Non-residents in Scandinavia: German property finance for buyers in Norway, Sweden and Denmark
Sweden, Denmark and Norway are three legally different starting points, not one uniform case, and that decides which bank applies at all. Income is typically paid in DKK, SEK or NOK, and some lenders do not accept income in kroner.
Which banks finance tax non-residents in Scandinavia?
For tax non-residents in Scandinavia only some banks apply, depending on the country: Sweden, Denmark and Norway are three different starting points. Some lenders do not accept income in kroner, others convert it into euros with a safety discount. Finland drops out because it uses the euro. The order is: settle the lender first, then do the sums.
Is it the country or the currency that decides which banks lend in Scandinavia?
For tax non-residents in Scandinavia, country and currency decide which banks lend.
Scandinavia: how many of the 650+ banks come into question?
The right bank is what matters: for non-residents for tax purposes living in Scandinavia, out of more than 650 banks a pool of 6 to 10 institutions with experience in international business remains. We present your case in a targeted way.
We broker independently (Olga Nikushkina, § 34i GewO) and present your case in a targeted way — free of charge, the commission is usually paid by the bank; what makes the difference is the right bank, not the sheer number. Which banks finance non-residents for tax purposes?.
DKK, SEK or NOK income: does the same rule apply across Scandinavia?
No — Sweden, Denmark and Norway are three different starting positions.
Some banks do not accept foreign-currency income — others do. This helps decide which bank comes into question at all. Foreign-currency income: which bank counts it for a mortgage.
What matters if you live in Scandinavia? Income is typically paid in DKK, SEK or NOK — details on the full constellation (loan-to-value, documents, currency discount) are on Residence Scandinavia — all topics.
What role does the combination of country of residence and currency play? What matters is the combination of country of residence and currency: Sweden, Denmark and Norway are three different starting points, and income in kroner is converted into euros with a safety discount.
Income typically arrives in DKK, SEK or NOK. Details on the whole situation (loan-to-value, documents, foreign-currency discount) are on Residence in Scandinavia — all topics.
Why are there three different starting points?
Sweden (SEK) and Denmark (DKK) are EU Member States with foreign-currency income subject to a safety discount; Norway (NOK), as an EEA country, is classified differently.
Sweden (SEK): EU member. Foreign currency income subject to a deduction; a more limited range of banks. Denmark (DKK): Same as Sweden — the krone’s peg to the euro does not alter the legal classification. Norway (NOK): Not an EU Member State, but part of the EEA — different classification, to be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
Frequently asked questions
Which banks finance tax non-residents living in Scandinavia?
Of the 650+ banks in reach, tax non-residents generally have a circle of 6 to 10 institutions with international experience. Sweden, Denmark and Norway are three legally different starting points, not one uniform case — that decides which bank applies at all.
What currency is my income paid in?
Typically DKK, SEK or NOK. Banks convert foreign-currency income into euros with a safety discount — details on the full constellation (loan-to-value, documents, currency discount) are on Residence Scandinavia — all topics.
How much does the agency charge for non-residents for tax purposes who live in Scandinavia?
We act as independent intermediaries and deal with your case on a case-by-case basis. This service is free of charge to you; the commission is usually paid by the bank.
Is Finland treated like Sweden, Denmark and Norway for tax non-residents financing German property?
Finland drops out because it uses the euro. Sweden, Denmark and Norway are three legally different starting points, and income there is typically paid in DKK, SEK or NOK.
Discuss your case
Non-binding initial consultation free of charge — as a rule the bank pays our fee.
Related pages
Calculate your budget
How much property is realistically financeable with your equity and income?
KfW funding
Usually excluded for a pure investment property from abroad — returning for owner-occupation often opens up regular KfW programmes.
State funding by federal state
Almost every federal state has its own development bank, often combinable with KfW.
Editorially responsible: Olga Nikushkina — owner, §34i GewO (German mortgage brokerage), adviser register D-W-132-ZUCB-95. Specialised in German property financing with an international dimension: non-residents, foreign-currency income, cross-border workers, expats. Siegfried Perini is entered in the German intermediary register under this licence as a person directly involved in brokerage and advice (§ 11a GewO), active in real estate since 1992. Not legal or tax advice.
