How to buy property in Guinea-Bissau from abroad

Last checked 2026-10-03

Under the 1998 Land Law, land belongs to the state and is used under concessions or authorisations granted by the government. The law also recognises customary rights. Its implementation was held back by years of conflict and instability. Reliable, detailed sources on buying property here are limited, so treat this guide as a starting point and rely on a notary or lawyer in the country for the specifics.

The basics

  1. Find out whether the land is held under a registered concession or customary rights.
  2. Hire your own lawyer and check the concession with the land authorities.
  3. For customary land, confirm the community and family agree, and check the boundaries on the ground.
  4. Sign before a notary and register the transfer.

Selling or letting from abroad

Many people abroad own property in Guinea-Bissau: a house they built, family land, or a home they inherited. You can usually sell it or let it out without travelling, but owners who live abroad are also a common target for fraud. These are the general steps. The rules, taxes and forms in Guinea-Bissau are for a lawyer there to confirm.

Selling from abroad

  1. Confirm the property is registered in your name. If it belonged to a relative who has died, the estate usually has to be settled and the title transferred to the heirs before anyone can sell it.
  2. Hire your own lawyer in Guinea-Bissau, not one introduced by the buyer or an agent.
  3. Get a current official search of the title, so you know what the buyer's lawyer will see.
  4. If someone will sign for you, give them a power of attorney limited to this one property and this one sale, with an end date. Ask your lawyer how it must be signed and authenticated (before a notary, by apostille or through the embassy) and whether it must be registered.
  5. Ask your lawyer which taxes and fees fall on the seller, such as tax on the gain and transfer or stamp duties, and whether any tax clearance is needed before the transfer.
  6. Have the buyer pay into your lawyer's client account or your own bank account, never to a relative or agent personally.
  7. Ask your bank and lawyer how to move the money abroad, and keep the paperwork that shows where it came from.

Letting it out from abroad

  • Use a written tenancy agreement and keep a copy yourself.
  • Choose a manager or agent you can check up on, and agree in writing what they collect, what they charge and when they pay you.
  • Ask about tax on rent. Many countries tax rent earned there even when the owner lives abroad, and some make tenants withhold tax from rent paid to owners abroad.
  • Have someone you trust visit regularly, and check the title register now and then. Forged sales of absent owners' property are common.

Warning signs for owners abroad

  • An agent or relative asking for a general power of attorney over everything you own.
  • A buyer who wants to pay in cash, or to pay someone other than you or your lawyer.
  • Pressure to sign before your own lawyer has seen the documents.
  • Someone else listing or showing your property without your knowledge.

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Common questions

Can I own land in Guinea-Bissau?

Land is owned by the state. People and companies use it under concessions or authorisations from the government, under the 1998 Land Law.

Are customary land rights recognised?

Yes. The 1998 Land Law recognises customary rights, alongside private use rights granted by the state.

Can I buy property in Guinea-Bissau from abroad?

Through a representative and a local lawyer, but verify the concession or customary rights carefully first.

Can I sell my property in Guinea-Bissau while living abroad?

Usually, yes. Most sales from abroad go through a local lawyer and a representative holding a power of attorney limited to the one sale. Ask a lawyer in Guinea-Bissau how that power of attorney must be signed and registered.

Do I pay tax when I sell property in Guinea-Bissau?

Often. Many countries tax the gain on a property sale and charge transfer or stamp duties, including for owners who live abroad. Ask a lawyer or tax adviser in Guinea-Bissau what applies before you agree a price.

Can I list my own property on ResidentFinder?

Yes. Owners can list a home for sale or for rent themselves, without an agent, and listing is free. Buyers and renters contact you directly through ResidentFinder.

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Sources

This guide is general information, not legal advice, and is not definitive. Laws, fees and procedures change; confirm every step with a licensed lawyer in the country before you pay anything.