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Expat Lending

Expat Home Loans — Buying Australian Property From Overseas

Mortgagefy Broker Team · Published · Last reviewed

If you're an Australian citizen or permanent resident working overseas, you can still buy property in Australia. The challenge is which lenders accept foreign currency income, how they convert it, and what deposit they require. We work with the active expat-friendly lenders.

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Who this guide is for

The real challenge

Many Australian banks have exited expat lending. Of those that remain, each has different rules — accepted countries, accepted currencies, foreign currency haircut, minimum income, minimum deposit. The wrong lender means an automatic decline regardless of how strong your overseas income is.

Tax residency, visa status, employment contract structure and remittance pattern all play in. Without the right broker connections you can spend months on the wrong lender.

How Mortgagefy helps

Mortgagefy works with the active expat-friendly lenders — including those that accept SGD, USD, GBP, AED, EUR and other major currencies. We know which lender wants notarised documents, which accepts digital, and which won't lend if you're on a local employment contract.

We coordinate across time zones — most expat applications happen entirely by phone, video, email and DocuSign. We work around your hours and your jurisdiction's documentation rules.

How it works — 4 simple steps

1

Expat profile review

Country, currency, employer type, tax residency and remittance pattern — every element matters.

2

Lender match

From the active expat lenders we identify the 2-3 most likely to approve your specific scenario.

3

Document pack

Notarised ID, employer letters, payslips, bank statements — each lender has different format requirements.

4

Settlement

Application, valuation, settlement coordinated remotely. Most expat loans settle in 6-10 weeks.

Frequently asked questions

Can Australian expats still buy property in Australia?

Yes — Australian citizens and permanent residents can buy without FIRB approval. The main constraint is finding a lender that accepts your overseas income and currency.

How much deposit do I need as an expat?

Most expat-friendly lenders want 20-30% deposit (70-80% LVR). A few accept 90% LVR with LMI for strong-currency expats. With Sydney property at $1.5M+ that's typically $300K-$450K deposit.

Will my foreign income be accepted at full value?

Most lenders apply a 20% haircut to foreign currency income. Some accept 100% of strong currencies (USD, GBP, SGD, EUR). The difference can be $100K-$300K of borrowing capacity.

What about the 1-3% expat surcharge?

Some lenders apply a 1-2% rate premium for non-resident or expat borrowers. We compare net rate after any surcharge — it doesn't always make sense to chase the lowest headline rate.

Can I use the property I'm buying as my eventual primary residence?

Yes — many expats buy investment, then convert to PPOR when they return. The lender treats it as investment until you advise the change of use.

Get a free expat home loan assessment

Free consultation by video call. We work across time zones and tell you upfront which lender will approve — and at what rate.

Start Your Free Assessment Call 0432 634 648

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