Can an Australian living in the UK get a home loan in Australia? Yes. As an Australian citizen in the UK you can borrow up to 95 per cent of the value to buy back home, using your GBP salary. Your UK bank can’t write the loan, but more Australian lenders accept UK-based borrowers than almost any other expat market, and the whole application runs remotely from Britain. Citizens need no FIRB approval.
Searching for an expat mortgage from the UK turns up a confusing mix, and half the results are UK mortgages for people living in Australia, the mirror image of what you need. To be clear about what this page covers: an Australian home loan, from an Australian lender, for an Australian property, arranged while you live and earn in Britain.
Unlike Singapore or Hong Kong, where your local bank will quote you its own Australian-property product, UK banks don’t lend on Australian homes. That removes a trap rather than creating one. There’s no convenient-but-average default product to settle for, so the real question is which Australian lender reads your UK income best.
MAP Home Loans arranges Australian expat home loans for Australians across the UK, from London to Edinburgh. We hold accreditation with 31+ Australian lenders and match your GBP income, your tax position and your plans to the lenders whose policy fits, so the loan is chosen on numbers rather than convenience.
The UK is the deepest expat lending market on our panel. More Australian lenders accept UK-based applicants than almost any other country, and the profile is one they know how to read:
UK tax and living costs run higher than in Singapore or the Gulf, and lenders know it. What decides your file is documented income and clean commitments, and the right lender assesses the tax you actually pay in the UK rather than layering a heavier notional figure on top.
Lenders convert your GBP salary to Australian dollars, then apply shading, a discount of usually 0 to 20 per cent to cover exchange-rate movement. GBP sits at the favourable end of that range, so the right lender trims it only lightly. The spread between lenders is real: the same salary can support a very different loan depending on how the lender assesses your foreign income, which is why we compare your file across the panel before you commit to anything.
FIRB. Australian citizens don’t need Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) approval to buy at home, no matter how many years Britain has had you. Permanent residents are a separate case: the exemption from FIRB approval and its fee holds while you remain “ordinarily resident” in Australia, and a PR settled in the UK often isn’t, so we check your position before you go firm on a property.
The foreign buyer surcharge. Aimed at non-citizens and non-residents. As an Australian citizen you sit outside it entirely. Permanent residents are usually exempt too, subject to the same ordinarily-resident test, which varies by state.
Established homes. The 2025 restriction on established dwellings targets temporary visa holders and leaves citizens and PRs untouched. From the UK you can buy an established home, a new build, off-the-plan or land.
Your deposit. There’s no need to move your savings into Australian dollars early and wear the exchange risk. Many lenders let the deposit sit in GBP and convert close to settlement, and if you’re selling a UK property to fund the purchase, we sequence the sale proceeds and the exchange with you.
Living in the UK doesn’t cap you at 80% LVR, whatever you may have been told. Here’s a high-level summary of the maximum lending ratios we work with:
You won’t need to fly home. ID can be certified at the Australian High Commission at Australia House in London or through approved alternatives such as a UK notary, we coordinate witnessing to each lender’s requirements, and the application runs remotely. The 9 to 11 hour time difference means we talk in your UK morning or evening, and documents move electronically in between.
Match. We run your residency, situation and GBP income through our VSL Matrix™ (Visa x Situation x Lender) to shortlist the Australian lenders most likely to approve you at a competitive rate.
Apply. We build your strongest application for the lender that fits best, then handle the cross-border documents, certification and timing from the UK end.
Purchase. We stay with it to settlement and structure the loan around your eventual move home, so returning to Australia doesn’t force a refinance scramble.
Offset and redraw from day one, a structure that supports negative gearing while you’re earning in GBP, and a clean path to reprice or refinance once you’re back on an Australian payroll. We set the loan up for the move home, not just the purchase.
Yes. Australian citizens living in the UK can borrow up to 95 per cent of a property’s value, and permanent residents up to 90 per cent, using their GBP income. The application runs remotely from the UK, and citizens need no FIRB approval.
Generally no. UK banks lend on UK property, and an Australian purchase sits outside their policy. You’ll need an Australian lender, and because more lenders accept UK-based borrowers than almost any other expat market, there’s a wide panel to compare.
Lenders convert GBP to Australian dollars and shade it, applying a discount of roughly 0 to 20 per cent for exchange-rate risk. GBP sits at the favourable end of that range, and PAYE payslips and your P60 document it cleanly, so the work is choosing the lender that shades it least.
It depends on your converted household income, your existing debts, and how the lender shades GBP. The gap between a harsh lender and a generous one is significant, which is why we compare your file across the panel rather than taking one bank’s answer.
Australian citizens need neither, however long you’ve been in the UK. Permanent residents are exempt while “ordinarily resident” in Australia, and a PR settled in the UK may not meet that test, so we confirm your position before you commit.
Tell us where you are in the UK, what you earn and how long you’ve been there, and we’ll tell you which lenders accept your file, how they’re likely to assess your GBP salary, and what you can realistically borrow. You get a straight answer at no cost, because we’re paid by the lender, not by you.
MAP also arranges home loans for Australian expats in Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, the USA, the UAE & Dubai and the Middle East, or start with the full Australian expat home loans guide.
Kelvin & DonnaGot our loan over the line from overseas
We were living overseas and found it difficult with other brokers to get a loan over the line while we were out of the country with foreign income. MAP Home Loans helped us get all the documentation in order and provided clear instruction on what was required. So easy when you have expert guidance. Would have no issues recommending MAP Home Loans to expats wanting to purchase in Australia.
ZamHome loan sorted while working overseas
As an expat working overseas, MAP Home Loans have been great in getting me a home loan. All the processes were seamless, and I never thought buying a home from overseas was easy. Good job, keep it up!
Abdulaziz DaérAustralian expat secured property investment back home
As an Australian working overseas, even thinking of property investment via bank loans was a challenge that I could not believe I would pull off. I was determined and I needed a property back home, and that dream came into action only when I got in contact with MAP Home Loans. My broker guided me and my son from the concept up to the signing of the entire loan approval.
MAP Home Loans will remain part of our family on future investments in Australia, InshaÁllah.
Nick and NaomiConstruction loan secured while living overseas
We were trying for a while to get a loan to build on our block of land, but it was difficult to do since we are living overseas. I tried a few brokers, who said it would be impossible to organise, but MAP Home Loans took over and guided us through the process. We were able to get the loan we needed and construction is now underway. Thanks so much!
Daniel GAustralian bank mortgage approved while overseas
I live overseas and was not confident about getting a mortgage from an Australian bank, but after receiving excellent service and advice from MAP Home Loans I ended up getting one no problem. Thanks so much.
Robert SmithFirst home bought from overseas without a 20% deposit
We had a very complex mortgage transaction to negotiate as we live overseas and did not have the 20% deposit. However, MAP Home Loans was instrumental in helping us purchase our first home. We would genuinely recommend MAP Home Loans to anyone looking to purchase a house.
Thank you.
ClaireBought my first Sydney home from Singapore
I couldn’t imagine how I could buy my first home in Sydney from Singapore without MAP Home Loans’ help. My broker’s patience with my questions, willingness to give me advice, helping me to understand the process and things I need to do to get my mortgage approved are beyond words. My broker had done a lot more than I can write here. I highly recommend MAP Home Loans to anyone who needs professional advice and help to get their home loan no matter whether you live in Australia or overseas. They would be your right choice!
We respect your privacy
We respect your privacy
