Non resident mortgage in Germany with foreign income: which banks lend to buyers abroad?
A mortgage for non-residents in Germany: what limited tax liability means for your application and which banks lend in this situation. A home loan for non-residents is available — the requirements differ, not the possibility. Where the income carries it, up to 100 % of the lending value is within reach — foreign-currency salaries included. With a residence abroad, incidental purchase costs come from own funds.
Can I get a non-resident mortgage in Germany?
Yes, a non-resident mortgage in Germany is available, but not at every bank. Non-residents for tax, foreign-currency earners, cross-border commuters, expats and Germans abroad all fall outside a branch's standard grid. What decides it is whether the lending bank underwrites such cases and reads the evidence correctly. That is exactly the work: knowing the lenders that finance foreign-linked cases.
What decides which bank takes on a non-resident mortgage?
Your country of residence decides which bank takes the case, not the range of 60–100 % of the lending value. We know the banks whose lending rules cover residence and tax liability abroad.
up to 100 % of the lending value, if income carries it; almost any income currency; §34i Licensed adviser; 89 Published case reports.
For a non-resident mortgage, your country of residence decides which bank takes the case.
How much can a non-resident borrow for a German property? 60–100 % of the lending value, depending on income type and creditworthiness — the country of residence decides which banks take the case, not the range; the bank's valuation, not the purchase price, is the basis.
The top of the range requires correspondingly strong income — foreign-currency income included; incidental purchase costs come from own funds where the borrower lives abroad. 'As a non-resident you'll get 50 to 60 percent' is one branch's number, not the market's. Foreign-currency income and the banks that accept it.
What documents does the bank want — and how long does it take? Verifiable income, employment contract, recent payslips or annual accounts, bank statements showing salary receipts, proof of residence abroad — plus certified translations where the bank requires them.
Your passport or ID should still be valid for at least six months.
With complete documents a commitment usually takes 3 to 10 working days; what extends it is documents from abroad, source of funds, foreign currency or self-employment — not the foreign link as such. Foreign-currency income and the banks that accept it.
Who arranges this? Perini Finance & Property — licensed under §34i GewO, 650+ banks compared, we know the banks whose lending rules cover residence and tax liability abroad — non-residents, Germans abroad and cross-border commuters. First consultation free, the fee is, as a rule, paid by the bank; advice in English, German or Russian. A 'no' has three reasons: creditworthiness, equity – or the bank's lending rules. Nobody moves the first two. The third is our field. Cross-border commuters.
40 currencies — all but the rouble
CHF · USD · GBP · AED · SAR · QAR · KWD · BHD · OMR · ILS · TRY · SGD · HKD · CNY · JPY · KRW · TWD · THB · MYR · IDR · INR · AUD · NZD · CAD · MXN · BRL · CLP · SEK · NOK · DKK · ISK · PLN · CZK · HUF · RON · BGN · ZAR · MAD · EGP · UAH
The rouble is the only exception. The bank converts into euro and takes a discount of 10–50 %, depending on currency and type of income — Swiss cross-border commuters included.
Which bank takes the case is decided by the country of residence, not by the loan-to-value of 60–100 %.
No German needed — we talk in English, Russian, Spanish or French.
When you are not taxable in Germany: No German pay slip, no German tax assessment, often no SCHUFA score — and still a sound German property in view. For non-residents the decisive question is not creditworthiness but which bank accepts this form of proof at all.
When the income doesn't fit the form: Foreign currency, a genuine loan-to-value that branch staff often get wrong, real cases from the day-to-day desk: the figures add up, only the form doesn't. Here it matters which bank checks actual affordability instead of just the box on the form.
The real loan-to-value for non-residents (Loan-to-value): “As a non-resident you get 50 to 60 percent” — not true. What the loan-to-value actually depends on and where the higher tranches begin.
Avoid your house bank? The common mistakes when you live abroad
Don’t avoid it, but don’t ask it first: most house banks do not finance borrowers living abroad — starting there collects rejections that say nothing about your creditworthiness. Most failed applications fail not on the case itself but on the order of steps.
- House bank or online comparison first: neither reflects a residence abroad or income in a foreign currency — the rate shown often does not apply to you at all.
- Foreign income counted without a discount: banks convert it into euros and deduct 10–50 %, depending on currency and type of income. Bonus, commission or shares counted like base salary: variable pay counts only cautiously and often only in part.
- Many banks asked at once: every rejection costs time — better to approach the lenders that handle your constellation. Incomplete documents: missing translations, unclear payslips or a passport about to expire lead to queries and delays.
- Currency-conversion right overlooked: if you live in an EU country without the euro — Sweden or Denmark, for example — § 503 BGB applies; what that means.
- Purchase contract before the financing check: reserving a property or going to the notary before it is clear which bank will lend puts the purchase at risk.
Mortgage commitment: when is your financing really secure if you live abroad? Only with the loan offer signed by the bank. So when you live abroad: first clarify financeability and budget, then look for the property — and sign the purchase contract only once that commitment is in hand. Pre-approvals, certificates or verbal assurances do not replace it; our financing confirmation is a feasibility assessment for agents and sellers, not a bank commitment.
1. Video call: is your case financeable, and which banks come into question? 2. Budget: which purchase price works with your equity — with a residence abroad, purchase costs come from your own funds.
3. Property search: search with the budget in mind; we check the listing with you. 4. Documents: we put together the complete credit file so the bank has no follow-up questions.
5. Submission and commitment: the rate is usually secured on submission; with complete documents the commitment usually comes within 3 to 10 working days. You then typically have about two weeks to accept.
6. Notary: purchase contract and land charge at the notary — in person or by power of attorney. No visit to the bank is needed. 7. Payout: after the notary’s notice that the price is due, the bank pays the seller and other parties directly.
Bonus, employee shares, commission: what counts when your income comes from abroad?
What counts in full is pay that is fixed and permanent. Banks only count bonus, commission and employee shares cautiously and often only in part. A large total package therefore convinces less than a solid base salary.
Base salary: permanent contract, probation completed — the basis of every household budget calculation. Variable pay: bonus, commission and share plans (RSUs) only count if they are documented and stable, and then usually with a discount. Currency: any income outside the euro is converted and counted with a 10–50 % discount. Clear evidence: payslips, employment contract and tax assessment from your country of residence — in a foreign language, partly with translation.
Does rental income from property abroad count? Less and less: banks may only count the actual rent, at most the usual local rent — and that is hard to verify for a flat in London or Los Angeles. More and more banks therefore count rent from abroad as zero, while the instalments on those properties count in full.
That can tip the household budget even on a high income. Some lenders still count the rent when a tenancy agreement and bank statements prove it — we know these lenders.
A real case with employee shares →
Self-employed and living abroad: can you get a mortgage in Germany? Yes, but only with a few banks: German banks must be able to assess foreign business income — if they cannot, they count it as zero. What matters is how the figures are prepared, not the interest rate.
Who counts as self-employed: also shareholder-directors above a stake that, depending on the bank, lies at 10 or 25 %, and partners in law firms, consultancies or practices.
Evidence: as a rule at least three full financial years, results presented consistently and the logic of the foreign accounts explained. Partner’s income: if an employed partner’s income carries the instalment alone, the self-employment becomes secondary.
Exceptions: larger loans and properties that pay for themselves through rent open more room — always as the bank’s individual decision.
Planning to return to Germany: more banks — and a mortgage during probation?
If you return within about six, at most twelve months and want to live in the property yourself, many banks treat you as a returnee — and the pool of lenders becomes much larger. With your return, many checking and monitoring duties fall away for the bank.
Evidence: easiest when your secondment ends and your employer confirms the return to Germany. Mortgage during probation: if you change employer when you return, it gets tighter — many banks only count the new income in full after probation.
Better to clarify with us beforehand whether changing before or after the commitment makes more sense. Owner-occupation: it makes the return credible and opens KfW and state funding.
Cross-border commuters: even if you keep working abroad after returning, a centre of life and registered address in Germany often makes you one of the easier cases.
Which properties do banks finance if you live abroad? Mainly residential property in Germany in a normal location — flat, one- or two-family house, apartment building. Whether you move in or let it usually plays a minor role. Purchase, new build, modernisation, follow-up financing and equity release are all financed.
Mixed-use buildings: only with a small commercial share, up to about 20 to 30 % depending on the bank. Apartment buildings: the bank values them by their income value, which is often well below the purchase price — so more equity is needed.
Hardly or not financeable: purely commercial property, farmsteads and hobby properties, genuine holiday homes (only properties allowed as a permanent residence are financeable) and very small flats, often under 40 m².
Energy efficiency: many banks finance class G and H buildings only to a limited extent, usually with a modernisation plan.
Buying abroad: works by borrowing against a German property up to 80 % of its lending value, unencumbered or as a second charge behind the existing loan — how it works.
The same foreign link, a different starting point: The same overseas element, but a different starting point — depending on where your residence, tax liability and workplace sit.
German passport, residence abroad: A German citizen in Switzerland, the USA, the UK or Asia — with a property in Germany in view. As an investment or for a later return.
Living in Germany, working next door: You live in Germany and work in Switzerland, Austria, Luxembourg or the Netherlands — income often in a foreign currency. The banks that accept it.
Frequently asked questions
Should I ask my house bank first if I live abroad?
Not first. Most house banks do not finance borrowers living abroad — a rejection there says nothing about your creditworthiness. Better to approach the banks that handle your country of residence and income currency; that selection is exactly what we do for you.
When is the mortgage commitment for a purchase binding?
Only with the loan offer signed by the bank. So sign the purchase contract at the notary only once that commitment is in hand — pre-approvals, certificates or verbal assurances are not a bank commitment. With complete documents the commitment usually comes within 3 to 10 working days.
Do bonus and employee shares count as income?
Only cautiously and often only in part. Fixed, permanent salary counts in full; income outside the euro is additionally converted and counted with a 10–50 % discount.
Does rental income from property abroad count as income?
Less and less. Banks may only count the actual rent, at most the usual local rent, and that is hard to verify abroad — many count it as zero while counting the instalments in full. Some lenders still count the rent when a tenancy agreement and bank statements prove it.
Can I get a mortgage as a self-employed person living abroad?
Yes, with a few banks. As a rule you need at least three full financial years and a presentation that explains the foreign accounts to the bank. Shareholder-directors above a certain stake and partners in law firms also count as self-employed.
Can I get KfW funding while living abroad?
For owner-occupation, yes; for letting it depends on the programme, e.g. KfW 261. If you live outside the EU and Switzerland, KfW requires a legal opinion that hardly any bank provides — in practice KfW then only applies once you are resident in Germany.
Does the currency-conversion right apply to me?
Only if you live in an EU country without the euro when you sign, such as Sweden, Denmark or Poland. It does not apply if you live in Switzerland, the UK, the USA, the Emirates or Asia — even though banks like to cite it as a reason to decline.
Your case fits no template? Exactly right.
The first consultation is free, my fee is, as a rule, paid by the bank — and only if the financing goes through. Advice in English, German or Russian. Not sure where to start? Work through the document checklist, see which banks finance tax non-residents, or read the questions answered in the FAQ. How I am paid · More answers for non-residents →
Related pages
60–100 % — not a blanket 50 to 60 %
"As a non-resident you'll get 50 to 60 percent" is one branch's number, not the market's. In our brokerage practice, up to 100 % of the lending value is achievable — the range is 60–100 %, depending on income type and creditworthiness (the country of residence decides which banks take the case, not the range); the bank's valuation, not the purchase price, is the basis. What matters is which of the 650-plus compared banks treats the case as routine.
What the bank actually wants to see
Verifiable income, employment contract, recent payslips or annual accounts, bank statements showing salary receipts, proof of residence abroad — plus certified translations for documents in another language where the bank requires them. Having the full list upfront saves a second round of questions.
Usually 3 to 10 working days with complete documents
With complete documents, a financing commitment usually takes 3 to 10 working days — we prepare all documents and submit them to the right bank in the best possible way. A foreign link by itself does not extend this timeline; what matters is which bank treats the case as routine.
German buy-to-let for non-residents
A German property as an investment even though your residence and tax liability are abroad. Which banks finance it and which documents actually count.
Follow-up financing while living abroad
Your fixed-rate period ends while you live abroad. Why switching is harder now than at the first purchase — and how it still works.
Leaving a German property as a non-resident
Inheritance tax on a German property when the deceased or the heir lives abroad. What the €2,000 myth gets wrong — and what the financing structure has to do with it.
Income in CHF, USD, GBP & co.
Salary in a foreign currency, loan in euros. How banks apply the currency buffer and which constellations they accept at all.
Release equity from a German property, buy abroad
An unencumbered German property as the capital source for a purchase in Spain or Portugal — the structure the branch does not offer you.
Financing with an overseas link
Variable income, employee shares, fixed-term contracts, source of funds — real cases from the brokerage desk, from London to Singapore.
Residence & tax liability in Germany
You live and work in Germany — EU Blue Card, settlement permit or a fixed-term stay. Own home or investment, KfW subsidies apply.
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.