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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>369170</law_id><section_number>55.1-100</section_number><catch_line>Aliens may acquire, hold, and transmit real estate; when reciprocity required</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2026/" slug="2026" current="TRUE" last_updated="2026-08-02">2026</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="120" identifier="55.1">Property and Conveyances</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="I">Property Conveyances</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="1">Creation and Limitation of Estates</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="1">Creation and Transfer of Estates</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>Any alien, not an enemy, may acquire by purchase or descent and hold real estate in the Commonwealth, and such real estate shall be transmitted in the same manner as real estate held by citizens. However, if, at the time of the transfer, a <span class="dictionary">court</span> of the Commonwealth determines that the <span class="dictionary">laws</span> of a foreign country or sovereignty effectively deny a Virginia resident, legatee, or distributee the benefit, use, or control of money or other property held in such foreign country or sovereignty, a <span class="dictionary">judgment</span> or <span class="dictionary">order</span> issued in the Commonwealth concerning the rights of a resident of that foreign country or sovereignty to the benefit, use, or control of money or property held in the Commonwealth may direct that the money or property be paid into the <span class="dictionary">court</span> for the benefit of the alien. The money or property paid into <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall be paid out only upon <span class="dictionary">order</span> of the <span class="dictionary">court</span> or pursuant to the <span class="dictionary">order</span> or <span class="dictionary">judgment</span> of a <span class="dictionary">court</span> of competent <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span>. Any of the money or property remaining with the <span class="dictionary">court</span> upon expiration of three years from the decedent&#x2019;s death shall be paid out by the <span class="dictionary">court</span> as if the alien had predeceased the decedent.</p></section></text><history>Code 1919, &#xA7; 66; Code 1950, &#xA7; 55-1; 1993, c. 535; 2019, c. 712.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
