UK mortgages for Hong Kong residents and BNO visa holders

Yes. Hong Kong residents — whether buying from Hong Kong or relocating to the UK under the BNO pathway — can access UK mortgage products through specialist lenders. Key points:

• BNO visa holders: British National (Overseas) visa holders are assessed on the basis of their UK immigration status, length of residence and overall financial profile. BNO holders who have been in the UK for 12+ months with stable income are treated similarly to pre-settled-status applicants by many specialist lenders. Those still based in Hong Kong are assessed as international buyers.
• Minimum deposit: typically 25% for a non-resident purchase. BNO holders resident in the UK with a strong profile may access higher LTV products — sometimes as low as 10% deposit — subject to lender and residency criteria.
• HKD income: Hong Kong dollar salary, bonus and business income is accepted. Lenders apply a conversion to sterling; we work with those whose conversion methodology does not unfairly reduce the assessed income.
• No UK credit history: the large majority of Hong Kong-based applicants have no UK credit footprint. This is the norm for this profile and does not prevent borrowing — specialist lender selection and the overall financial picture are what determine eligibility.
• Source of funds: deposits held in Hong Kong bank accounts — HSBC HK, Hang Seng, Bank of China HK, Citibank HK — are accepted with three to six months of statements evidencing the funds and their origin.
• Advice process: conducted remotely by phone, video call or WhatsApp — no requirement to travel to the UK.

Hong Kong is consistently one of the most active buyer groups in the London property market. We arrange UK mortgages for Hong Kong-based and BNO clients regularly and understand the specific requirements from the first conversation.

The BNO visa was introduced in 2021 and gives Hong Kong British National (Overseas) citizens and their eligible family members the right to live, work and study in the UK for five years, with a route to settled status after five years of continuous residence. For mortgage purposes, BNO visa holders are assessed differently by different lenders:

Some lenders treat BNO holders the same as other pre-settled-status applicants and offer broadly similar products. Others apply more conservative criteria — higher deposits, more income evidence or shorter maximum mortgage terms — in the early stages of the visa. Choosing the right lender from the outset is the most important step.

Lockhart Murphy is UK-based and regulated for UK mortgage business. We are not licensed or regulated in Hong Kong. This page does not constitute advice on Hong Kong law, tax or immigration matters.