VIC $900k: citizen vs foreign purchaser surcharge
Same price, same live-in story — foreign purchaser surcharge can dominate the government cash line. Status is not a paperwork afterthought.
Engine 2026-07-ftc. Educational estimate — not a Revenue Office assessment or credit advice.
Briefing
Foreign purchaser surcharge can dominate the government cash line. Same price, same live-in story — status alone can turn a manageable duty bill into a settlement crisis.
One foreign person on title can change the whole plan. Temporary visa assumptions, dual status, and “it will be fine” from a selling agent are not assessments. Confirm the state definition before exchange.
Purpose concessions do not erase surcharge. First-home stories do not erase surcharge. Fix status early, with evidence, for every name on title.
If surcharge applies, fund it explicitly in your funds-to-complete worksheet. If it does not, keep the evidence of why. Do not discover the delta after unconditional.
Use this forced split, then read the national foreign surcharge guide and the Victoria learn hub for local cash discipline.
The decision
Is every purchaser on title clear of foreign purchaser surcharge rules for this state?
- Surcharge stacks on top of base duty in several jurisdictions including VIC
- One foreign person on title can change the whole cash plan
- Temporary visa / residency assumptions are dangerous without a state definition check
- Purpose concessions do not erase surcharge
- Fix status before you exchange, not at settlement
What to tick
- State: VIC
- Price: $900,000
- Live in it: Yes
- First home buyer: No
- Compare Foreign purchaser Off vs On
Engine comparison
Citizen / non-foreign path
Modelled without foreign purchaser surcharge. Base duty and fees still apply — this is not a zero-government-cost path.
- Stamp duty
- $49,070
- Deposit
- $180,000 (20%)
- LVR
- 80.0%
- LMI flag
- Not flagged
- Funds to complete
- $230,703
5% Deposit Scheme: FHB only (or eligible returning buyers)
Foreign purchaser path
Same price with foreign purchaser surcharge stacked. The delta versus the citizen path is the cost of getting status wrong — or the true cash if surcharge applies.
- Stamp duty
- $49,070
- Deposit
- $180,000 (20%)
- LVR
- 80.0%
- LMI flag
- Not flagged
- Funds to complete
- $302,703
5% Deposit Scheme: FHB only (or eligible returning buyers)
Takeaway
Name every person on title and confirm foreign purchaser status under the state rules before you announce a cash figure. If surcharge applies, fund it explicitly. If it does not, keep evidence of why. Do not let a selling agent wave status away with “it will be fine.”