Reviewed 2026-07-13
HSBC visa & foreign national mortgage criteria
Accepts foreign nationals
Yes
Max LTV without ILR
up to 85% LTV
Minimum time left on visa
1 months
| Criteria | Verdict | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Accepts foreign nationals | Yes | — Accepted without ILR if 12 months' UK residency OR income £75k sole/£100k joint, on an acceptable visa |
| Max LTV without ILR | Yes |
Standard limits (to ~95%) with ILR/settled status |
| Income requirement (foreign nationals) | Yes | — £75k sole / £100k joint — as an alternative to the 12-month residency requirement, not an absolute floor |
| Visa types accepted | Yes | — |
| Minimum time left on visa | Yes |
|
| ILR (settled status) required | No | — Visa route accepted; ILR only needed for standard high-LTV limits |
| Deposit from overseas | Case-by-case | — |
| Foreign income accepted | Yes | — Approved currencies only, with a per-currency haircut |
| Builder gifted deposit | Case-by-case | — |
| New-build max LTV | Yes |
|
| Max LTV (standard) | Yes |
|
Source: lender intermediary criteria, last verified 2026-07-10. Criteria change frequently — always confirm current policy with the lender or a broker.
Adviser's view
HSBC is usually the first name on a visa holder's list, and for good reason: as a global bank it treats international applicants as core business rather than an exception. It's one of the more generous mainstream lenders on visa types, and it's often a strong option for applicants whose income or savings history has an international dimension — its global footprint means it's generally comfortable reading a foreign credit history, a genuine point in its favour.
The trade-off is that HSBC's affordability model is conservative, and its underwriting expects clean documentation: visa pages, share codes, and a tidy paper trail for any deposit arriving from overseas. It's also worth remembering that HSBC's own residency (12 months) and income (£75k/£100k) thresholds are themselves visa-status-linked gates, not just paperwork checks — so a decline can trace back to one of those thresholds rather than purely the visa itself or an affordability shortfall.
Use the table above for the current criteria positions, and confirm details with the lender before applying — HSBC updates its policy frequently.