Mortgages for Foreign Nationals

EU Citizens

Mortgages are available to EU citizens who are living and working in the UK. The following list represents common requirements:

Applicants have been residing in the EU for the past 3 years
Applicants have a UK bank account
Applicants have a permanent job in the UK

As with Uk citizens, all mortgage applications will be credit scored. If you have not been living in the UK for very long then this will have the effect of reducing your credit score.

If you have been living and working in the UK for at least 3 years and have a good credit score then you will need a minimum 10% deposit.

It is possible to get a mortgage after just 1 year in the UK, however you will still need to pass the credit score and may need a 15% deposit.

Non EU Citizens

Foreign nationals that have not been living within the EU will not have a credit file that can be traced. Mortgages will be available after the applicant has lived in the UK for a minimum of 2 years.

It may be possible to arrange a mortgage before then, however a larger deposit will be required.

Most lenders prefer that foreign citizens have full rights of permanent residence in the UK.
Some lenders will accept applications from foreign citizens who have a work permit. Ideally the work permit should have at least 2 years left before expiry.

If you have been living and working in the UK for at least 3 years and have a good credit score then you will need a minimum 10% deposit.

It is possible to get a mortgage after just 1 year in the UK, however you will still need to pass the credit score and will need a larger deposit.

Please phone us to discuss your situation