Mortgage in Poland – Additional Requirements for Foreigners (2/3)

Welcome to the second part of our article series, where we cover everything foreigners need to know when applying for a mortgage in Poland. In this part, we focus on all the additional requirements that apply to foreign nationals looking to take out a mortgage.

From this article you will learn:
• What additional conditions do Polish banks impose on EU citizens vs. non-EU nationals?
• What are the individual banks’ requirements regarding the validity of a residence card?
• What are the standard requirements that apply to all mortgage applicants?

If you haven’t read the first part of our series, I invite you to check it out here. It covers the basics of mortgages available in Poland and the key decisions every applicant needs to make. Let’s now get to the issue that matters most for foreigners — the additional requirements they must meet.

Requirements for Foreigners Applying for a Mortgage in Poland

Let’s start with a reminder that, as a rule, foreigners can obtain a mortgage in Poland on exactly the same terms as Polish nationals. The vast majority of banks do not discriminate based on nationality, and currently only one bank does not offer mortgages to foreigners. The rest of the market is open to foreign nationals, giving them access to a wide and competitive range of offers.

While the actual mortgage offer doesn’t differ significantly, there are certain additional formalities that must be completed before a Polish bank will grant a mortgage to a foreigner. Let’s take a closer look at them.

Residence Card or EU Citizen Registration Certificate

The first thing a bank will ask a foreign mortgage applicant for is proof of legal residency:

• For citizens of EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland — that will be a certificate of registration of EU citizen’s residence.
• For citizens of all other countries — a residence card (karta pobytu) will be required.

When it comes to the residence card, banks also pay close attention to its expiry date, which is shown on the front of the card and depends on the type of residence permit issued. The most common types are:

• Temporary residence permit (validity: 3 months to 3 years)
• Permanent residence permit (valid for 10 years)

Banks’ requirements regarding the minimum validity of the residence card vary. Some require the card to be valid at the time the mortgage application is submitted, while others require it to remain valid for at least 12 months from that date. For your convenience, I’ve compiled the requirements from 10 nationwide banks in the table below:

Bank	Minimum residence card validity from the date of application
Santander Bank	Valid on the date of application
Pekao S.A.	Assessed individually (usually the same as Santander Bank)
BNP Paribas	3 months
Alior Bank	6 months
mBank	For properties under construction purchased from a developer: 6 months from the transfer of ownership by notarial deed (after construction is completed). For all other loans: 6 months from the date of application
ING Bank Śląski	12 months
Bank Millennium	12 months
PKO BP	Permanent residence card only
Citi Handlowy	Permanent residence card only
BPS	Permanent residence card only
BOŚ Bank	Permanent residence card only

As you can see, while it is possible to get a mortgage even with a residence card that is only valid on the day of application, having at least six months of remaining validity will give you access to a more competitive range of offers and improve your chances of approval.

For holders of an EU citizen registration certificate, the expiry date is not relevant.

Passport

This is the primary identity document the bank will ask for. It must be valid and undamaged.

PESEL Number

Banks require a PESEL number from every mortgage applicant. For foreigners, it is assigned automatically when applying for a residence permit. In most cases, the PESEL number will be visible on the residence card. If it isn’t, you’ll need to provide a document confirming that it has been assigned.

Registered Address

Most banks do not require a registered address. Those that do will accept temporary registration (for example, for the duration of a rental agreement).

Permit to Purchase Real Estate as a Foreigner

This permit is only required in certain situations, and only applies to citizens of non-EU countries (i.e., countries outside the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland). It is necessary when:

• Purchasing land property (e.g., a detached house or a plot — note that terraced houses are usually classified as residential units and do not require a permit)
• Purchasing a share in land property (e.g., a shared access road)
• Purchasing a property located close to country border

In all other cases — such as buying a flat from a developer or on the secondary market — no permit is required.

There are also several important exemptions from this requirement. The most notable apply when a non-EU citizen:

• Has lived in Poland for at least 5 years since obtaining a permanent residence permit
• Has lived in Poland for at least 2 years since obtaining a permanent residence permit and has a joint marital property arrangement with a spouse who holds Polish citizenship

As you can see, this permit is rarely needed. That said, it’s worth checking early in the property search process, as obtaining it can take several months and is not guaranteed.

In particular, when buying a unit in a terraced house from a developer, it’s worth checking whether you’re purchasing a shared ownership of the road leading to your property (permit required) or only a right of way (no permit required). You can verify this with the developer or a notary. Your mortgage broker can also do this on your behalf.

For more information about the permit to purchase real estate as a foreigner, visit this government website (available in English).

Additional Requirements for Citizens of Russia, Belarus, and Sanctioned/Conflict-Affected Countries

Meeting the requirements listed above will be sufficient for the vast majority of foreign applicants. However, if you are a citizen of Russia, Belarus, or another high-risk country (e.g., one affected by conflict or international sanctions), the bank may request additional documentation.

Bank may require proof of the origin of your assets and income. You may also need to provide a copy of your employment contract rather than just a certificate of employment.

In addition, banks may impose stricter lending conditions, such as a higher down payment, a reduced borrowing capacity, or a longer required residence card validity.

Do these additional requirements rule out getting a mortgage? Based on our experience, no. While obtaining a mortgage is more challenging in these cases, over the years of working with clients who face extra scrutiny, we’ve successfully secured many positive lending decisions.

Requirements for All Mortgage Applicants

You now know all the additional requirements Polish banks apply to foreigners. On top of these, the standard requirements that apply to all applicants also come into play. These vary depending on the source of income and the type of property:

Basic documents:

• Identity document (or two)
• Mortgage application form with attachments

Income documents (depending on employment type):

Employment contract (umowa o pracę):

• Certificate of employment and earnings (on the bank’s form or a universal template)
• Bank statements from the last 3–6 months (showing salary deposits)
• Tax return (PIT) for the last year

Civil law contracts (umowa zlecenie / o dzieło):

• Copies of contracts from the last 12 months
• Proof of income deposits
• Tax return for the last year

Self-employment (JDG):

• Tax return (PIT) for the last year (or two years, depending on the bank)
• Revenue and expense ledger (Księga przychodów i rozchodów) / income records for the current year (ewidencja przychodów za bieżący rok)
• Certificates from ZUS and the Tax Office confirming no outstanding payments
• Business bank account statements

Property documents:

New build (primary market):

• Developer agreement (umowa deweloperska) or reservation agreement (umowa rezerwacyjna)
• Information prospectus
• Property valuation report
• Developer’s KRS extract
• Building permit
• Floor plan / apartment layout
• Payment schedule

Secondary market:

• Preliminary purchase agreement
• Property valuation report
• Land and mortgage register extract
• Land registry extract

House construction:

• Architectural design (projekt budowlany)
• Building permit or construction notification
• Construction cost estimate (kosztorys budowlany)
• Document confirming right to the plot (e.g., notarial deed, land register)

Summary

As you can see, while banks do impose additional requirements on foreign applicants, the list is actually quite short. In the vast majority of cases, it all comes down to one question: how long is your residence card valid for? So if you hold a residence card and are planning to buy a property with a mortgage in Poland — check its expiry date now, so you know exactly where you stand.

You now know all the documents you’ll need to kick off the mortgage process. Next, we’ll look at what that process actually looks like. I invite you to read the third part of our series on mortgages for foreigners in Poland, where I walk you through the property purchase process step by step.