Jordan's property residency: a five-year permit tied to the home you buy
Rules approved in July 2026 set the floor as low as JOD 150,000 (about $212,000) for a home outside Amman.
You keep the permit for as long as you keep the property. It doesn't come with a work permit or a passport, so it makes the most sense for people moving savings rather than a salary.
Is this your route?
Built for a lump sum you can leave in place
This path works if your money comes from savings, a home sale, or investments, and you're fine keeping a big piece of it in Jordanian real estate for five years. You don't need a job offer or a sponsor.
It's probably the wrong fit if:
- You need to earn money in Jordan. A residence permit doesn't give you the right to work.
- You want a second passport. Buying property alone doesn't lead to citizenship.
- You might need the cash back soon. The home can't be sold or mortgaged for five years.
Property Investor Residency Permit (5-Year)
A five-year residency permit for foreigners who buy residential property in Jordan above a set value. It lets you live in Jordan without a job or sponsor, and it renews as long as you keep the qualifying property. It does not lead to citizenship on its own and does not by itself give the right to work.
- Timeline
- 5 years, renewable while the qualifying property is held
- Difficulty
- Moderate
Key requirements
- Buy residential property worth at least JOD 200,000 (about $282,000) from a licensed developer, as assessed by the Department of Lands and Survey
- JOD 300,000 (about $423,000) if bought from a non-developer, or JOD 150,000 (about $212,000) for property outside Amman (Cabinet decision of 15 July 2026)
- Hold the property for at least 5 years without selling, mortgaging or transferring it
- Property must be for residential use under its own title deed
- Property purchase approval from the Department of Lands and Survey (foreign ownership is subject to reciprocity)
- Security clearance
Before you sign
Appraisal, approval, and the places you can't buy
The price floor is measured against the Department of Lands and Survey's appraisal, not the price on your contract, so leave yourself a margin above it.
Foreign purchases need government approval, and Jordan allows them only for nationals of countries that give Jordanians the same right. If you hold more than one passport, you have to declare all of them.
- Border, archaeological, and historical zones are off-limits to foreign buyers.
- The Aqaba Special Economic Zone has its own foreign-ownership rules.
- The U.S. State Department notes foreigners are allowed one residence for personal use.
What the purchase costs on top of the price
5.62% to 10.62%
Buyer's share of transaction costs
Global Property Guide estimate
2% + 16%
Agent fee plus sales tax, charged to each side
Agents are part of most sales
About 23 days
To register a purchase
Needs a tax clearance first
$1.41
Per Jordanian dinar
Pegged to the dollar since 1995
The process
From arrival to a five-year card
You can start on a tourist visa and file for residence once the property is yours. In order:
- Arrive on the 30-day visa sold on arrival (JOD 40) or the Jordan Pass. It isn't sold at the King Hussein/Allenby Bridge crossing.
- If you stay longer than two weeks, register with the police within 14 days.
- Get purchase approval, a Ministry of Finance tax clearance, and register the title with the Department of Lands and Survey.
- Apply through the Borders and Residence Department with your passport, police clearance, a medical clearance from an approved center, and proof of the purchase and appraisal.
- Renew after five years, as long as you still own the qualifying home.
Read the travel advisory first
In August 2026, the U.S. State Department raised Jordan to Level 3, Reconsider Travel, citing the threat of drone and missile attacks from Iran since U.S.-Iran hostilities began in February 2026. Check the current advisory before you move money.
Once you have it
What the permit covers, and what it leaves to you
The permit lets you live in Jordan. Work, family, and taxes each need their own plan.
- Work: you'd need a separate work permit from the Ministry of Labor.
- Family: dependents can be added to an investor application or apply for family reunification. Confirm how your spouse and children are handled before you buy.
- Time away: one relocation guide says absences of more than six months forfeit a residence permit. Ask how that applies to property permits.
- Taxes: you become a Jordanian tax resident after 183 days in a year, and there's no U.S.-Jordan income tax treaty. Rent from a Jordanian property is taxable.
- Citizenship: Jordan's investor citizenship routes run through company shares, new businesses, and hiring, not home purchases.
People who can help
Holborn Assets
Portugal Golden Visa
Holborn Assets is an advisory firm that specializes in golden visas and investment-based residency programs.
Moneycorp
Currency Exchange
Moneycorp is a currency exchange service for sending larger sums between dollars and other currencies.
MyExpatTaxes
U.S. Expat Tax Service
MyExpatTaxes prepares U.S. tax returns for Americans living abroad.
Hunter Schultz
Healthcare Coach
Hunter Schultz is a healthcare coach who helps people plan their medical care before and after a move abroad.
ExpatInsure
Global Health Insurance
ExpatInsure offers global health insurance for people living outside the U.S.
Questions Americans ask about Jordan's property residency
Will I pay Jordanian tax if I live there on a property permit?
You become a Jordanian tax resident after 183 days in a year, counted consecutively or not. Jordan and the U.S. have no income tax treaty. Rent from a Jordanian property is taxable, while capital gains made in Jordan are exempt except on depreciable assets. As an American, you still file U.S. returns.
Can I work in Jordan with a property residency permit?
Not on the residence permit alone. Holding residency in Jordan doesn't give you the right to work; you'd need a separate work permit from the Ministry of Labor.
Can I sell or mortgage the property while I hold Jordanian residency?
Not during the first five years. The rules require you to keep the property for at least five years without selling or mortgaging it, and residency can be canceled if you break the conditions. The permit renews only while you still own the qualifying property.
Can my spouse and children get residency in Jordan too?
Dependents can be included in an investor application or apply separately for family reunification permits. The July 2026 announcements don't spell out family coverage for the property route, so confirm who your application covers before you buy.
Does buying property in Jordan lead to citizenship?
No. Buying property alone gives you a five-year residence permit, not citizenship. Jordan's investor citizenship routes are built on other investments, such as buying at least JD 1.5 million of new shares in Jordanian companies and holding them five years.
Can Americans buy property in Jordan?
Foreigners can buy residential property in Jordan with government approval, but only if their home country gives Jordanians reciprocal ownership rights. The U.S. State Department says foreigners are allowed one residence for personal use under that condition. Border, archaeological, and historical zones are off-limits, and the Aqaba Special Economic Zone has its own rules.
Is it safe to move to Jordan right now?
In August 2026 the U.S. State Department set Jordan at Level 3, Reconsider Travel, because of the threat of drone and missile attacks from Iran after U.S.-Iran hostilities began in February 2026. Some areas, including the Syria and Iraq border areas and the Syrian refugee camps, are at Do Not Travel. Read the current advisory before you commit.
How much do you have to spend on property to get residency in Jordan?
Under rules Jordan's cabinet approved in July 2026, the home must be worth at least JOD 200,000 (about $282,000) if you buy from a developer or housing company, JOD 300,000 (about $423,000) from any other seller, or JOD 150,000 (about $212,000) outside Amman Governorate. The value is set by the Department of Lands and Survey's appraisal. Dollar figures use the 2026 peg of about $1.41 per dinar.
Talk it through before you wire the money
An Expatsi advisor can help you test whether Jordan's property route fits your savings, your timeline, and your family.
Why not you?