you sign anything.

Residency through property ownership

Buy freehold in Qatar at the right price point and you unlock residency rights. The thresholds, set under Law No. 16 of 2018 and clarified by subsequent executive regulations:^[2][3]

• QAR 730,000+ (approx. USD 200,000) — residency permit for the owner and family, valid while you own the property. Renewable.
• QAR 3,650,000+ (approx. USD 1 million) — permanent residency with additional benefits, including access to public health and education on par with citizens, and the right to engage in commercial activity.

Watch out: The residency doesn't transfer if you sell. Fall below the threshold, lose the permit. And the valuation that counts is the one registered with the Real Estate Registration Department at the Ministry of Justice — not the inflated figure on a brochure.

Costs and process

Rough numbers for a freehold purchase, as published by the Ministry of Justice and standard market practice:

• Registration fee: 0.25% of the property value, payable to the Real Estate Registration Department.
• Agency commission: typically 2.5% + VAT-equivalent fees (Qatar has no VAT yet, but service charges apply).
• Mortgage registration (if applicable): additional fee based on loan value.
• Service charges on The Pearl, Lusail, and similar managed developments: QAR 15-25 per sqm per month is typical, varies by tower.

Process in short: reserve the unit, sign a sale and purchase agreement, pay the deposit (usually 10%), complete due diligence on the title, settle the balance, and register the transfer at the Real Estate Registration Department. Expect 2 to 6 weeks start to finish for a straightforward resale. Off-plan is a different animal — you're trusting the developer's delivery schedule.

For more on buying process and title checks, see our real estate answers.

What's not freehold

Everything outside the 10 designated freehold areas in Qatar and the 16 usufruct areas is closed to foreign ownership. Full stop. Al Waab, Ain Khaled, Al Gharrafa, Education City perimeter residential — not available to buy as a non-Qatari, regardless of what any agent tells you.

Companies with full Qatari ownership can own anywhere. Companies with foreign shareholding follow the same zone restrictions as individual foreigners, with narrow exceptions for projects approved by the Council of Ministers.^[1]

Before you wire a deposit, verify the area is actually on the Cabinet Decision No. 28 of 2020 schedule. The list is the list.