How do I identify myself from abroad?
By video ident, through a German consulate or a local notary, or at one appointment in Germany — which route counts is decided by the bank, not by law.
Wiki · 2026
Wiki: German mortgages with a foreign address
The terms that decide a German mortgage when you live abroad, explained in full — each with the page that answers the question behind it. Perini Finance & Property arranges these financings under a §34i GewO licence.
In short
Three terms, answered in one line each
Do I need a German account for the instalment?
Not as a matter of law if your account sits inside the EU. Outside the Union the bank's own lending rules decide.
Does a thin SCHUFA file rule me out?
No. Without a German payment history the bank assesses your income documents, statements and existing obligations instead.
Living abroad
Living abroad
Signing from abroad (identification)
A German bank has to identify every borrower in a legally watertight way.
German settlement account
Many German banks expect interest and repayment to be collected by direct debit from a German or SEPA-capable account.
Creditworthiness & equity
Creditworthiness & equity
Credit record (SCHUFA)
SCHUFA is the German credit bureau, and a bank's assessment is not the same as a SCHUFA score: the bureau supplies a structured picture of past payment…