How to buy property in South Sudan from abroad

Last checked 2026-10-03

Under the Land Act 2009, land in South Sudan is public, community or private land, and rights in land are registered. Citizens can own land anywhere in the country; non-citizens can only lease, for up to 99 years. In Juba, wrongful sales, double sales and sales of family or community land without permission are a major source of disputes.

The documents that prove ownership

  • A lease contract for the plot between you and the state.
  • A search certificate from the Department of Land Records under the General Registrar of Lands.
  • The sketch (plot plan) from the Ministry of Infrastructure.

The steps

  1. Hire a lawyer you choose yourself.
  2. Get a search certificate from the Department of Land Records to confirm who holds the plot.
  3. Check the plot on the ground against the sketch, and confirm with neighbours and the community.
  4. Sign the transfer, register it, and get the documents in your name.

Selling or letting from abroad

Many people abroad own property in South Sudan: 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 South Sudan are for a lawyer there to confirm. In South Sudan, land registries and courts may not be working normally, so expect every check to take longer, and read the risks above before you agree anything.

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 South Sudan, 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 South Sudanese abroad own land?

Yes. Citizens can own land in any part of South Sudan by obtaining the official documents. Non-citizens can only hold leases of up to 99 years.

What documents prove land ownership in Juba?

The lease contract with the state, the search certificate from the Department of Land Records, and the sketch from the Ministry of Infrastructure.

What are the main risks?

Land sold by people who are not the owners, land sold twice, and family or community land sold without permission. Always get a search certificate first.

Can I sell my property in South Sudan 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 South Sudan how that power of attorney must be signed and registered.

Do I pay tax when I sell property in South Sudan?

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 South Sudan 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.