From 1 July 2026, Australia extends its anti-money-laundering law (AML/CTF) to real estate agents, conveyancers, lawyers and accountants. In short: the people who guide you through a purchase now carry their own duty to verify who the client is and where the money comes from, much as a bank already does.
This is not a ban on foreign buyers, and it is nothing to fear. It is a lift in the standard of transparency, and for those who come prepared it passes lightly. What follows is a short overview of what changes, and a checklist of what to have ready.
Why buyers from Vietnam are checked more closely.
Vietnam has sat on the FATF 'increased monitoring' list (FATF sets the global anti-money-laundering standard) since February 2023. Because of that, a transaction connected to Vietnam, whether by nationality, residence or the source of the money, automatically follows the enhanced due-diligence path. In practice it means you will be asked to account for where your wealth comes from, not simply show a passport and sign.
Two questions every file must answer.
Source of funds is how the money for this particular purchase was generated: the sale of a property, business profit, salary, or an inheritance. Source of wealth is how your overall net worth was built. One point is often misread: a statement showing the money has reached Australia is not enough. It shows the route the money took, not how it was earned. A file needs an unbroken chain, from the moment the asset was formed to the moment the money lands in an Australian account.
Buying through a company or trust.
If you buy under a company or a trust, the law looks through the structure to the real person behind it: anyone who owns 25% or more, counting indirect ownership across several tiers. For a trust, the person who created it and the person who funded it must also be identified. Having a relative in Australia hold the title no longer hides who actually provided the money.
Timing: a window, not forever.
You do not need every document on the first day. The law lets evidence follow the deposit, but it must be complete within 28 days of exchanging contracts, or 3 days before settlement, whichever comes first. If that deadline passes and the source-of-funds file is not satisfactory, the transaction can be halted, and the larger risk is losing the 10% deposit. Preparing early is how you protect yourself.
A quiet word: avoid having a third party pay on your behalf without clear documentation, and avoid informal money-transfer channels. Where something looks unclear, the agent is obliged to report it and is legally barred from telling you. Keeping the money clean and well documented is by far the calmest path.
Identity
- A valid passport.
- Proof of residential address: a utility bill or bank statement from the last 3 months.
- A short declaration of whether you hold, or are closely related to, a senior political or government office.
Source of funds, by case
- Sale of property: the notarised sale contract, the transfer-tax receipt, and a statement showing the proceeds reaching your account.
- Business income: the latest financial statements, the company tax return, and a dividend resolution where relevant.
- Salary and savings: an employment contract, payslips over several years, your personal tax returns, and savings records showing how the funds built up.
- Gift or inheritance: a certified gift deed or will, with evidence of the source of wealth of the person who gave or left it.
Through a company or trust
- Company: the certificate of registration, the constitution, the share register, and an ownership chart.
- Trust: a certified copy of the trust deed, with identity documents for the trustee, the settlor and whoever funded it.
- Identity and source-of-funds evidence for each individual who owns 25% or more.
The fund trail
- The international transfer order from the originating bank to the Australian trust account.
- If you pay via your own company in a third country: a loan agreement or a profit-distribution record, so the chain stays unbroken.
You do not have to manage this alone. Appoint an Australian lawyer with AML experience early, and they can run the checks once and share the result with the other parties, so you are not asked to explain it twice. We are glad to introduce one and walk each step with you.