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Home Loans for Visa Holders, Permanent Residents, and Expats

  • Specialist lending for visa holders, permanent residents, and Australian expats
  • Borrow up to 95% of the property value, with deposits from 5%
  • 31+ lenders, including specialists who accept foreign income
  • We match your file to the lender most likely to approve your situation
Free Home Loan Strategy Session



Find the right home loan for your situation

MAP Home Loans specialises in Australian mortgages for visa holders, migrants, and expats. Every visa class has different lending policy, deposit requirements, and FIRB (Foreign Investment Review Board) rules, so we’ve built a dedicated page for each. Choose your pathway below for the specifics, or book a free strategy session and we’ll match you to the right lender on our 31+ lender panel.

Foreign partner of an Australian

NZ citizens and family

Temporary workers and skilled migrants

Australians abroad

Permanent residents

How Much Deposit Do You Need?

Your maximum loan, and the deposit you need, depends less on your visa subclass than on one question: are you buying with an Australian citizen or permanent resident? Here’s how the tiers work.

Buying with an Australian citizen or permanent resident: up to 95%

Buying jointly with an Australian citizen or permanent resident co-borrower, usually your partner as joint tenants, most temporary visa holders can reach up to 95% LVR (Loan to Value Ratio), a deposit from 5%. Your co-borrower carries the residency status lenders need, so the same lending citizens get becomes available to you. A 10% deposit widens your lender choice and lowers the LMI (Lenders Mortgage Insurance) premium.

This applies across the temporary visa classes:

Permanent residents, 461 visa holders, and Australian expats: up to 95%

Permanent residents borrow on the same terms as citizens: up to 95% LVR, and eligible first home buyers can use the Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme to avoid LMI entirely. 461 visa holders buying with their New Zealand citizen partner can also reach up to 95% with select lenders. Australian citizens living overseas can borrow up to 95%; permanent residents living overseas generally cap out at 90%.

Buying solo on a temporary visa: up to 80%

Buying on your own as a temporary resident, the ceiling is 80% LVR (a 20% deposit) whatever your subclass: 482, 485, 491, 494 and Bridging A or B all sit at this level. The reason is LMI: borrowing above 80% needs mortgage insurance, and most insurers won’t cover a temporary visa holder buying alone. FIRB approval applies, and purchases are limited to new dwellings. On a subclass not listed here? Contact us for lender guidance on your visa.

Stamp Duty and Purchasing Costs

The LVR above reflects what banks will lend against the property. You’ll also need funds for stamp duty, government fees, legal costs, and lender fees on top of your deposit. In most states these total 3–7% of the purchase price.

Temporary visa holders purchasing with FIRB approval face an additional foreign buyer stamp duty surcharge, typically 7–8% of the purchase price in NSW, VIC, QLD, WA and SA. ACT and the Northern Territory have no surcharge. Buying jointly with an Australian citizen or permanent-resident partner as joint tenants can remove the surcharge entirely.

Free Home Loan Strategy Session

Not sure which pathway fits? Book a Home Loan Strategy Session. In 15 to 30 minutes we’ll tell you straight which lenders suit your visa and deposit, without cost or obligation, because the lender pays us, not you.

Free Home Loan Strategy Session

Do You Need FIRB Approval to Buy in Australia?

Most temporary visa holders need FIRB approval before buying, and under the current rules a temporary resident buying alone can only purchase a new dwelling: an off-the-plan apartment, a newly built house, or vacant land to build on.

There are two exceptions worth knowing. Buying jointly with your Australian citizen or permanent resident partner as joint tenants makes the purchase exempt from FIRB approval and its fees, and lets you buy an established home. And Australian citizens, permanent residents, and New Zealand citizens on the 444 Special Category Visa aren’t foreign buyers under FIRB rules, so no approval is needed. 461 visa holders get the same exemption when buying jointly with their New Zealand citizen partner.

Where approval is needed, it’s usually straightforward once your lender and visa are aligned, and we handle the FIRB application as part of your loan process. For who needs approval, current fees, and the partner exemption in detail, see the full FIRB approval guide.

Declined Before? Here’s What Changes With MAP Home Loans

Being declined usually comes down to one of three things: your visa wasn’t properly understood, your foreign income was shaded more heavily than it needed to be, or the application went to the wrong lender. Each is solvable.

We work only with visa holders, expats, and non-residents, so we know which lenders accept foreign income without heavy shading, which approve 482/TSS sponsorships, which approve 461 applications, and what employment tenure the partner visa lenders require.

If you’ve been declined elsewhere, contact us and bring the decline reason. Often the answer is “yes, we can do this”. It just takes the right lender match.

Free Home Loan Strategy Session

Want to get moving? Book a Home Loan Strategy Session and in 15 to 30 minutes we’ll map your visa, deposit, and lender options, without cost or obligation.

Free Home Loan Strategy Session

FREE Quick-Start Guide To Financing Australian Property

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First home approved on an 820 visa after months of dead ends

I can not rate MAP Home Loans highly enough! Not only the prompt and positive service we received but also my broker’s empathetic and positive nature made our transaction an absolute pleasure!
After waiting almost 5 months for another mortgage broker to unsuccessfully process our home loan, my husband and I had almost given up on buying our own property in Australia while he was on an 820 visa.
We contacted MAP Home Loans on a referral from a work colleague and we were so surprised how easy it was!
My broker was fantastic throughout the whole process, always kept us up to date regarding all aspects of our loan and gave great advice.
His dedication to the job and clients seems to me to be unsurpassed. He also organised our FHOG, while this was underway, I received constant updates on the progress of the application, so we were never worried our settlement wouldn’t go smoothly.
I can not give him high enough praise!
He has made our first home ownership not only a possibility, but a breeze! I would recommend him without any doubt!
Thank you, we will be forever appreciative!
Kellie & Naas

Kellie

Bought our first home while awaiting PR

From the very first inquiry I sent to MAP Home Loans, MAP Home Loans has been extremely attentive and efficient. My husband and I were on a visa awaiting permanent residency and MAP Home Loans was one of the only companies willing to guide and help us purchase our first home in Australia. My broker’s extensive knowledge regarding visas and the Australian financial market confirmed we were in the best hands possible. It can be a stressful experience buying a house for the first time but he was committed to helping us every step of the way, answering every call and email straight away. He project managed our process by communicating with the bank and lawyers. He also took the time to explain every step which really makes a personal difference. A friend of mine used another broker from a different company but she had nothing but issues buying her house and had to chase for assistance, whereas my broker provided exceptional service throughout. I highly recommend him to anyone and everyone that is buying a house, car or requires financial planning.

Zaskia

Mortgage on a 461 visa with a great rate

We originally thought it wasn’t possible to get a mortgage with one of us being on a 461 visa. We contacted MAP Home Loans, and were put in contact with MAP Home Loans, who has been instrumental in getting us a mortgage with a great rate and providing consistent and invaluable advice throughout the entire process.

The bank gave us a few hiccups along the way, but these were swiftly dealt with by my broker, with both of us kept in the loop throughout the process.

We have recently completed the purchase of our first home, and couldn’t be happier. Thanks so much to the MAP Home Loans team. I know we’ll be in touch in future for any home loan adjustments, as I can’t fault the service and it has been a pleasure dealing with my broker along the way.

If you are in a similar visa situation, or you just need some mortgage or home loan advice, I would recommend MAP Home Loans without a doubt. Thanks again!

Justin & Taya

Bought our dream house $400,000 under asking

Excellent service and superb attention to detail! A pleasure to deal with and helpful all the way; someone who ALWAYS rings back, a rarity these days! It’s the third property we financed with MAP Home Loans, and even though it took us a whole year to find the right home for us, my broker kept our pre-approval status up to date and we could shop with ease, knowing we could offer a cash deal and get a big discount to the asking price or bid at auctions. Eventually we bought our dream house $400,000 under the asking price from a vendor who needed out with a 30-day cash offer (and he rejected an offer $220,000 higher just a few months before, it’s all about timing!) Getting a pre-approval was the key to being able to buy the house we never thought we could afford. You’d never think a mortgage broker could be so instrumental in getting a great property deal, but now we know better! 🙂 We highly recommend MAP Home Loans as the place to get the right advice and the right home loan.

Elena and Darrin

Made buying our first home far less daunting

We couldn’t have been more impressed with the support we got from the MAP Home Loans team in buying our first home. We were recommended to MAP Home Loans through a friend who had used them previously. It’s fair to say that buying your first house can be particularly daunting but having MAP Home Loans helping us at each stage made it so much easier and took a lot of the worry away. Our personal contact was exceptional in managing our progress from day one in guiding us through the process, answering every request timely and also having the patience (or maybe a better word is tolerance) at times in supporting us at all hours through the process, even managing her own holidays to ensure we settled on time, far beyond the call of duty.

We couldn’t recommend the team at MAP Home Loans highly enough if you are buying a house, particularly if it is your first.

Peter & Vic White

Peter & Victoria White

First home approved as a non-resident

Exceptional service! I would recommend the team at MAP Home Loans to anyone looking to secure a mortgage, especially non-Australian residents. My broker explained everything to us and ensured we had all the necessary documents for the bank, meaning we got approval the first time we applied. There is no way we would have purchased our first home without my broker’s help. Thanks again!

Erin