Date acquired has no bearing on depreciation. Depreciation starts on date placed in service. So you can't place a property in service, before you acquired it. (This is obvious of course, so whoever told you otherwise just didn't think it through)
Your date in service will be the date you became a resident for tax purposes. If that date was before 2018, the depreciation will be over 40 years. If that date was 2018 or after, then depreciation will be 30 years.
Foreign rental property placed in service before 2018 is depreciated over 40 years. If placed in service in 2018 or after it gets depreciated over 30 years. So make certain you indicate on your U.S. tax return that the property is foreign rental property, since it's not located in the U.S.
