Published 2026-07-19 · Visa Mortgage Guide · Written and reviewed by Phillip Wakeling-Smith (CeMAP)
How much time must be left on your visa? The lender league table
Quick answer: There is no standard rule. Across the lenders we track, the minimum time you need left on your visa runs from effectively zero (Nottingham BS, and Halifax publishes no minimum at all) to 60 months at Barclays — with most of the market clustered at 6–12 months and several lenders offering waivers that criteria summaries usually miss. If you've been told "you need two years left on your visa", that's one lender's rule, not the market's.
The league table
Minimum months remaining on your visa at application, from our verified criteria dataset (last verified 13 July 2026). Where a lender publishes no figure, we say so rather than guessing:
| Months required | Lender | Notes | |---|---|---| | 0 | Nottingham BS | | | 1 | HSBC | | | 2 | Aldermore | | | 3 | Santander | | | 6 | NatWest | No waiver | | 6 | Accord | | | 6 | Bluestone | | | 12 | Nationwide | Waived where the non-ILR applicant's income isn't needed for affordability | | 12 | Perenna | | | 12 | Pepper | | | 24 | Kensington | No-ILR exception route — trade-sourced, confirm | | 60 | Barclays | | | None published | Halifax | No minimum remaining-validity requirement | | None published | Hinckley & Rugby BS | None required, but under 6 months needs confirmation of an extension in progress | | None published | Vida | No minimum stated | | None published | Hodge | Doesn't publish a figure — confirm directly | | None published | Generation Home | |
Run your own position — visa type, time in the UK and time remaining — through the eligibility checker, which applies these rules together rather than one at a time.
Three things the table hides
1. Time remaining is only one of three clocks. Lenders also care about time already spent in the UK and, separately, your progress toward ILR. A lender with a generous months-remaining rule can still require two years' UK residency. The checker applies all three.
2. Waivers change the answer more than the headline number. Nationwide's 12-month rule disappears entirely if the visa-holder's income isn't needed for affordability — hugely relevant for mixed-status couples where the settled partner's income carries the case. Hinckley & Rugby will accept under 6 months if a renewal is demonstrably in progress.
3. A short-visa approval can still mean a bigger deposit. The lenders most relaxed about time remaining are not always the ones offering the highest LTV to non-ILR applicants — cross-check the LTV league table and the deposit calculator before celebrating.
If your visa is running short
- Renewal in progress? Gather the evidence (application receipt, sponsor confirmation). Several lenders will proceed on proof of an in-flight extension where the published rule looks like a hard stop.
- Close to settlement? If you're months from ILR, compare buying now on visa-holder terms vs waiting for the ILR unlock — and note the earned-settlement changes may alter that calculus.
- Joint application? If your partner has settled status, the strongest route may be structuring the case so the visa clock matters less — see the mixed-status optimizer.
FAQ
How much time do I need left on my visa to get a UK mortgage?
Anywhere from zero to five years depending on the lender. Several major lenders accept 1–6 months remaining; the strictest on our panel wants 60. There is no industry-wide minimum — it's individual lender criteria, which is why checking lender-by-lender matters.
My visa expires in 3 months — is a mortgage impossible?
No. On our verified panel, Nottingham BS (0), HSBC (1), Aldermore (2) and Santander (3) all sit at or below 3 months, and lenders with no published minimum may also consider you — especially with evidence a renewal is underway. Expect the deposit and rate to depend on your wider status, not just the clock.
Does time remaining matter if I'm applying jointly with a British citizen?
Less than you'd think at some lenders. Where the settled partner's income covers affordability on its own, Nationwide waives its 12-month requirement entirely, and other lenders take a similar practical view. See our mixed-status guide and optimizer.
Will lenders count my Certificate of Application or pending extension?
Some will proceed with proof of an in-flight application (Hinckley & Rugby explicitly accommodates this); others want the new BRP/e-visa before offer. It's lender-specific — ask before applying rather than after.