                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

FOREIGN ADVERSARY ACQUISITION OF AGRICULTURAL LAND PROHIBITED (§ 55.1-508)

A. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, in order to protect the health,
safety, and welfare of all citizens of the Commonwealth, on and after July 1,
2023, no foreign adversary shall acquire any interest in agricultural land in
the Commonwealth.

B. Any acquisition of any interest in agricultural land in violation of this
section shall be void, and title to such interest in agricultural land shall be
deemed to have vested as of the date of such purported acquisition in the name
of the Commonwealth without any payment of consideration of any kind by the
Commonwealth. The foreign adversary purporting to acquire such interest in
agricultural land shall be barred from making a claim against any party for
restitution of the purchase price paid by such foreign adversary in connection
with such interest in agricultural land or for any other kind of payment
relating to the foreign adversary&#8217;s loss or lack of title to such interest
in agricultural land. Any lien that has attached to such interest in
agricultural land during the foreign adversary&#8217;s purported acquisition or
ownership shall remain a valid lien against the interest during such time as the
interest is held by the Commonwealth except that such lien shall not be subject
to foreclosure during the period of the Commonwealth&#8217;s ownership nor shall
the Commonwealth be subject to the terms of any agreement giving rise to the
lien. The Commonwealth may hold or dispose of such interest in agricultural land
in any proper manner.

C. Notwithstanding the provisions in subsection B, if the foreign adversary has
subsequently sold or transferred the interest in agricultural land to a person
or entity that is not a foreign adversary, title to such interest in
agricultural land shall be vested in the subsequent non-foreign adversary
purchaser or transferee and shall be valid as if the purported acquisition of
such interest in agricultural land by a foreign adversary has not occurred.

D. If an interest in agricultural land has been acquired in violation of this
section, a county, city, or town attorney for the locality in which the
agricultural land is located, the Attorney General, or any non-foreign adversary
person that was a party to the void transaction or is a subsequent holder of
such interest may file an action (i) to eject the foreign adversary from
possession, (ii) to quiet title to such property, or (iii) for any other
appropriate action to ratify the nullification of the transaction. Any action
brought pursuant to this subsection shall be filed in the circuit court where
the subject property is located.

E. This section shall not be applied in a manner inconsistent with any provision
of any treaty between the United States and another country.

HISTORY: 2023, cc. 765, 796.