Expat Mortgages
An expat mortgage lets a British national living and working abroad buy or remortgage a property in the UK, whether that is a home for the family, a base for visits and an eventual return, or a buy to let. Most high street lenders will not lend to non-residents, so the market is made up of building societies and specialist lenders, each with its own list of acceptable countries and currencies.
- Residential and buy to let expat mortgages compared
- Which countries and currencies lenders accept
- LTV, income and loan limits at the main expat lenders
- The non-resident stamp duty surcharge
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Tell Us Where You Live and What You Want to Buy
Share your country of residence, your employer and income currency, the property and whether it is for family, for your own return or to let. We will tell you which expat lenders accept your country and currency and what you can borrow, with advice built around your circumstances rather than headline rates.
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What an expat mortgage covers
Residential. A UK home bought while you live abroad, typically for your family to live in, for your own use on visits, or ready for your return. Tipton & Coseley Building Society allows close family members who are not on the mortgage to live in the property. Family Building Society lends to UK nationals working abroad whose families remain in the UK.
Buy to let. A UK property let to tenants while you live abroad. It is assessed mainly on the rent, and our expat buy to let mortgages page compares those lenders in detail.
Remortgage. Switching the mortgage on a UK property you already own after moving abroad. If you moved out of a home and now let it, the lender needs to know, because a residential mortgage on a let property usually needs consent to let or a switch to buy to let.
Expat lending is not the same as lending to foreign nationals living in the UK. Expats are usually British nationals; the question is where they live and how they are paid, not their immigration status.
Your country of residence is the first filter. Lenders keep lists of acceptable countries, and a country missing from a list rules that lender out regardless of income.
At a Glance
Residential expat lenders compared
From each lender’s own criteria pages and announcements, checked 11 October 2026.
| Lender | Countries and currencies | Lending limits |
|---|---|---|
| Tipton & Coseley BS | Applicants in FATF-approved countries. Affordability assessed in around 20 currencies, entered in local currency | Up to 90% to £750,000, 85% to £1m, 80% to £1.5m, subject to product availability. Capped at 5 times income once converted. No minimum income. Foreign self-employed income and foreign pensions excluded |
| Darlington BS | Up to 16 currencies, one per application | Residential up to 90%, buy to let up to 80%. Income converted at XE.com rates then reduced by 20%. Up to 6 times income, no minimum income |
| Family BS | A published list of over 40 countries directly, more through packagers | Residential and buy to let, including interest-only subject to conditions. Maximum LTV set by its LTV scale |
| HSBC | UK citizens living overseas in an approved country | Overseas criteria and international product rates apply |
Most mainstream lenders exclude non-UK residents. Lenders regulated in the Channel Islands, such as Skipton International, lend to expats on buy to let outside the UK mortgage rules.
Costs and rules that catch expats out
Stamp duty. If you have not been in the UK for at least 183 days in the 12 months before buying, a 2% non-resident surcharge applies on top of the normal rates, and on top of the additional property surcharge if you already own a home. Our stamp duty guide explains the residence test and the refund if you return within the following year.
Currency risk. If you earn in one currency and repay in sterling, exchange rate movements change what the mortgage costs you. UK rules treat this as a foreign currency loan, which is why fewer lenders offer it; our page on foreign currency income mortgages explains what that means.
UK bank account. Lenders usually require one for the monthly payments, and for buy to let it is often the account that receives the rent.
Credit file. UK credit files go thin while you are away. Keeping a UK account and card active helps when you remortgage or return.
Coming home. If you plan to move back, our returning expat mortgages page covers buying before or just after you return.
Expat mortgages tend to cost more than the best UK resident rates. The real saving is in finding a lender that accepts your country and currency first time, before fees and valuation costs are spent.
Where to go next
The pages most often read alongside this one.
How we arrange an expat mortgage
Country and currency come first, then rate.
Check country and currency
Where you live, how you are paid and whether lenders accept both.
Convert your income
As each lender would, including any reduction for currency risk.
Shortlist the lenders
Residential or buy to let, on total cost.
Prepare the evidence
Overseas payslips, contract, bank statements and ID, translated where needed.
Offer and completion
We manage the case remotely, across time zones, to completion.
Read more before you buy
Related pages for buyers abroad.
Living abroad and buying in the UK?
Tell us your country, currency and plans. We will find the lenders that accept them.
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Expat Mortgages: Frequently Asked Questions
What is an expat mortgage?
A mortgage on a UK property for a British national who lives and works abroad. It can be residential, for family or your own return, or buy to let.
Can I get a residential mortgage while living abroad?
Yes, from specialist lenders and building societies. Tipton & Coseley, Darlington and Family Building Society all publish residential expat criteria, and HSBC lends to UK citizens in approved countries.
How much deposit do I need for an expat mortgage?
Often 10% to 25%. Tipton & Coseley goes to 90% on loans up to £750,000 and Darlington to 90% on residential, subject to product availability and your circumstances.
Can I use income paid in a foreign currency?
Yes at expat lenders. They convert it to sterling and often reduce it. Darlington, for example, applies a 20% reduction after conversion.
Which countries do expat lenders accept?
Each lender keeps its own list. Family Building Society lists over 40 countries directly, and Tipton & Coseley accepts applicants in FATF-approved countries.
Do expats pay more stamp duty?
Usually. If you have not been in the UK for at least 183 days in the 12 months before buying, a 2% non-resident surcharge applies, on top of any additional property surcharge.
Can my family live in the house while I am abroad?
At some lenders. Tipton & Coseley allows close family members who are not on the mortgage to occupy the property.
Can I remortgage my UK home after moving abroad?
Yes, with an expat lender. If you now let the property, you need consent to let or a buy to let mortgage rather than a residential remortgage.
Are expat mortgage rates higher?
Usually somewhat higher than the best resident rates, because fewer lenders compete. The bigger cost risk is applying to a lender that does not accept your country or currency.
Can I get interest-only as an expat?
Sometimes. Tipton & Coseley offers interest-only to expats up to 75% LTV, and Family Building Society offers it subject to conditions.
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.