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You spot a townhouse in Brunswick while scrolling on your mobile in Brisbane. Or you are sitting in a café in London, looking at an off the plan apartment in Southbank and thinking, 'Can I actually buy this from here? Who will handle the paperwork on the Melbourne side?'
The short answer is that you do not need to be physically in Victoria for a Melbourne conveyancer to act for you. Most Victorian property deals are already handled online, and a good conveyancing team will be very used to helping clients who live interstate or overseas.
There are, though, a few extra hoops to jump through. You will need to prove who you are, often in person with an approved identity agent. You may face extra taxes or approval requirements if you are classed as a foreign buyer. The time zone can also matter when deadlines fall at 4.00 pm Melbourne time.
This guide walks through what actually happens in practice, what changes when you are interstate or overseas, and how Pearson Chambers Conveyancing can support you through a Melbourne purchase even if you are nowhere near the CBD.
The Short Answer: Yes, a Melbourne Conveyancer Can Act for You from Anywhere
Victorian conveyancers are allowed to act for clients regardless of where those clients live, as long as the property itself is in Victoria and the conveyancer is properly licensed here.
In modern Victorian conveyancing, contracts, Section 32 vendor statements and settlement documents are routinely handled by email and secure electronic platforms. Settlements themselves are usually completed through electronic systems such as PEXA, rather than a physical meeting in a city office. Lawyers and conveyancers are required to verify the identity of their clients when using these e conveyancing platforms.
Because so much of the process is online already, working with someone who is interstate or overseas is usually a matter of adding a few extra steps for identification, timing and communication, rather than changing the whole process.
Where You Live Mainly Affects:
- How your identity is verified
- Whether you need Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) approval
- Whether you are charged foreign purchaser additional duty
- How documents are signed and returned
- How your bank or lender handles your loan as an expat or non resident
A good Melbourne conveyancer will walk you through each of these, in plain language, before you sign anything.
Verification of Identity and Client Authorisation: The Non Negotiables
No matter where you are, your conveyancer must be comfortable that you really are who you say you are before they can sign anything on your behalf or lodge dealings with Land Use Victoria.
The Victorian Registrar of Titles requires conveyancers and lawyers to take reasonable steps to verify the identity of clients for both paper and electronic property transactions. National rules for electronic conveyancing also require subscribers to verify identity and allow them to rely on specialist identity agents to do this work.
In Practice, This Usually Means:
- A face to face meeting with your conveyancer, a postal outlet that offers property VOI checks, or an approved identity agent
- Presenting original identification documents such as your passport and driver licence
- Completing a client authorisation form that lets your conveyancer sign certain documents for you
If you are in Victoria or another Australian state, VOI can often be done at a participating Australia Post outlet using the property VOI service, which follows the Victorian categories for acceptable identity documents.
When You Are Overseas
If you are overseas, you usually cannot just pop into an Australian post office. Many firms ask overseas clients to book an appointment at their nearest Australian Embassy, Consulate or High Commission so that an authorised official can verify and certify their identity documents. Some identity agents also offer VOI services through local notaries in certain countries.
The Exact Approach Depends On:
- Which country you are in
- Whether you hold Australian ID documents
- How quickly you need things completed
This is one of the first topics we would cover with you, because if VOI is left too late it can threaten the settlement timetable.
Buying in Melbourne While Living Interstate
A lot of Pearson Chambers clients live in Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra or regional areas, but are buying in Melbourne because of work moves, investments or children studying here.
From a legal point of view, interstate buyers are treated much the same as Victorian buyers. You are not usually dealing with foreign buyer rules, and you can often attend VOI at an Australia Post outlet near you.
The Main Differences Are Practical:
Inspections and Due Diligence
You may rely more on trusted friends or relatives in Melbourne, buyer's advocates, video walk throughs, and detailed building and pest reports. Your conveyancer can flag any contract clauses that matter for building defects, owners corporation issues or renovations.
Contract Review Before You Commit
Whether you are bidding at an auction in Preston or signing a private sale contract for a unit in St Kilda, having your Section 32 and contract reviewed before you sign is even more important when you are not physically here. Your conveyancer can talk you through any unusual conditions over the phone or by video call.
Signing and Communication
Most agents in Melbourne are happy for contracts to be signed electronically, provided the parties and their conveyancers are on the same page. Your conveyancer will confirm what form of signature is acceptable in your particular matter and help keep all parties informed.
The key is to involve your conveyancer early. Once we know you are interstate, we can help plan VOI, explain any tight deadlines, and make sure you are comfortable with the deal before you move ahead.
Buying in Melbourne While Living Overseas as an Australian Citizen or Permanent Resident
If you are an Australian citizen or permanent resident living overseas, the rules are more generous for you than for foreign buyers.
Current guidance for Australian citizens and permanent residents overseas is that you can usually buy property in Australia without restriction and without needing FIRB approval, even if you are currently living abroad. Lenders may treat you as an expat borrower and ask for extra documents, but from a Victorian conveyancing angle the basic steps are the same as for any other buyer.
The Main Extra Pieces Are:
Overseas Verification of Identity
As mentioned above, you may need to attend an Australian Embassy or Consulate for VOI, or meet with an approved identity agent. The embassy will usually sight your original Australian passport and other documents, then provide certified copies that your conveyancer can rely on.
Time Zones and Deadlines
If you are in London, Singapore or New York, Melbourne's 4.00 pm cut off for certain things can fall in the middle of your sleep. A conveyancer who is used to overseas clients will keep track of the key dates and let you know when your input is needed, well before those deadlines arrive.
Bank and Loan Requirements
Your lender may have its own VOI process or need you to sign loan documents in front of an overseas notary. Your conveyancer can help co ordinate the timing so that your finance is ready when settlement rolls around.
You may never step on a tram during the whole buying process, but you can still settle on a property in Coburg, Footscray or Hawthorn with everything handled remotely.
Buying in Melbourne as a Foreign Buyer: Extra Hurdles to Be Aware Of
If you are not an Australian citizen or permanent resident, and you are not buying with a spouse or partner who is, then you are likely to be classed as a foreign buyer for both federal and Victorian purposes. In that case, there are extra layers to think about.
Federal Rules and FIRB
Non resident foreign buyers usually need FIRB approval before buying Australian residential property. There are also tighter limits on what you can buy. Recent federal changes include a temporary two year ban on foreign investors buying established residential properties, which began in 2025, with new rules focusing foreign purchases on new dwellings and certain other categories.
The details can change over time, and the federal rules sit alongside Victorian state taxes. Your conveyancer can flag that you need separate advice about FIRB, but cannot give immigration or foreign investment advice themselves.
Victorian Foreign Purchaser Additional Duty
On top of normal Victorian land transfer duty, foreign purchasers of residential property usually pay foreign purchaser additional duty. At present this extra duty is 8 per cent of the dutiable value for relevant contracts entered into on or after 1 July 2019, in addition to ordinary stamp duty.
The State Revenue Office provides a foreign purchaser status checklist to help determine whether an individual, company or trust is foreign for this purpose.
The upshot is that if you are a foreign buyer, your tax bill can be much higher, and you may be limited in the type of property you can buy. This makes early advice even more important. A Melbourne conveyancer familiar with these issues can work alongside your accountant or migration lawyer so that everyone is on the same page.
Using a Power of Attorney When You Cannot Sign in Person
Sometimes, especially for overseas buyers, signing every document personally is not practical. You might be travelling between countries, dealing with a difficult time zone, or simply worried about missing a deadline while you are on a long haul flight.
In Victoria, a power of attorney is a legal document that lets you appoint someone else to make financial decisions and sign documents on your behalf, including property contracts and transfer documents. There are different types of powers of attorney, and the document needs to follow Victorian rules to be valid.
Some buyers appoint a trusted family member who lives in Melbourne. Others appoint a local solicitor. Your conveyancer can usually:
- Explain in plain language what a power of attorney would allow the attorney to do
- Suggest when it might be helpful, such as if you know you will be unreachable close to settlement
- Work with your lawyer to make sure the document is in a form Land Use Victoria will accept if it needs to be registered with a dealing
A power of attorney is not always necessary. Many overseas buyers manage perfectly well by signing key documents electronically and planning VOI early. It is just one more tool that can be used to keep your Melbourne purchase running to timetable.
Practical Tips to Make a Remote Melbourne Purchase Smoother
From what we see day to day, here are some simple habits that make life easier when you are not in Victoria:
Get Your Contract and Section 32 Reviewed Early
When you are not here to get a feel for the neighbourhood or chat to the agent in person, the paperwork becomes even more important. Send the contract and vendor statement to your conveyancer before you bid or sign so they can pick up any tricky conditions or owners corporation issues.
Start Your Verification of Identity as Soon as You Can
Do not wait until the last week. If you need to see an embassy, consulate or specialist identity agent, appointments can book out. Getting this done early also helps your bank if they have their own checks.
Agree on Your Communication Style
Let your conveyancer know whether you prefer email, WhatsApp calls, video meetings, or plain phone calls. When you are in a different time zone, it helps to have agreed windows where you can talk through anything urgent.
Double Check Bank Details by Phone
Email fraud in property transactions is a real risk. Before sending any large transfer, such as your deposit or settlement funds, confirm the account details verbally with your conveyancer using a known phone number.
Have Someone Local Lined Up for Keys and Final Inspection
For many overseas buyers, a relative or friend in Melbourne attends the final inspection, collects keys from the agent, or lets in removalists. Your conveyancer can co ordinate timing with that person as well as with you.
When these basics are handled well, buying from a distance feels much less stressful.
Common Worries When You Are Not Physically in Melbourne
People who are interstate or overseas often have similar questions:
'What if I Miss Something in the Contract?'
That is exactly what your conveyancer is there to help with. We read contracts every day and can explain the parts that matter in clear, everyday language.
'How Do I Know the Property Is Not Hiding Big Problems?'
You will rely more on professional building reports, strata or owners corporation records, and, if possible, someone you trust on the ground. Your conveyancer can help arrange the right checks and make sure the contract gives you the protection you expect.
'Can Settlement Fall Over Because I Am Overseas?'
Settlement can fall over for anyone if finance is delayed or documents are not ready in time. Being overseas just means we need to be more deliberate about timing. With good planning around VOI, loan documents and signing, there is no reason your deal should be any more fragile than anyone else's.
The aim is for you to feel as though you had been here the whole time, even if you were on the other side of the world.
How Pearson Chambers Conveyancing Helps Interstate and Overseas Buyers
At Pearson Chambers Conveyancing, we work with buyers all over Australia and around the world who are purchasing in Melbourne and wider Victoria.
We Can:
- Review your Section 32 and contract before you bid or sign, and explain the key points in plain language
- Map out your personal timetable for VOI, finance milestones and settlement dates, taking your time zone into account
- Co ordinate with embassies, identity agents, lenders and agents as needed
- Keep you in the loop at every stage, so you are never left wondering what happens next
Disclaimer: This page gives general information about Victorian conveyancing only. It is not tailored legal advice. Your situation, especially if you are a foreign buyer, may involve extra rules, and you should always get advice based on your own circumstances.
If you are thinking about buying in Melbourne while living interstate or overseas, we would be glad to talk things through with you and review your paperwork before you take the next step.
Contact Pearson Chambers Conveyancing
For friendly, practical help and a complimentary Section 32 contract review, contact Pearson Chambers Conveyancing:
Email: contact@pearsonchambers.com.au