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. 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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In short

Do I have to fly to Germany for the notary appointment?

Usually not. The notarisation runs via a power of attorney, certified locally and provided with an apostille — that is the standard route, not a workaround.

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. Some lenders do not accept foreign-currency income — others do. Distance adds to that: 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 sit outside the EU. Whether a bank finances from there is decided by its internal country list, not by the distance — and several institutions handle both countries routinely. 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.

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.

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