Mortgage in Poland for foreigners: rules and documents

Yes, a foreigner can get a mortgage in Poland. In practice banks expect legal residence, a stable income earned in Poland, a PESEL number, a Polish bank account and a clean record in the Polish credit bureau BIK. The usual down payment is at least 20% of the price, and the loan is normally in złoty, so income in another currency carries exchange-rate risk.

Can a foreigner get a mortgage in Poland?

Yes, if you live in Poland legally and earn here, but there is no single law listing which foreigners may borrow. Each bank sets its own policy within the supervisory rules of the Polish Financial Supervision Authority (KNF), so one bank may approve an application that another turns down. Banks typically look at four things: legal stay, income, credit history and, for Ukrainians, UKR status.

Will a bank lend if your residence card expires soon?

It depends on the bank. Banks check the type and validity of your residence document. Many prefer a permanent residence permit or EU long-term resident status. Some accept a temporary residence card, often only if it remains valid for a certain period. Policies change, so ask each bank directly before you sign a reservation.

Ukrainian citizens with UKR status

UKR status is currently extended to 4 March 2027. Since May 2026 holders can apply online, through the MOS portal, for a CUKR card: a three-year temporary residence permit. The application deadline is 4 March 2027. Banks treat PESEL UKR and the CUKR card differently, so check before you commit to a purchase.

Income

An employment contract in Poland with a few months of history is the simplest case. Contracts for specific work, B2B and self-employment usually require a longer track record. The bank assesses your creditworthiness against living costs and all your other debts.

Credit history

BIK (Biuro Informacji Kredytowej) holds data on loans, cards and overdrafts in Poland. With no Polish history, banks have less to go on. A Polish account with regular salary payments and a small, repaid credit product can help build a record.

How much down payment do you need?

Usually at least 20% of the price. KNF Recommendation S sets the limits for residential mortgages:

• loan-to-value (LTV) of up to 80%, which means a down payment of at least 20%;
• up to 90% LTV only if the part above 80% is additionally secured, for example by insurance, a blocked deposit or a pledge on Polish Treasury securities.

Banks usually want to see the down payment in your own account and may ask where it came from. If you bring savings from abroad, keep bank statements and documents that show their origin, such as a sale agreement or salary records.

Recommendation S also says banks should suggest a repayment term of no more than 25 years and should not lend for more than 35 years.

Currency of income and currency risk

Most mortgages in Poland are granted in złoty. If you earn in euros, pounds or hryvnias, two things follow.

First, under Recommendation S, if you earn in several currencies, the bank should count income in your other currencies as if they had lost 50% of their value. Only the currency you earn most in is counted in full. Income from abroad may therefore count for less in the bank’s calculation.

Second, if your income is in one currency and your instalment in another, a fall in your currency raises your real cost. The safest arrangement is to borrow in the currency you earn in. If that is not possible, keep a larger buffer.

Citizens of Belarus. EU sanctions limit deposits above €100,000 per bank for Belarusian nationals, with an exception for holders of a residence permit in an EU country. Ask the bank how this affects your account.

What will POLSTR change in Polish mortgages?

New mortgages are moving to a new reference index. KNF and the National Working Group expect that no new contracts based on WIBOR will be signed after 31 December 2026. The new index is POLSTR, which KNF designated as a significant benchmark in August 2026 and which is meant to replace WIBOR in new contracts. Existing loans can keep referencing WIBOR during a wind-down period, under the reform’s timetable.

Polish mortgages are offered with a variable rate or with a rate fixed for a period of several years. The variable rate is a reference index plus the bank’s margin.

We do not quote current rates, because they change often and depend on your profile. Compare offers by the annual percentage rate (RRSO), which includes the margin, commission and mandatory costs, not just by the interest rate.

Documents banks usually ask for

Identity and status

• passport;
• residence card or another document confirming legal stay;
• PESEL number;
• marriage certificate or property regime agreement, if relevant.

Income

• employment certificate with earnings, or the employment contract;
• bank statements, usually for the last several months;
• tax returns (PIT), especially for self-employment.

The property

• reservation or development agreement, or its draft;
• information prospectus;
• land register number of the plot, building permit and construction schedule.

Foreign documents may need a sworn translation. Each bank publishes its own list, which is binding.

Before you apply

• Order your own BIK report on bik.pl to see what the bank will see.
• Avoid new debts in the months before applying. Banks count all your obligations, and even an unused credit card limit can reduce how much you can borrow.
• Watch the dates on your residence document. If your card expires soon or a renewal is pending, ask the bank how it treats that before you sign a reservation.
• Consider a co-borrower. A spouse or partner with income in Poland can raise your borrowing capacity, but becomes liable for the whole debt.
• If you live and earn abroad, ask early whether a Polish bank will consider your application at all. Offers are designed mainly for people who live and work in Poland, and many buyers from abroad pay from their own funds.
• Budget for insurance. Banks usually require property insurance and may offer or require other policies. Include them when you compare offers by RRSO.

How the process fits the purchase

1. Pre-check. Ask two or three banks or a licensed mortgage broker for an initial assessment before reserving.
2. Reservation. By law, the reservation period should allow time to get a credit decision. If the bank refuses because of a negative creditworthiness assessment, the reservation fee is refunded.
3. Application and valuation. The bank assesses you and the apartment.
4. Credit decision, then the development agreement before a notary.
5. Loan agreement. The bank pays tranches into the escrow account as construction progresses.
6. Final deed. The notary records the mortgage, which is entered in the apartment’s land register (księga wieczysta).

For the full cost picture, including mortgage entry fees, see full cost of buying a new-build in Poland.