Written by Jonathan Clements, DirectorSettled status or indefinite leave
If you have indefinite leave to remain, settled status or a British or Irish passport, most lenders treat you like any other UK resident. Same products, same deposits, same rates.
Pre-settled status is less consistent. Some lenders accept it on standard terms, others want a minimum period of UK residence or a bigger deposit. It is worth knowing which group a lender is in before you apply.
On a visa
Skilled worker, family and other visas are all lendable, but the field narrows. Lenders commonly look at three things: how long you have lived in the UK, how long is left on your visa, and whether you have a UK credit history.
A lender that wants two years' residence and twelve months left on the visa will decline the same person another lender accepts with less. That is exactly why the order you apply in matters.
The deposit
With settled status a 5% or 10% deposit is often possible. On a visa, expect lenders to want more, frequently 10% to 25% depending on the visa, the time you have been here and your credit file. A larger deposit opens up more lenders and better rates.
Credit history
Your credit file from another country does not follow you here. If you have only recently arrived, a thin UK file can count against you more than your visa does. Being on the electoral roll where you can be, a UK bank account with a regular salary paid in, and a credit card used and cleared each month all help, and they take months rather than weeks.
If you do not live in the UK
Buying from abroad is a different market: specialist lenders and private banks, larger deposits, and a stamp duty surcharge for non-resident buyers. It can be done, but it is a separate conversation from someone living and working here on a visa.
What we would do
Look at your status, your time in the UK and your credit file first, then go to a lender whose criteria you already meet. One decline is not the end, but avoiding it in the first place is better for your file.
Foreign national mortgages, answered
Can I get a mortgage on a skilled worker visa?
Yes. Many lenders accept skilled worker visas, usually with a minimum time in the UK and on the visa, and often with a deposit of 10% or more.
Do I need indefinite leave to remain to get a mortgage?
No. It gives you the widest choice and the smallest deposits, but plenty of lenders lend to people on visas and with pre-settled status.
How much deposit does a foreign national need?
With settled status or indefinite leave, often 5% to 10%. On a visa, commonly 10% to 25%, depending on the lender, your time in the UK and your credit history.
Does my credit history from home count?
Generally not. UK lenders use UK credit files, so building one from the day you arrive makes a real difference.