A guide to securing a mortgage as a non-UK national
This guide aims to simplify criteria, provide insights to what mortgage lenders expect and successfully prepare for a mortgage application if you’re a non-UK national looking to purchase a home in the UK.
Applicants on a visa
The good news is that there are various lenders who can consider a mortgage application from an applicant on a visa to cover a variety of different criteria points which include -
- Applicant has lived in the UK for a minimum of 1 year.
- Applicant has a minimum of 10% deposit.
- Applicant has ideally 2 years remaining on their visa.
An applicant’s time in the UK is irrelevant if –
- They can provide a minimum of 25% deposit.
- They have lived in the UK for a minimum of 5 years.
- They have an annual income of £75,000 or more.
- They are applying jointly with a British Citizen.
EEA citizens
Where an applicant is a European national and they do not hold indefinite leave to remain in the UK, they can be considered for a mortgage application where they hold pre-settled/settled status.
To confirm this, the applicant can provide a share code which can be obtained from the Gov UK website to prove their immigration status.
Standard mortgage lender rules and criteria applies to these types of applicants in most cases.
General points to consider
Regardless of an applicant’s nationality or status in the UK, mortgage lenders base their decision to lend on other factors such as affordability, level of outstanding debts/commitments, number of dependants, age at the time of application, term of the loan, credit history, address history etc.
If you are thinking of applying for a mortgage, it’s best to get advice from a professional to understand what options are available to you personally and then making a plan on how to move forward. An experienced mortgage adviser can support you with this.