A residence permit Germany issues — temporary or settlement — is one of the first things a bank looks at. How long it runs, and whether it can be extended, decides more about your mortgage than your salary does.
Your residence permit in Germany decides the circle of lenders, not whether financing is possible at all. Easiest is an EU passport, followed by the settlement permit as an unlimited title; almost every lender treats both like a domestic file. With time-limited permits the choice narrows, and banks also assess the realistic path to permanent residence.
A residence permit in Germany decides the circle of lenders, not whether financing is possible.
Does my residence permit decide the mortgage? How long the permit runs, and whether it can be extended, decides more than your salary. A settlement permit is the best status; a fixed-term permit is financeable through around 6 to 10 banks with good credit. The process step by step.
With an EU Blue Card: the purchase costs of 8–15 % from your own funds, with good creditworthiness (6 to 10 banks).
With other fixed-term permits: up to 40 % equity depending on the case.
With an EU passport and German residence or a settlement permit, practically all banks finance with equity like a German citizen. With an EU Blue Card it is around 6 to 10 banks.
Equity up to 40 % depending on the case, bank and remaining term. The remaining term has to fit.
EU long-term residence (Practically all banks): Equity like a German citizen. Permanent, valid EU-wide.
Guide values. Actual terms depend on the bank, creditworthiness and property.
Banks assess not only your current status but also the realistic path to consolidation:
EU Blue Card → settlement permit: 27 months, or 21 months with German at B1 level (§18c para. 2 AufenthG) — very predictable, which banks like; Residence permit §18a/§18b → settlement permit: usually after 4 years, easier with a German university degree; EU long-term residence: after 5 years of legal residence in the EU member state.
We help you document your residence status and planned path in a bank-compliant way — that strengthens the application.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Purchase price | €580,000 |
| Equity | €160,000 (28 %) |
| Bank loan | €420,000 |
| Residence status | Settlement permit — permanent |
| Income | EUR — self-employed for 5 yrs |
| Example rate | 4.2 % |
| Monthly payment | ~€2,165 |
Model calculation, without guarantee.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Purchase price | €295,000 |
| Equity | €80,000 (27 %) |
| Bank loan | €215,000 |
| Residence status | Fixed-term 3 yrs — renewable |
| Employer | Reputable German company |
| Example rate | 4.0 % |
| Monthly payment | ~€1,175 |
Model calculation, without guarantee. Path to settlement permit assessed.
Model calculations without guarantee. Not binding offers. Terms vary depending on credit profile, property and bank. No tax or legal advice.
No single bank is the most trusted. Check the rating, the deposit protection scheme and size of the bank; a loan stays in force even if a bank fails. Status 2026, source: general professional information; to be checked with the lender in each case.
The main categories: Settlement permit (permanent, easiest bank access) EU long-term residence permit (permanent, similar) EU Blue Card (fixed-term, 4 years, a narrower pool of banks) Fixed-term residence permit under §16/§18/§19 (fewer lenders, equity up to 40 % depending on the case, some banks ask for more) Research residence §20 (case by case) EU citizens need no residence permit — freedom of movement applies.
Yes, but with restrictions. Banks want to see up to 40 % equity depending on the case, plus incidental costs — depending on the bank and the remaining term of the permit; some banks ask for more with a fixed-term status.
The remaining term of the permit should be clearly longer than the fixed-interest period — otherwise most banks want the renewal written into the contract as a condition. With good creditworthiness and a stable employment relationship, a small circle of banks actively finances this.
With the settlement permit (permanent) or the EU long-term residence. Both are permanent and give you practically the same bank options as a German citizen. The routes there usually take 21–60 months depending on status and language level.
Free, non-binding initial consultation — the commission is, as a rule, paid by the bank. we check 650+ banks plus all state development programmes for your situation.
International mortgage broker under § 34i GewO: German property finance for expats, Germans abroad and cross-border workers, in four languages.
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.