★ Specialist foreign national advice ★ Low deposit options ★ Visa & residency expertise ★ Whole-of-market advice
Foreign Nationals
Mortgages
Drummonds Finance Group
Not a British citizen? You can still get a UK mortgage, whether you are on a visa, have pre-settled status, work for an international organisation or are buying from overseas. We find the lenders that accept your situation before any credit search, for clients across the UK.
At Drummonds Finance Group, we compare mortgage options from across the market to find lenders that are comfortable with your nationality, residency status and visa circumstances.
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Can you get a mortgage on a visa?
Yes. Most visa types that allow you to live and work in the UK can lead to a mortgage, but lenders see some more favourably than others.
Skilled Worker (Tier 2) visa. The most common situation we handle. Lenders like a stable UK employer, and many accept you with 12 months or less of UK residency. See our Tier 2 and Skilled Worker visa mortgages page.
Health and Care Worker visa. Treated much like a Skilled Worker visa. NHS pay, banding and overtime add their own rules, covered on our NHS staff mortgages page.
Spouse or partner visa. Often easier if your partner is a British citizen and applies with you. Our spouse visa mortgages page explains how lenders assess it.
BN(O) visa. Many lenders now accept Hong Kong BN(O) visa holders, though most want some UK residency and a UK credit history first. Overseas income or savings from Hong Kong can usually be used for the deposit if they are well documented.
Global Talent and High Potential visas. Global Talent is generally viewed well because of its route to settlement. High Potential and Graduate visas are shorter, so fewer lenders will consider them, and a larger deposit helps.
Pre-settled and settled status. EU citizens with settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme are treated like UK citizens by most lenders. Pre-settled status opens a smaller pool of lenders, usually with a minimum residency period and a slightly larger deposit.
Indefinite leave to remain. With ILR you are normally treated the same as a British citizen. If you are still waiting for it, our guide on getting a mortgage without ILR explains your options.
Why Choose Drummonds for Remortgaging
✅Whole-of-Market Access
We can compare remortgage options across a wide range of lenders, not just the bank you are already with.
✅We specialise in foreign national mortgages
helping non-UK citizens and visa holders find suitable mortgage options.
✅Low deposit options
We explain your options in plain English so you understand the rates, fees and potential costs before making a decision.
✅Experience with different visa types
including Skilled Worker, spouse and other UK visa routes.
Specialist Mortgages
Not every mortgage fits a lender's computer model. Much of our work at Drummonds Finance Group is with clients who have been turned down elsewhere or told their case is too complicated. We work with clients across the UK by phone and video, and we know which lenders will look at each situation properly.
What is a foreign national mortgage?
A foreign national mortgage is not a separate product. It is a standard UK mortgage arranged for someone who is not a British citizen and does not hold indefinite leave to remain or settled status. Many UK residents on a visa get the same rates as British citizens once they meet the lender's residency and deposit rules.
What changes is the lender's criteria. Each lender sets its own rules on how long you have lived in the UK, how long is left on your visa, the deposit you need and sometimes your nationality, so the same application can be accepted by one lender and declined by another.
Can you get a UK mortgage as a non-resident?
Yes. Non-resident mortgages are a separate market from mortgages for foreign nationals living in the UK, with a smaller pool of lenders. Expect to need a deposit of at least 25%, documented and stable income, and a UK solicitor. Some lenders lend only on buy-to-let property to non-residents.
In England and Northern Ireland, non-resident buyers pay a 2% stamp duty surcharge on top of the normal rates, plus the second-home surcharge if you already own property anywhere in the world. If you are buying with a spouse or civil partner who is UK resident, the 2% usually does not apply, and you may be able to reclaim it if you spend 183 days or more in the UK in the year after you buy. Your solicitor will confirm the figures.
For investment purchases, see our buy-to-let mortgage advice and limited company buy-to-let pages.
What do lenders look for with foreign national mortgages?
Your visa and time remaining. Most lenders want to see at least 12 months left on your visa when you apply, and some want more. Lenders understand that visas are renewed, so a short visa does not always rule you out.
Your UK residency. Some lenders accept you from your first day in the UK, but most want at least 12 months, and some want two or three years. The longer you have lived here, the more lenders and rates are available.
Your UK credit history. Lenders rely on your UK credit file, so a strong overseas record does not carry over. Opening a UK bank account early, registering to vote where eligible and using a credit card lightly all help. If you have had problems since arriving, see our adverse credit mortgages page.
Your deposit. A bigger deposit widens your choice of lenders and lowers your rate. The table below shows typical starting points.
Your income. Sterling income from a UK employer is simplest. Income in euros, dollars or other currencies can be used by some lenders, who usually reduce it slightly to allow for exchange rate changes.
Your nationality. Some lenders have lists of countries they will not lend to, or only lend to with extra conditions. We check this at the start so you are not declined late in the process.
Can visa-exempt international staff get a UK mortgage?
This is one of our specialist areas, and one that most brokers rarely see. If you work for an international organisation under a headquarters agreement with the UK government, you may not hold a standard visa at all.
This includes staff at the European Space Agency on the Harwell Campus in Oxfordshire, the United Nations and its agencies, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the European Investment Bank and similar bodies. Your right to live in the UK is tied to your post; your salary may be paid from overseas, and it is often fully or partly exempt from UK income tax.
That combination of no standard visa, overseas income and tax-exempt pay does not fit most lenders' checklists. A small number of lenders understand these arrangements well, and the application succeeds when the employment and income are explained and documented properly from the start. We have arranged mortgages for international staff based at Harwell and elsewhere, and we know how to present these cases.
What mortgage options are available to foreign nationals?
Most of the same options as UK citizens, subject to each lender's criteria. If you are buying your first home, our first-time buyer mortgages page covers the routes available, and shared ownership is open to many visa holders who meet the residency rules.
If you are buying with a British partner or family member, some lenders will assess the case on standard terms, and a joint borrower sole proprietor mortgage lets a family member support your mortgage without being on the deeds. Professionals in strong roles can sometimes borrow at 5x or 6x income.
When your deal ends, you can remortgage or switch with your current lender, even if your visa has changed.
What documents do foreign nationals need for a mortgage?
Alongside the usual payslips, bank statements and proof of deposit, lenders usually ask for your passport, your visa or biometric residence permit, or a share code to prove your immigration status online, three years of address history and, for international staff, a letter from your employer confirming your status and pay. If your deposit comes from abroad, expect to show where the money came from.
How the foreign national mortgage process works
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We talk through your visa or status, residency, income, deposit and credit history.
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We identify the lenders that accept your nationality and situation, and rule out the ones that do not before any credit search.
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We get a mortgage in principle so you can make offers with confidence.
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We package your application with the right documents and explanations, and submit it to the chosen lender.
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We manage the case with the lender, valuer and your solicitor through to completion.
Foreign national mortgage broker in Oxfordshire and across the UK
Frequently asked questions
Author
Written by Liam Drummond CII (MP), owner and named mortgage broker at Drummonds Finance Group. Member of the Personal Finance Society, the Society of Mortgage Professionals and the Chartered Insurance Institute.
On this page, we have explained what a foreign national mortgage is, how lenders treat each visa type and residency status, and what they look for in an application. We have covered typical deposit requirements, mortgages for visa-exempt international staff, buying UK property from overseas, the mortgage options and documents you will need, and how we arrange your mortgage from start to finish.