Tax non-resident · Australia · New Zealand · AUD/NZD

Moving to Germany from Australia — Buy a House

Planning to buy a house in Germany from Australia or New Zealand? Setting up the mortgage twelve time zones away works — but in a different order than from Europe. No conversion right, but foreign currency, power of attorney and apostille. Moving to Germany from the UK changes some of the paperwork, not the fundamentals of financing.

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Can I get a German mortgage while living in Australia or New Zealand?

Yes, the constellation is financeable — but it takes more preparation than a European residence. Australia and New Zealand are not EU member states. The conversion right under §503 BGB, which applies to EU countries outside the euro, therefore plays no role here — a structural advantage over a Swedish or Danish residence. Distance is what complicates matters: income in AUD or NZD is foreign currency, documents must be presented in a form German banks can read, and the notary appointment almost always runs via power of attorney. Both countries are parties to the Hague Apostille Convention, so certification is a regulated route rather than a special case. Which bank comes into question is decided by income type, equity and property — not by the country of residence alone.

Starting point

Why distance is not the main problem

The biggest worry is usually the wrong one. Distance does not decide the financing; three structural points do — and two of them fall in your favour.

First: Australia and New Zealand are not EU member states. The conversion right under §503 BGB, which applies to EU countries outside the euro and noticeably narrows the pool of lenders there, plays no role here. Against a Swedish or Danish residence that is a structural advantage.

Second: Both countries are parties to the Hague Apostille Convention. Certification therefore follows a regulated route familiar to German banks and notaries — no legalisation through embassies, no special case.

Third, and this is the actual point: your income in AUD or NZD is foreign currency. Banks do not credit it one to one but apply a safety discount to the converted euro figure. How large that discount is varies considerably between institutions — and that is exactly where the right bank for you is decided.

Process

The notary appointment — the question everyone asks

You generally do not need to travel to Germany for the purchase. The notarisation runs via a power of attorney, certified locally and provided with an apostille. That is the standard route, not a workaround.

What takes time is not the appointment but the sequence before it: financing commitment, wording of the power of attorney from the German notary, local certification, apostille, postal transit. Anyone who starts this chain only after finding a property loses weeks — and in a competitive market the property with them. This is why we settle the financing side before you bid.

Points

What we clarify in the first conversation

Type of income: employed, self-employed or mixed — this shapes the pool of lenders more than the amount does.
Currency and discount: which institutions apply which discount to AUD or NZD.
Equity and transfer route: where it sits, how it reaches Germany, whether the route is provable.
Use: owner-occupation after return or investment — this changes both lenders and eligibility for subsidies.
Intention to return: a fixed date widens the possibilities noticeably.
Form of documents: what needs translating, what needs an apostille, in which order.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a German bank account?

Advisable, though not always mandatory. Many banks insist on an account for the direct debit of the instalment. Which institutions accept alternatives is something we clarify upfront — it is one of the points where applications otherwise fail late.

Do I have to fly to Germany for the notarisation?

Usually not. The purchase runs via a power of attorney certified locally and provided with an apostille. What matters is allowing for the lead time — certification, apostille and postal transit all take time.

Is my AUD or NZD salary credited in full?

No, foreign-currency income is assessed with a safety discount. How large it is differs markedly between banks, which is why targeted selection beats approaching your existing bank.

Does the conversion right under §503 BGB apply to me?

No. It attaches to EU member states outside the euro. Australia and New Zealand are not EU members, so this point falls away — which tends to widen rather than narrow the pool of lenders.

I plan to return to Germany — does that help?

Yes, usually considerably. Buying for later owner-occupation with a foreseeable return date makes you financeable for more banks than a pure overseas investment purchase.

Other countries of residence