Reviewed 2026-07-13
Santander visa & foreign national mortgage criteria
Accepts foreign nationals
Yes
Max LTV without ILR
up to 90% LTV
Minimum time left on visa
3 months
| Criteria | Verdict | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Accepts foreign nationals | Yes | — FN policy only applies above 75% LTV; below that, normal policy |
| Max LTV without ILR | Yes |
Raised from 75% in June 2026 |
| Income requirement (foreign nationals) | Yes | — £50k sole / £75k joint with 1+ year UK residency; £200k (sole or joint) under 1 year |
| Visa types accepted | Yes | — |
| Minimum time left on visa | Yes |
|
| ILR (settled status) required | No | — Not required — income thresholds apply instead above 75% LTV |
| Deposit from overseas | Yes | — Deposit must be evidenced in a UK bank account; overseas source acceptable with evidence |
| Foreign income accepted | Yes | — USD, EUR, CHF and AED only, with a 25% haircut |
| Builder gifted deposit | Yes | — |
| 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
Santander accepts the mainstream visa routes and is a workmanlike option for applicants with ordinary salaried income — but like several high-street peers, the loan-to-value on offer usually steps down for applicants without indefinite leave to remain. That makes the deposit conversation the first one to have: with settled status Santander competes near the top of the market; without it, expect to bring more deposit than the most FN-friendly lenders would demand.
Its underwriting is largely automated, which cuts both ways. Clean, conventional cases sail through quickly; anything unusual — foreign-currency income, recent arrival, complex bonus structures — struggles to get a human hearing. If your situation needs explaining rather than just scoring, a specialist or a manual underwriter is often a better home for the case.
The table above carries the current positions; confirm with the lender before relying on any threshold.