Yes, you may be able to get a UK mortgage on a Skilled Worker visa (formerly Tier 2). Many mainstream and specialist lenders consider visa holders, and depending on your circumstances a deposit as low as 5% may be possible. What usually decides the outcome is not your visa itself, but which lender you approach and how well your application is matched to their criteria.
Key takeaway: A Skilled Worker visa does not stop you buying a home in the UK. Lender criteria vary widely on deposit, how long you have lived here and how much time is left on your visa, so the right lender for one visa holder can be completely wrong for another. Quanstrom Financial has helped hundreds of visa holders arrange a mortgage.
[[stats: 100's = Visa holders helped | 5% = Minimum deposit available | Up to 6x = Income multiple available | Whole of market = Independent lender access | Exclusive rates = Via our network of lenders | National coverage = Wherever you have settled]]
Here is a quick at-a-glance view of how different immigration statuses are generally viewed by UK mortgage lenders.
[[table: Status | Access | Max LTV ;; ILR / settled status | Full access | Up to 95% ;; Refugee status | Specialist and near-prime lenders | Up to 95% ;; Skilled Worker / Health and Care Worker visa | Mainstream and specialist lenders | Most lenders to 75%; a handful to 95% ;; Family or partner visa | Varies by lender and partner's status | Up to 95% ;; Student visa | Rarely considered | - ;; Asylum seeker (pending decision) | Not currently possible | - ]]
Can visa holders get a mortgage in the UK?
Yes. The process is slightly different from that of a British citizen or someone with Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), but it is a well established route and lenders deal with it every day.
Some UK lenders view visa holders as higher risk because residency is time limited. In practice that tends to show up as a larger deposit requirement, a minimum period of UK residency, or a requirement for a certain amount of time left on your visa. Not every lender applies all three, and a small number apply none of them.
Which visa types are accepted for a UK mortgage?
Lender criteria differ, but the visa types most commonly considered include:
- Skilled Worker visa (formerly Tier 2) - accepted by most lenders, subject to their own criteria.
- Health and Care Worker visa - treated in much the same way as the Skilled Worker route by most lenders.
- Spouse or partner visa - more lenders tend to accept these applicants, particularly where the partner is a UK citizen.
- Tier 1 (Investor or Entrepreneur) visa - typically more options available.
- Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR), settled and pre-settled status - generally treated as equivalent to a UK citizen by most lenders.
If your visa type is not listed, it does not automatically mean the door is closed. It is worth checking rather than assuming.
What are the main challenges for visa holders?
Fewer lenders to choose from
Not all lenders offer mortgages to visa holders, and a large number of those that do will look for a 25% deposit. That means fewer choices, and potentially a higher rate than someone with the same income and a UK passport.
Higher deposit expectations
Deposits of 25% or more are common on the high street for visa holders. Depending on your circumstances and the lender, a deposit as low as 5% may be possible.
Time remaining on your visa
Lenders often look for at least 12 to 24 months remaining on your visa at the point you apply. If you have less than 12 months left, there may still be lenders able to consider you, so it is worth taking advice rather than waiting.
Minimum UK address history
Many lenders look for somewhere between 1 and 5 years of UK address history before they will consider an application. A small number have no minimum at all, which is often the single most useful thing to know if you have recently arrived.
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How does UK credit history affect a visa mortgage?
Building a UK credit file is one of the biggest practical barriers for people who have recently moved here. Lenders use credit data to assess reliability, and if you have only been in the UK a short time your file may simply be too thin for an automated decision to work in your favour.
Steps that tend to help:
- Register on the electoral roll if you are eligible. It is one of the quickest ways to add stability to your file.
- Open a UK bank account and keep it running rather than switching repeatedly.
- Use a UK credit card responsibly and repay it in full each month by direct debit.
- Set up direct debits for utilities and phone contracts so payments are never late.
- Check your credit report through a service such as Checkmyfile and correct any errors you find.
If you have no UK credit history at all, options may still exist. Some lenders can consider an international credit report, and some will assess an application manually rather than relying on a score. Our guide to credit scores covers this in more detail, and if you have had genuine credit problems in the past, our guide to adverse credit mortgages explains how lenders weigh those up separately from your visa status.
What are the minimum eligibility criteria for a visa mortgage?
As a general guide, lenders will usually be looking for:
- UK residency - commonly 12 months or more, though some lenders have no minimum.
- Proof of income - typically payslips, bank statements or tax returns.
- A workable credit profile, or evidence that you are building one.
- Deposit funds held in a UK account. The money can originate from overseas, provided there is a clear paper trail showing how it was accumulated.
Additional documents are often requested where you have been in the UK for less than a year.
How much deposit do visa holders need?
Depending on the lender and your circumstances, a deposit from 5% of the purchase price may be available. As a rule, the larger your deposit the wider your choice of lender becomes, and that widening choice is usually what improves the rate rather than the deposit itself.
How much could you borrow on a Skilled Worker visa?
Being on a visa does not necessarily limit how much you can borrow. Your choice of lender tends to make far more difference than your immigration status does.
Most UK lenders work to around 4.5 times annual income. Some stretch further, to 5x, 5.5x or even 6x, depending on deposit size, income level, profession and visa status. To put that in perspective, for someone earning £50,000 a year:
[[stats: 4.5x = £225,000 | 5.0x = £250,000 | 5.5x = £275,000 | 6.0x = £300,000]]
That is a potential difference of £75,000 in borrowing power. Same income, same applicant, different lender.
You can try your own figures below. The result is an illustration only and is not a mortgage offer or a promise of what any lender would agree.
[[calc:borrowing]]
For a broader look at how lenders assess different types of income, see our guide to how much you could borrow, or try the other calculators on our tools page.
Which UK lenders accept Skilled Worker visa holders?
A mix of high street banks, building societies and specialist lenders consider visa holders. Their published positions differ significantly:
[[lenders: Halifax | Considers visa holders with a deposit as low as 5%, subject to living in the UK for 5 years, or if the other applicant holds a British passport or ILR ;; Barclays | Considers visa holders with a deposit as low as 10%, subject to 1 year's UK residency ;; Skipton Building Society | Considers visa holders with a deposit as low as 10% ;; Generation Home | Considers visa holders with a deposit as low as 10% ;; HSBC | Considers visa holders with a deposit as low as 15% ;; Nationwide | Considers visa holders with a deposit as low as 15% ;; Principality Building Society | Considers visa holders with a deposit as low as 5% ;; Newcastle Building Society | Considers visa holders with a deposit as low as 5% ;; Specialist lenders | A broker can connect you with lenders that specialise in visa holder cases]]
Criteria correct as at August 2026. Lender criteria in this area change regularly, so please treat this as a general guide rather than a live comparison.
This list is not exhaustive and there are many more lenders who may be able to help. Get in touch and a mortgage broker at Quanstrom Financial can work out which of them fits your situation.
Visa mortgage case studies
Three recent cases that show how much difference lender choice makes. Names have been changed, and these are illustrative examples rather than a guarantee of what any individual will be offered.
[[casestudy2: Told he needed a 10% deposit. Completed with 5%.|Toby Quanstrom|April 2026|Ayoluuwa, Brighton|Ayoluuwa is a junior doctor working for the NHS, on a Skilled Worker visa with 16 months remaining. He wanted to buy his first home with a 5% deposit, and another local broker had already told him he would not qualify without 10%.|We needed a lender who would do two things at once: accept a 5% deposit from a Skilled Worker visa holder, and treat Ayoluuwa as a permanent employee rather than a fixed term contractor, since junior doctors are employed on fixed term training contracts.|The application was placed with Newcastle Building Society, who considered it outside their normal criteria, and Ayoluuwa completed on his first property. ;; Four months left on her visa, and still bought her first home.|Will Harrington|July 2026|Elizabeth, Eastbourne|Elizabeth is a GP on a Skilled Worker visa with only four months left to run. She had a 10% deposit saved and wanted to buy her first property closer to her place of work.|A good number of lenders will consider a Skilled Worker visa holder with a 10% deposit, but the short time remaining on Elizabeth's visa put her outside policy with most of them.|We sourced a competitive deal with Barclays, who do not set a minimum requirement on the time remaining on a Skilled Worker visa. Elizabeth has since moved into her new home. ;; Ten months in the UK, and still a high street lender at high street rates.|Toby Quanstrom|August 2026|Victoria and Krishna, Hailsham|Victoria and Krishna wanted to buy their first home together with a 5% deposit. Krishna had lived in the UK for only 10 months and was on a Skilled Worker visa, so they were unsure whether a mortgage would be possible at all.|Because Victoria holds a UK passport, there are lenders who will disregard the second applicant's visa status while still using their income on the application. That opened up high street lenders at high street rates.|Victoria and Krishna bought their first home, with the mortgage placed with Halifax.]]
What if my partner has a UK passport or has lived here more than 5 years?
Where one applicant holds a UK passport or has 5 years of UK address history, some lenders will disregard the second applicant's visa status entirely. That can open up high street lenders, simplify the application and reduce the deposit required, as Victoria and Krishna's case above shows. If this applies to you, it is one of the first things worth raising with an adviser.
Buying your first home on a visa
Plenty of visa holders are also first-time buyers, and the two things are assessed separately. You may still be able to access first-time buyer schemes and enhanced income multiples alongside a visa, though the combination narrows the realistic lender pool. Our first-time buyer guide covers deposits, costs and the buying process in full.
If you are working in the NHS on a Skilled Worker or Health and Care Worker visa, our guide to mortgages for junior doctors covers how training contracts and banding income are assessed. If you hold refugee or humanitarian protection status rather than a work visa, our refugee mortgage guide is the better starting point.
What documents will you need?
A visa holder applying for a mortgage will typically be asked for:
- Latest 3 months' payslips plus your most recent P60
- Latest 3 months' bank statements for any personal current accounts
- Latest 3 months' bank statements evidencing your deposit
- Photographic identification
- Your share code, so the lender can verify your right to live and work in the UK
Physical biometric residence permits are no longer issued, so your immigration status is now proven digitally through your UKVI account and a share code rather than a card.
How can a mortgage broker at Quanstrom Financial help?
Applying as a visa holder can feel like guesswork, because the criteria that matter most are rarely published in a form a consumer can compare. A mortgage broker at Quanstrom Financial can:
- Identify the lenders whose criteria actually fit your visa type, residency and deposit
- Explain what evidence each lender will want before you apply
- Handle the documentation and manage the application through to offer
- Reduce the risk of a declined application damaging your credit file
We are a whole-of-market mortgage broker, which means you do not need to approach lender after lender yourself to find out who will consider you. Fees vary depending on your circumstances, and we will explain any costs clearly before you proceed.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get a mortgage if my visa expires soon?
Many lenders look for at least 12 to 24 months remaining on your visa when you apply, but some may consider a shorter period, particularly where your employment is stable and your deposit is larger. If you have under 12 months left it is worth speaking to an adviser rather than assuming you have to wait for a renewal.
Do I need a UK guarantor to get a mortgage on a visa?
Generally no. A guarantor is not a standard requirement for visa holder mortgages, and most applications proceed on the applicant's own income and deposit. Arrangements involving a family member, such as a joint borrower sole proprietor mortgage, are a separate option rather than something lenders require because of your visa.
Can I apply for a mortgage with no UK credit history?
It is more difficult, but not necessarily impossible. Some lenders can consider an international credit report and others will assess an application manually rather than relying on a credit score. Taking a few months to build a UK credit file first will usually widen your options considerably.
How long do I need to have lived in the UK to get a mortgage on a visa?
This varies more between lenders than almost any other criterion. Some have no minimum UK address history at all, while others require 2, 3 or 5 years. If you have recently arrived, finding the lenders with no minimum is usually the single most important step.
Can I use overseas income to support a UK mortgage?
Most UK lenders want to see UK-based employment and income paid in sterling. A small number of specialist lenders may consider overseas earnings, typically with a larger deposit and additional evidence, so it depends heavily on which lender you approach.
Can I get a mortgage if I am self-employed on a visa?
Yes, this may be possible, though not every lender that accepts visa holders will also accept self-employed income from them. You would usually need the standard self-employed evidence, such as two years of tax calculations, alongside your visa documentation.
Is a Health and Care Worker visa treated differently from a Skilled Worker visa?
Most lenders treat the two routes in much the same way, since both are sponsored work visas. A few lenders take a more favourable view of applicants in the health and care sector, so it is worth flagging your profession when you take advice.
Do I need Indefinite Leave to Remain to buy a house in the UK?
No. ILR or settled status generally gives you access to the full range of lenders on the same terms as a UK citizen, but it is not a requirement for buying a home. Many people buy while still on a time limited visa.
Will I pay a higher interest rate because I am on a visa?
Not automatically. Your rate is driven mainly by your deposit size and which lenders will consider you, rather than by your visa itself. Where a visa holder ends up on a higher rate, it is usually because the pool of available lenders was narrow, which is exactly what good lender matching is designed to avoid.
Can I remortgage while on a Skilled Worker visa?
Yes, remortgaging as a visa holder follows the same principles as a purchase. Your lender options will depend on the time left on your visa, your UK residency and your equity, and by the time you come to remortgage you will usually have more UK credit history behind you than you did at purchase.
How long does the mortgage application process take?
It depends on the lender and how complete your documentation is, but it can range from a few days to a couple of weeks to receive an offer. Visa holder cases assessed manually rather than automatically can take a little longer.
Next steps
Securing a mortgage as a visa holder is very achievable with the right preparation. Building a UK credit file, saving as strong a deposit as you can, and being matched to a lender whose criteria genuinely fit your circumstances are the three things that make the most difference.
If you are on a Skilled Worker visa and thinking about buying, get in touch with Quanstrom Financial and we will talk through your options.
Written by Toby Quanstrom CeMAP, Director at Quanstrom Financial, a whole-of-market mortgage broker based in Eastbourne, East Sussex, specialising in mortgages for visa holders and foreign nationals.
This article is general information only and does not constitute personal advice. Your circumstances will determine what is available to you.
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