Mortgages · Foreign Nationals

UK mortgages for foreign nationals.

Your visa, residency status and income currency all affect which lenders will consider your application and on what terms. This cluster of guides covers the most common situations — find yours below, or speak to an adviser directly.

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Can I get a UK mortgage without Indefinite Leave to Remain?

Yes. Many high-street lenders require ILR or a 25% deposit for foreign national applicants, but specialist lenders offer mortgages at up to 90% LTV (10% deposit) for visa holders who meet their specific criteria. Eligibility depends on visa type, income level, time remaining on the visa and overall financial profile. Key thresholds:

Skilled Worker Visa: Up to 90% LTV available for earners above c.£75,000 with 12–24 months remaining on the visa, depending on the lender. Lower income applicants typically need a 25% deposit.
Health & Care Visa: Assessed similarly to Skilled Worker — NHS and private healthcare professionals with a confirmed employer and 12+ months remaining on the visa can access higher LTV products.
Spouse Visa (sole application): Typically 25% deposit minimum. Joint applications where the primary applicant holds ILR or is a British national may access standard deposit tiers.
Pre-Settled Status: Specialist lenders assess pre-settled status applicants similarly to ILR holders for strong financial profiles. Deposit requirements vary from 5–25% depending on lender.
Settled Status: Treated equivalently to ILR by most lenders — standard deposit requirements apply.
No ILR / any visa: The critical factors are: how much time remains on the visa (minimum 12 months at application for most lenders), income stability and amount, UK credit history, and deposit size.

Your situation

Skilled Worker VisaThe most common route for working professionals — how remaining visa time, sponsor licence and salary interact with lender criteria.Read the guide Health and Care VisaNHS and private healthcare workers on the Health and Care route, including those arriving with no UK credit history.Read the guide Pre-Settled StatusEU, EEA and Swiss nationals with pre-settled status under the EUSS — which lenders will consider your case and what they require.Read the guide Settled StatusFull settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme — the strongest position for EU nationals and broadly equivalent to ILR.Read the guide Mortgages Without ILRApplying for a UK mortgage when you do not yet have indefinite leave to remain — what's possible, what changes and what lenders look at instead.Read the guide Overseas IncomeIncome earned outside the UK — how lenders assess it, what evidence they need and what haircuts typically apply.Read the guide Foreign Currency IncomeIncome paid in USD, EUR, AED or another non-GBP currency — exchange rate risk, lender haircuts and what makes a stronger case.Read the guide EU Citizens in the UKThe post-Brexit landscape for EU, EEA and Swiss nationals — settlement scheme status and how it affects lender choice.Read the guide Returning ExpatsBritish nationals and long-term UK residents returning from abroad — re-establishing credit history and what lenders look for.Read the guide Spouse VisaSole and joint applications where one partner holds a Spouse Visa — how lenders assess limited leave to remain alongside a British national or ILR-holding applicant.Read the guide Graduate VisaThe unsponsored post-study route — how lenders assess Graduate visa holders differently from Skilled Worker applicants, and what deposit and employment criteria apply.Read the guide Youth Mobility VisaAustralians, Canadians, New Zealanders and other nationals on the Youth Mobility route — deposit requirements, employment criteria and the Skilled Worker transition advantage.Read the guide

Foreign national mortgage eligibility — at a glance

ILR required: No — specialist lenders consider visa holders without ILR; mainstream high-street lenders typically require ILR or settled status
Maximum LTV: Up to 90% (10% deposit) for Skilled Worker visa holders on high salaries; typically 75–85% for other visa types without ILR
Minimum visa remaining: At least 12 months at application; most lenders prefer 24+ months — a clear ILR pathway strengthens any case
Overseas income: Accepted by specialist lenders; non-GBP income converted to sterling with a lender-specific haircut (typically 15–25%)
UK credit history: Not always required — specialist lenders assess overseas employment and residency; thin UK credit is manageable with strong income
Visa routes accepted: Skilled Worker, Health & Care, Spouse, Graduate, Youth Mobility, Pre-Settled Status, Settled Status — all considered by specialist lenders

Criteria at time of review, September 2026. Individual lender criteria vary and may change without notice.

Why foreign national mortgages need a specialist approach

Standard UK mortgage products are built around applicants with an established UK address history, UK employment, income paid in sterling and an indefinite right to remain. Foreign nationals fall outside that template in one or more of these areas, and the result is that the mainstream lender panel — which represents the majority of mortgage products on the market — either cannot accept the application at all or applies significantly more restrictive criteria.

That does not mean a mortgage is unavailable. A specialist panel of lenders has built its criteria specifically around these cases, and the terms available through them are often better than applicants assume — particularly where visa status is secure, income is strong and a reasonable deposit is available.

The three factors that matter most in any foreign national mortgage case are: immigration status (what you have, how long it has remaining, what comes next), income currency and source (how lenders assess income not paid in sterling or earned outside the UK), and UK credit footprint (how long you have been in the UK and whether you have built up a traceable credit history here). Getting these three assessed accurately at the outset — rather than after an unnecessary declined application — is the main reason a specialist adviser makes a material difference to this type of case.

If you are buying UK property from overseas — not as a UK resident — our Lockhart Murphy International service covers non-resident buyers, including dedicated guidance for buyers based in the Middle East, the Gulf region and major international markets.

Murphy — ask about foreign national mortgages

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Not sure which situation applies to you?

Murphy can help you work out which lenders are likely to consider your case before you speak to an adviser — based on your visa, residency and income.

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