Expat Buy to Let Mortgages
Living and working abroad does not stop you buying or remortgaging a UK rental property, but it does cut the lender list sharply. Most mainstream buy to let lenders require UK residency. A smaller group of specialist lenders will lend to British expats, each with its own rules on country of residence, UK credit history, income and currency. This page sets them out.
- The lenders that accept expat buy to let applications
- Country of residence rules and the lists that exclude you
- UK credit footprint, bank account and income requirements
- Maximum LTV, loan size and who refuses expats outright
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Share where you live, who you work for, how you are paid and the property you want to buy or remortgage. We will tell you which expat lenders fit, what evidence they will want and how the UK credit footprint test applies to you, with advice built around your circumstances rather than headline rates.
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Why most buy to let lenders will not lend to expats
The reasons are practical rather than personal. A lender needs to identify you, check your credit history, verify your income and, if things go wrong, pursue you. All four are harder when you live outside the UK. Several large buy to let lenders therefore publish a residency rule that excludes expats altogether. The Mortgage Works states it lends to UK residents only. Aldermore describes UK nationals who are not resident in the UK as unacceptable. Landbay says it does not currently accept expats. Fleet lists ex-pats among its exclusions. Zephyr, CHL and Hodge require three years' continuous UK residence, Paragon and Leeds Building Society two years.
The lenders that do lend to expats manage those risks with extra conditions instead. Almost all require an active UK credit footprint, a UK bank account for the direct debit and a UK correspondence address. Several require you to already own at least one UK buy to let. Most publish a list of countries they will not lend into, and a few publish a list of countries they will. Income is often tested at a higher threshold than for a UK resident, and foreign-currency income is usually converted at a discount. Our page on foreign currency income mortgages explains how each lender does it, and our expat mortgages page covers buying a UK home to live in.
If you are a foreign national living in the UK rather than a British national living abroad, you are not an expat for these purposes and the mainstream market is largely open to you, subject to visa and residency rules. The same applies if you are returning to the UK and will be resident on completion; our returning expat mortgages page covers that route.
Where you live is the first filter. Some lenders exclude a named list of countries, Vida publishes a list of around 130 countries it accepts, and Skipton International will not accept residents of Australia or the EU. The right lender for an expat in Dubai is not always the right lender for one in Singapore.
At a Glance
Expat buy to let lenders and their criteria
From each lender's own published criteria, checked 10 October 2026. Country lists change, and several lenders tell brokers to ask about any country not listed, so treat the country column as a guide rather than a final answer.
| Lender | Country of residence | UK credit and banking | Must already own a UK buy to let? | Minimum income | Max LTV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keystone | EEA and FATF countries, excluding the FATF black and grey lists | Active UK credit footprint. UK bank account and UK correspondence address. Must have paid or declared UK tax | Yes, at least one | £25,000 employed income, from a multinational employer or acceptable sovereign entity. Retired: £25,000 pension. Self-employed expats need two existing buy to lets | Standard table, to 80% |
| Foundation Lending | Not Australia or excluded countries such as Russia, Iran and Belarus. UAE residents subject to additional requirements. EU/EEA/Swiss residents need a UK power of attorney or to sign in the UK | UK credit footprint. UK bank account. Must be paying or have declared UK tax | Yes, at least one | No minimum published. Employed, self-employed and retired accepted | 75% on 5-year expat products to £1.5m. 70% on expat mixed use |
| LendInvest | Published restricted list of around 45 countries including Russia, Iran, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, Vietnam and Zambia | UK credit footprint from a UK address in the last 3 years, with current revolving credit. Rent and payments via a UK bank account | Not stated | Not stated. Proof of income may be required in English. UK nationals living abroad, retired accepted | 75% |
| Vida | Published list of around 130 acceptable countries for UK passport holders, including Australia, UAE, USA, Singapore, Hong Kong and India | Just one active UK credit account. UK bank account with direct debit facility. 3-year UK address history not required | Only for first-time landlord expats, who are capped at £500,000 | No minimum | 75% in all countries, loans to £2m. UK SPVs with an expat director accepted. HMOs and multi-unit blocks accepted. Min property value £150,000 outside the EEA |
| Skipton International | British expats and non-UK citizens. Does not accept residents of Australia or the EU, nor Chinese nationals in mainland China. Restricted country list applies | 12 months' clean statements on any other UK mortgage. 3 years' address history. UK postal address. UK bank account opened before applying | No | Employed £50,000 sole or £80,000 joint. Self-employed £75,000 or £100,000. Pension £50,000 or £80,000. Local currency accepted at equivalent value | 75% to £1.25m, stepping down to 50% above £4m. Loans to £5m |
| Suffolk Building Society | Most countries except UN-sanctioned ones | Not published | No | £25,000 or equivalent for at least one applicant. Any currency | 75% on the published expat product. Limited companies not accepted |
| Molo | Published acceptable list from Argentina and Australia through to Vietnam, excluding the Cayman Islands. Unlisted countries by referral | Clear credit history | No | Not stated | 80% on an ICR basis, 75% on full affordability. SPVs not accepted for expats |
| Together | Expats and non-UK residents accepted, including on consumer buy to let | Not published | No | Not published | Not published |
Refuse expats: The Mortgage Works, Aldermore, Landbay, Fleet, Paragon, Zephyr, CHL, Leeds Building Society, Hodge and Keystone's holiday let product. Precise publishes no expat criteria. The Molo expat guide is dated February 2024 and the Skipton International leaflet June 2025, so we check both directly before relying on them.
What an expat application has to get right
Keep a UK credit footprint alive. This is the single most common reason expat cases fail. LendInvest wants a footprint from a UK address within the last three years and current revolving credit. Vida needs only one active UK account. Keystone and Foundation Lending require an active footprint and evidence of UK tax. If you closed every UK card and account when you left, open or keep one before you need a mortgage, not after.
Own a UK buy to let already, for some lenders. Keystone and Foundation Lending will only lend to an expat who already has at least one UK rental. Vida applies that rule only to first-time landlords. Skipton International, Suffolk Building Society, Molo and LendInvest publish no such requirement, which makes them the starting point for an expat buying a first rental.
Income and currency. Skipton International publishes the highest floors: £50,000 for a sole employed applicant, £75,000 if self-employed, with local currency accepted at equivalent value. Keystone wants £25,000 from a multinational or sovereign employer. Suffolk Building Society accepts £25,000 or equivalent in any currency. Expect foreign income to be converted and, at some lenders, discounted for exchange-rate risk.
Documents and signing. Identification is usually certified by a notary, lawyer or embassy official in your country of residence. Foundation Lending requires EU, EEA and Swiss residents to hold a UK power of attorney or execute the mortgage deed in the UK. Build time into the process for couriering originals.
Company purchases. Vida accepts a UK SPV where at least one director or shareholder is an expat. Molo does not accept SPVs on its expat range. Suffolk Building Society does not lend to companies at all. If you want to buy through a limited company for tax reasons, the lender list narrows again, and our limited company buy to let lender guide covers the company-side criteria.
Rental cover. The rent is tested on the same interest cover basis as for a UK landlord. Skipton International tests most products at 110 per cent of a notional rate it currently publishes as 7.24 per cent, which is higher than the UK norm. Our rental stress tests and ICR page has the full table.
An expat case is won or lost on paperwork: a live UK credit record, a UK bank account, certified ID and clean evidence of foreign income in English. With those in place, 75 per cent LTV is achievable with several lenders.
Where to go next
The pages most often read alongside this one.
Rental stress tests and ICR
How the rent is tested, including Skipton International’s 7.24% notional rate.
How we place an expat buy to let mortgage
Time zones and couriers add friction. We plan the application so nothing is sent twice.
Confirm eligibility
Country of residence, employer, currency, UK credit footprint and whether you already own a UK rental.
Match the lender
We filter by country list first, then by ownership, income and property type, and compare what remains.
Test the rent
Interest cover at the lender’s stress rate, with foreign income converted the way the lender will convert it.
Certify and collect
Certified ID, income evidence in English, UK bank statements and the deposit trail, gathered once and in the right form.
Submit and manage to offer
We liaise with the lender, valuer and solicitor across time zones so the case keeps moving while you work.
Read more for landlords
Related pages for an expat investor.
Second home stamp duty
The surcharge on additional property, and the non-resident surcharge on top.
Living abroad and investing in UK property?
Tell us where you are, how you are paid and what you want to buy. We will come back with the expat lenders that fit and exactly what they will ask for.
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Expat Buy to Let Mortgages: Frequently Asked Questions
Can a British expat get a UK buy to let mortgage?
Yes, from a specialist group of lenders. Keystone, Foundation Lending, LendInvest, Vida, Skipton International, Suffolk Building Society, Molo and Together all publish expat buy to let criteria. The Mortgage Works, Aldermore, Landbay, Fleet, Paragon, Zephyr, CHL, Leeds Building Society and Hodge do not lend to non-UK residents.
Which countries can I live in and still get an expat buy to let mortgage?
It depends on the lender. Keystone accepts EEA and FATF countries outside the FATF black and grey lists. Foundation Lending excludes Australia and sanctioned countries. LendInvest publishes a restricted list of around 45 countries. Vida publishes a list of around 130 acceptable countries. Skipton International does not accept residents of Australia or the EU. Molo publishes an acceptable list and refers anything else.
Do I need a UK credit history to get an expat mortgage?
Almost always. LendInvest wants a UK credit footprint from a UK address within the last three years plus current revolving credit. Keystone and Foundation Lending require an active UK footprint. Vida asks for just one active UK credit account. Skipton International has no score threshold but wants three years’ address history and clean conduct on any UK mortgage.
Do I need a UK bank account?
Yes at every lender that publishes a position. Keystone, Foundation Lending, Vida and Skipton International require one, and Skipton International wants it opened before you apply. LendInvest requires rent and mortgage payments to flow through a UK account.
Do I need to already own a UK buy to let?
At Keystone and Foundation Lending, yes, at least one. Vida applies that only to first-time landlord expats, who are also capped at £500,000. Skipton International, LendInvest, Suffolk Building Society and Molo publish no such requirement.
What is the maximum LTV for an expat buy to let?
75 per cent at most expat lenders, including Foundation Lending, LendInvest, Vida, Skipton International and Suffolk Building Society. Molo publishes 80 per cent on an interest cover basis and Keystone’s standard table runs to 80 per cent. Skipton International steps down from 75 per cent above £1.25m to 50 per cent above £4m.
Is there a minimum income for expat buy to let?
Skipton International publishes the highest: £50,000 employed or £75,000 self-employed for a sole applicant, with joint thresholds of £80,000 and £100,000. Keystone wants £25,000 from a multinational or sovereign employer. Suffolk Building Society wants £25,000 or equivalent. Foundation Lending and Vida publish no minimum.
Can I be paid in a foreign currency?
Yes. Skipton International accepts local currency at equivalent value and Suffolk Building Society accepts any currency. Other lenders convert foreign income to sterling and may apply a discount for exchange-rate risk. Proof of income is generally required in English.
Can an expat buy through a limited company?
With some lenders. Vida accepts UK SPVs where at least one director or shareholder is an expat. Keystone and Foundation Lending lend to companies generally, subject to their expat rules on the directors. Molo does not accept SPVs on its expat range and Suffolk Building Society does not lend to companies at all.
Can an expat remortgage an existing UK buy to let?
Yes. Skipton International covers purchases, remortgages and further advances. The same residency, credit footprint and income rules apply as for a purchase. If your current lender has an expat exclusion you may find you cannot switch products with them, which makes a remortgage to an expat lender the usual route.
Written and reviewed by Osman Emin, CeMAP, mortgage and protection adviser · FCA register OCE01003 · Updated YOUR HOME OR PROPERTY MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON YOUR MORTGAGE. MOST BUY TO LET MORTGAGES ARE NOT REGULATED BY THE FINANCIAL CONDUCT AUTHORITY.