This page is for anyone whose home, income or nationality sits outside the UK but who wants to buy or refinance UK property: British expats living and working abroad, foreign nationals purchasing here, and non-UK-resident investors. If you have searched for an "expat mortgage", a "foreign national mortgage" or a "non-resident mortgage" and found that high-street lenders go quiet the moment you mention an overseas address or a foreign-currency salary, this is the page to read. (If instead you are a UK resident looking to finance a property abroad, that is a different problem — see our International Mortgage page, which covers cross-border lending on overseas assets.)
Working across more than 135 lenders, plus private banks that do not advertise to the public, Propertyze is a specialist, criteria-first broker. We start with the question most people skip — who will lend at all on your circumstances — and then present the case in the way each lender's underwriters want to see it. For non-standard borrowers, getting to the right lender and packaging the case correctly is usually the difference between a clean offer and a string of declines.
Key facts at a glance
- Who it suits: UK expats abroad, foreign nationals buying UK property, and non-resident investors, for either a home to live in or an investment property.
- Lender pool is narrower: far fewer lenders consider non-resident or foreign-national cases than consider UK residents, so where you apply matters a great deal.
- Deposits tend to be larger: as a general guide, deposits are often 25% or more, and some cases call for more — the exact figure depends on the lender, the applicant and the property.
- Income and currency: lenders frequently discount foreign-currency income, often counting only a proportion of it, and some set minimum income levels.
- Residency and visa status: your right to remain matters — Indefinite Leave to Remain is viewed differently from a time-limited visa, and this shapes which lenders will engage.
- Enhanced due diligence: expect detailed anti-money-laundering checks, including evidence of your source of funds (the deposit) and source of wealth (how your wealth was built).
- Restricted jurisdictions: some lenders decline applicants connected to certain countries, and sanctioned jurisdictions are excluded entirely.
- Regulation: a mortgage on a property you will live in is normally a regulated residential mortgage; most buy-to-let lending is not regulated by the FCA.
Who this is for — expat, foreign national or non-resident
These three labels overlap but are not the same, and lenders treat them differently.
An expat is typically a British or UK citizen living and working overseas — often on an employment contract, sometimes paid in a foreign currency — who wants to keep a foothold in the UK property market, buy a future home, or build a portfolio. A foreign national is someone who is not a UK citizen buying UK property, whether they live here on a visa or remain resident abroad. A non-resident is anyone, of any nationality, who does not currently live in the UK for tax or residency purposes. A single applicant can sit in more than one category.
The distinction that matters most for this page is the one between financing UK property (covered here) and financing property overseas. If you are buying a UK home or UK investment property, you are in the right place. If you want to raise money against, or buy, a property in another country, the lender landscape, the legal process and the currency considerations are different — start with our International Mortgage page instead.
What lenders assess
Underwriters for these cases weigh four things more heavily than they would for a UK-resident applicant.
UK credit footprint. If you have lived abroad for years, you may have a thin or absent UK credit file. That is not a refusal in itself, but it removes a reassurance lenders normally rely on, so they look harder at the rest of the picture. We help you assemble the supporting evidence — overseas credit references, banking history and proof of conduct — that fills the gap.
Foreign-currency income. Earning in a currency other than sterling introduces exchange-rate risk from the lender's point of view, so many lenders apply a "haircut", counting only a proportion of foreign-currency income towards affordability. Some lenders are more comfortable with certain currencies than others. Knowing which lenders treat your particular currency and income type favourably is central to getting the borrowing you need.
Residency and visa status. Your immigration position is a key filter. Settled status such as Indefinite Leave to Remain is generally viewed more favourably than a visa with a fixed end date, and some lenders want a minimum period of UK residence or a UK tie. The right lender depends on exactly where you stand.
AML, source of funds and source of wealth. Cross-border money attracts enhanced anti-money-laundering scrutiny. You should expect to evidence both your source of funds (where the deposit money has come from — for example a documented salary, sale proceeds or a gift with a paper trail) and your source of wealth (how your overall wealth was accumulated). Preparing this properly at the outset prevents delays later, and it is something we coordinate as part of packaging the case.
Deposits, minimum income and restricted countries
Because lenders are taking on additional risk, the entry requirements are usually higher than for a UK-resident borrower. As a general guide, deposits often start around 25% and can be higher for more complex cases — the precise level varies with the lender, your country of residence, the currency of your income and the property itself. Some lenders also set minimum income thresholds, and some will not lend to applicants connected to particular countries. Applicants connected to sanctioned jurisdictions are excluded altogether. These are not fixed rules we can quote as universal numbers; they differ from lender to lender, which is precisely why matching the case to the right lender at the outset saves time and avoids unnecessary declines. As with any mortgage, your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on a loan secured on it, and you should weigh the costs and the exchange-rate risk before committing.
The private-bank route for high-net-worth clients
For high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth expat and foreign-national clients, private banks are often the most natural home for the lending — and this is where Propertyze's access edge is clearest. Private banks tend to be relationship-led and holistic: rather than scoring a single salary against a rigid affordability calculator, they look at the whole balance sheet, and lending is frequently linked to assets under management or a wider banking relationship. That flexibility can accommodate complex international income, multiple currencies, and bespoke structures that a mainstream lender would simply decline. Private banks do not advertise to the public and generally work through trusted introducers, so the introduction itself has value. We can present a well-prepared case into the private-bank market and manage the relationship from first conversation through to completion. Terms are individually negotiated and depend on the bank, the client and the overall relationship, so they cannot be quoted in advance.
Why a specialist broker helps
Three things make these cases hard, and a specialist addresses each. First, lender selection: only a minority of lenders engage with non-resident and foreign-national applicants, and their appetites shift with country, currency and visa type — knowing who fits before you apply protects your credit profile and your time. Second, packaging: underwriters for these cases want a clear, complete narrative — income evidenced and converted correctly, residency explained, source of funds and source of wealth documented up front — and a case presented this way moves faster and is far less likely to stall. Third, access: beyond the mainstream panel of more than 135 lenders, we can reach private banks that are not open to the public, which for HNW clients is often where the right answer sits. Our role is to find the lenders who will say yes and then make the strongest possible case to them.
Common complications we handle
- A British expat paid in US dollars, euros, dirhams or another foreign currency, where mainstream lenders discount the income heavily.
- A foreign national on a time-limited UK visa who has been told they need settled status, when in fact some lenders will still consider the case.
- A non-resident investor with a thin or absent UK credit file but strong overseas banking history.
- A self-employed or company-director applicant whose income is earned and taxed overseas.
- A high-net-worth client whose wealth and income span several countries and currencies and who needs a private-bank, relationship-led solution.
- A deposit that has come from overseas and needs a clear, documented source-of-funds and source-of-wealth trail.
- A buy-to-let purchase by a non-resident, where rental cover, currency and lender appetite all need to line up.
The process
- Initial conversation. We discuss your nationality and residency, where and how you are paid, the property, and your goals — and flag anything that will shape lender choice.
- Strategy and lender selection. We identify the lenders, and where relevant the private banks, whose criteria genuinely fit your circumstances, rather than testing your application against the wrong doors.
- Documentation and source-of-funds preparation. We help you assemble income evidence, residency and identity documents, and a clean source-of-funds and source-of-wealth trail before anything is submitted.
- Submission and underwriting. We package and present the case the way each lender's underwriters expect, and manage their questions through to a decision.
- Through to completion. We coordinate with valuers, solicitors and the lender, keeping the case moving until funds are released.
As a general guide, you should be ready to provide proof of identity and residency, evidence of income (often translated and currency-converted), bank statements, and documentation of where your deposit and wider wealth have come from. Timescales vary with the lender, the property, the conveyancing and the complexity of the international checks — cross-border cases can take longer than a standard UK application, and we will give you a realistic view once we know the details.
Frequently asked questions
Can an expat get a UK mortgage? Yes. British expats can borrow against UK property, though the pool of lenders is narrower and the criteria are stricter than for UK residents. The key is matching your circumstances to a lender that actively supports expat cases.
Do I need a UK credit history? Not necessarily. A thin or absent UK credit file is common for those who have lived abroad, and some lenders will work with overseas credit references and banking history instead. It does mean lenders look more closely at the rest of your profile.
Can foreign-currency income be used? Often, yes, but many lenders count only a proportion of foreign-currency income to allow for exchange-rate movement, and some prefer certain currencies. Which lender you approach makes a real difference to how much of your income counts.
What deposit will I need? As a general guide, deposits are frequently 25% or more, and some cases need more. The exact figure depends on the lender, your residency, the currency of your income and the property, so it is best assessed case by case.
Can a non-resident get a buy-to-let mortgage? Yes, a number of lenders consider buy-to-let lending for non-residents, subject to rental cover, deposit and country-of-residence criteria. Most buy-to-let mortgages are not regulated by the FCA.
What is source-of-funds evidence? It is documentation showing where your money comes from: source of funds is the origin of the deposit (for example salary, the sale of an asset, or a documented gift), while source of wealth is how your overall wealth was built. Lenders require this as part of enhanced anti-money-laundering checks, and preparing it early prevents delays.
Speak to a specialist
Whether you are a UK expat abroad, a foreign national buying here, or a non-resident investor, the right approach starts with finding the lenders who will genuinely consider your case — and for high-net-worth clients, that often means the private-bank market. Call 020 7126 8574 or request a call back, and we will reply within one working day.
Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on a mortgage secured on it.
Propertyze is a trading style of City Finance Brokers Ltd, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA No. 766295). We conduct both regulated and unregulated business, so not all products provided through us are regulated by the FCA; most buy-to-let mortgages, for example, are not regulated.