Can foreigners get a mortgage in the EU? Country guide

Last reviewed: 2026-04-02

Yes, most EU countries lend to foreigners, including non-EU passport holders, but the terms are noticeably tighter than for residents. Expect lower loan-to-value ratios, more paperwork, and a real possibility that only two or three banks in any given country actually run a non-resident programme. This guide walks through the European markets we serve and shows where each one sits.

This is orientation, not financial advice. Interest rates, regulatory caps, and bank appetites shift constantly. Before you commit to a property, run your specific situation past an independent mortgage broker who works with non-residents in that country. Numbers below are deliberately qualitative for that reason.

The short comparison

The pattern is consistent. In every country, big domestic banks have a non-resident product, while second-tier and regional banks usually don't. Non-residents put more money down. EUR-area countries lend in euros. Non-euro markets default to the local currency, and that currency mismatch is the single biggest financial risk for a foreign buyer.

Austria

Austria treats non-resident mortgages as a niche but established product. Large universal banks (Erste, Raiffeisen, BAWAG, UniCredit Bank Austria and similar) will look at applications from foreign buyers, especially EU/EEA citizens with stable income. Smaller regional Sparkassen are less consistent. Loan-to-value ratios sit meaningfully lower than for Austrian residents, so plan a substantial cash deposit on top of the 10 % stamp duty and notary costs. All paperwork is in German, and second-home buyers face land-transfer scrutiny in some federal states (especially Tyrol and Salzburg). Income documentation needs to be translated and often certified.

Czechia

Czech banks lend to foreigners, but the list of lenders that actually have a non-resident process is short. Think Česká spořitelna, ČSOB, Komerční banka, Raiffeisenbank, and a couple more. EU citizens have an easier path than non-EU buyers, who are often pushed toward buying through a Czech s.r.o. that then takes the loan. Most mortgages are in Czech crowns. If your income is in euros or pounds, you carry the currency risk between salary payment and mortgage instalment, which can swing meaningfully over a 20-year horizon. A few specialist channels offer EUR-denominated loans but with smaller LTV and higher rates.

Germany

Germany has one of the deeper non-resident mortgage markets in the EU. The large universal banks (Deutsche Bank, Commerzbank, ING-DiBa, DKB) plus several Sparkassen and Volksbanken with international desks will lend to foreigners. EU buyers with EUR income see the friendliest terms. UK and US buyers can borrow too, typically at lower loan-to-value than residents and at slightly higher rates. The German market is paperwork-heavy: payslips, tax returns, sometimes a German Schufa-equivalent credit check arranged through the bank, plus a notary appointment for the deed itself. Fixed-rate loans of 10 to 20 years are the local norm.

Netherlands

The Netherlands is one of the harder EU countries for non-residents to get a mortgage in. ABN AMRO, ING, and Rabobank have international or expat desks, but they generally prefer borrowers who live and pay tax in the Netherlands. If you have a BSN (citizen service number) and a Dutch employment contract, doors open. If you are buying purely as a foreign investor with no Dutch tax residence, the lender pool shrinks to a handful of specialist mortgage advisors who can match you with a willing bank. Loan-to-value for non-residents sits well below the resident maximum, which itself caps at 100 % for owner-occupiers. Plan on a large cash component.

Poland

Poland's biggest universal banks (PKO BP, Pekao, Santander Bank Polska, mBank, ING Bank Śląski) will look at foreign applicants selectively. The mortgage will normally be in złoty. That matters: Poland has a complicated history with foreign-currency mortgages (the Swiss-franc loans of the 2000s ended badly for many borrowers), and current rules push banks toward lending in the borrower's income currency where possible. If you earn in euros and buy in złoty, you carry the currency mismatch yourself. Loan-to-value for non-residents is notably tighter than for residents, and you will likely need a PESEL number and a Polish bank account before the application even starts.

Spain

Spain has the most developed non-resident mortgage market in southern Europe. The major Spanish banks (Santander, BBVA, CaixaBank, Sabadell, Bankinter and several others) run dedicated non-resident programmes with English-speaking staff in the main coastal cities. Loan-to-value sits lower than for Spanish residents. Banks require an NIE (foreigner ID number), proof of income translated into Spanish, and almost always a life-insurance policy taken out at the same bank. Rates are competitive by EU standards. Appraisal (tasación) and gestoría fees add to the closing cost. Expect the whole process to take 6 to 10 weeks.

France

French banks lend to non-residents through dedicated international departments: BNP Paribas, Société Générale, Crédit Agricole, BPCE/Banque Populaire, and a handful of private banks for higher-end buyers. The French system applies a hard debt-service-to-income cap (the taux d'endettement) of roughly a third of gross income, and that cap is enforced strictly, even more so for non-residents. Loan-to-value is lower than for residents. Long-fixed rates (15, 20, 25 years) are the norm. Life insurance is mandatory and is often where banks make their margin on non-resident files. Paperwork takes weeks, and French notaries handle the closing.

Italy

Italy has a narrower non-resident mortgage market than France or Spain. Intesa Sanpaolo, UniCredit, BPER and a few others run programmes. Many regional banks do not. Loan-to-value for non-residents sits well below the resident maximum, and approvals are slower. Eight to twelve weeks is realistic. You will need a codice fiscale, Italian-translated income evidence, and patience. The notary (notaio) handles the deed and the public registration. Rates are competitive and fixed-rate products dominate. EU buyers have an easier path than non-EU buyers, who are sometimes routed through the principle of reciprocity in the borrower's home country.

Portugal

Portugal actively courts foreign buyers, and the main Portuguese banks (Millennium BCP, Novo Banco, Santander Totta, BPI, Caixa Geral) have non-resident mortgage desks set up for that demand. EU buyers and UK/US/Brazilian buyers all see established processes. Loan-to-value sits lower than for Portuguese residents but is more generous than in some neighbours. You will need a NIF (Portuguese tax number), often a Portuguese fiscal representative if you live outside the EU, and translated income documents. Rates are competitive. Closing involves a notary and the Conservatória do Registo Predial (Land Registry).

Slovakia

Slovakia is a smaller market with a correspondingly thinner non-resident mortgage offering. The big Slovak banks (Slovenská sporiteľňa, Tatra banka, VÚB, ČSOB Slovakia) will consider foreign applicants, particularly EU citizens with EUR income. Non-EU buyers face more friction. Loan-to-value is meaningfully lower for non-residents, and most banks expect borrowers to sign in person in Slovakia, sometimes more than once. The mortgage is in euros, which removes the currency-mismatch problem that Czech or Polish buyers face. Approval timelines are short by EU standards once paperwork is complete.

What every non-resident application has in common

Across all ten markets, the same documentary backbone shows up: passport or national ID, recent payslips, two or three years of tax returns, employment contract or business accounts for the self-employed, bank statements covering six to twelve months, and a clean source-of-funds explanation for the deposit. Most countries require these documents translated, sometimes by a certified translator. Most require a local tax number (NIE in Spain, NIF in Portugal, codice fiscale in Italy, PESEL in Poland) before the application can be submitted, and several require a local bank account opened in advance.

Life insurance is genuinely mandatory in several countries (Spain, France, Portugal) and effectively expected in others. Banks make a meaningful share of their non-resident margin on the insurance leg, so it is worth getting an independent quote and comparing.

Frequently asked questions

Can a UK citizen get a mortgage in the EU after Brexit?

Yes. UK buyers lost EU citizen status after Brexit but did not lose access to EU mortgages. Most major banks in Spain, Portugal, France, Germany, Italy and the others have continued to lend to UK applicants under their non-resident programmes. Terms are tighter than for EU residents (lower loan-to-value, more paperwork, sometimes a certified translation requirement), but the door is open. UK income in pounds usually needs to be evidenced through HMRC tax returns and recent payslips.

Do EU banks lend in local currency or in euros?

Eurozone banks lend in euros. Non-eurozone EU banks, in Czechia and Poland especially, usually lend in their local currency (CZK, PLN). A few specialist channels offer EUR-denominated loans in those markets, but at smaller loan-to-value and higher rates. The trade-off is real: a local-currency loan removes the bank's currency risk but pushes it onto you if you earn in a different currency.

Which EU country is best for a non-resident mortgage?

It depends on where you want to live and what currency you earn in. For EUR-earning EU citizens, Spain and Portugal have the most developed non-resident programmes and the friendliest paperwork. For UK or US buyers, Spain and France have the most institutional experience with sterling and dollar income files. Germany has deep, conservative lending. The Netherlands is the most restrictive of the markets we serve. There is no single "best" answer outside your own circumstances. A broker can model two or three candidate countries in parallel.

What documents do non-resident mortgage applications typically require?

Passport or national ID, recent payslips (usually three to six months), the last two to three tax returns, employment contract or self-employment accounts, six to twelve months of bank statements, a source-of-funds letter for the deposit, and proof of any existing debts. Most countries also need a local tax identification number and often a local bank account. Translations into the local language are commonly required.

How long does a non-resident mortgage application take?

Plan on six to twelve weeks from application to drawdown across most of the markets we serve. Spain and Portugal are at the faster end when paperwork is clean. Italy and the Netherlands tend to be slower. The longest delays are almost always document translation, source-of-funds questions, and (in some countries) the bank's appraisal of the property. Starting the local tax-number and bank-account paperwork early shaves weeks off the timeline.

Will a non-resident mortgage cost more than a resident mortgage?

Usually yes, in two ways. The interest rate is often slightly higher than the resident equivalent at the same bank, and the loan-to-value cap is lower, which means a bigger deposit. Insurance and arrangement fees can also be heavier on non-resident files. The differential is rarely catastrophic (a fraction of a percentage point on rate, ten to twenty percentage points on LTV), but it does shift the cash arithmetic.

Is the property itself any different when bought with a non-resident mortgage?

No. The property, the deed, the registration in the Land Registry, and the legal ownership rights are identical whether you fund the purchase in cash or with a non-resident mortgage. The mortgage is a charge against the title in your name, and everything else proceeds the same way it would for a resident buyer.

Where to start

If you are early in the journey, two practical steps shorten everything else: get pre-qualified by one local broker in your target country so you know your realistic budget in that currency, and read the country-specific guide for the legal and tax side of the purchase itself.

• Property guides for foreign buyers
• Live prices across our European markets

Rates and rules change. The numbers and lender lists above are accurate as of early 2026. The structural picture is more stable than the specifics: bigger banks lend to non-residents, smaller ones often don't, deposits are higher, and currency matters in non-eurozone countries. Always confirm the current position with a licensed broker before you commit.