Menu Sign In Contact FAQ
Banner
Welcome to our forums

Which EASA registrations are most favorable for owning by non-EU citizen?

I’m not an EU citizen and I’m looking to buy an affordable plane on EASA reg and keep it on the original reg (I’m getting my EASA license).

Which countries are less favorable for non-EU owners? I’ve read/search many articles here and found that D-reg requires mailbox in Germany which might be difficult to have. What about other countries?

Thanks.

Last Edited by air.pill at 31 Jan 10:12
Croatia

air.pill wrote:

affordable plane on EASA reg

With the understanding that “affordable” is relative, you need to do some forum-searching, there are several threads (possibly merged into one mega-thread by our fearless leader) discussing just that. If memory serves, D-reg and PH-reg were top contenders. Some people in Poland have had good luck with OE/OM, but this was mostly UL (non-EASA) planes.

The annual cost to rent an address in Germany (there is an app for that!) will be less than you’d pay for a CAMO, and far far far less than a single unnecessary “maintenance” event an overzealous CAA may force you to perform. And you’ll likely need the same local mailbox service with the Netherlands. IOW, just consider it cost of doing business.

tmo
EPKP - Kraków, Poland

There are various threads like this one but not specifically for a non EU resident who is looking for a reg which doesn’t need a local mailbox service.

Netherlands (PH-reg) definitely needs a mailbox in the NL. Various previous threads.

But as tmo says the cost of a mailbox service is very low.

The bigger question is whether your country allows a foreign reg plane to be based there permanently. Some (a few) don’t allow it, with certified ones. Many don’t allow it with uncertified ones. In the Ukraine, you can probably do what you like if you have the right contacts

Also whether the said registry allows a non citizen / non resident of that country to own a plane on that registry. The UK, for example, requires EU residence – see here – but not an EU passport. I assume some people keeping G-regs outside the EU fake the residence by using a mailbox.

Quite soon, UK pilots will also be “non EU resident” and I’d say N-reg is as good as any – so long as you can sort out the licensing issues which nobody currently knows how they will play out.

possibly merged into one mega-thread by our fearless leader

Merging stuff is actually quite difficult if you want a sensible result.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

Thanks a lot for clarification and helpful links! As far as I know Ukrainian authorities doesn’t care much about the EASA or N-reg airplanes, we have plenty of them. I could buy an N-reg but there is no wide choice for planes like C150/172 on sale on N reg.

Croatia

N-Reg is very much the thing in Ukraine. Once they are local tax paid. I know Vladimir with the 100k following…

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYK9RjFJMMUu3bBCSn1tdrQ

Buying, Selling, Flying
EISG, Ireland

Yeah, I had a brief conversation with Vladimir recently and he convinced me to get N-reg. But that’s simply not the option for affordable planes: expensive to ferry out from US, lack of availability on sale in Europe, expensive to change reg to N.

Last Edited by air.pill at 31 Jan 23:29
Croatia

You can box them up in the USA pretty easily. Container is about 3600 euro to Ireland.

There are lots of N reg planes about. I understand that local prices are higher to reflect all the grief and local taxes. Change to the N reg is about 6-7k euro.

Buying, Selling, Flying
EISG, Ireland

I don’t know about all regs but what I observe is the swiss reg seems to be one of the worst of not the worst. I.e mandatory tear down inspection of the engine every 12 years irregardless of its condition, no IFR allowed with an engine on condition etc.

Switzerland

Hi there,
I’m trying to figure out a way to buy an aircraft while being non-EU citizen. I plan to fly in Europe and I have EASA PPL.
I’ve got in touch with Austrocontrol, they told me that in order to be an operator of the aircraft you need to be a EU citizen.

What other options do I have? I’ve heard Netherlands is good but I don’t know about citizenship requirements.

Thanks.

Austria

Maybe it’s country dependent? but you can still have it owned by company or trust, just like US does for N-regs? if you are NL resident it should always work…

Last Edited by Ibra at 19 Jun 18:34
Paris/Essex, France/UK, United Kingdom
18 Posts
Sign in to add your message

Back to Top