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If you’re an expat, visa holder or non-UK national and are thinking of applying for a secured loan you still stand a good chance of being approved.
Depending on your circumstances, you may need to seek the help of a specialist lender, but with the right support and guidance you can overcome any challenges that crop up along the way.
We explain more about what to expect and what you need to do to get started.
You can apply for a secured loan if you have a certain type of visa. Most lenders will accept the following:
The lender will need to establish what type of visa you have and that you also meet the other parts of their eligibility criteria.
It’s a good idea to check your visa status before you start as this can ensure the application process is as efficient as possible.
To find out more about the type of visas our lenders will accept, you can speak with a member of our team who will be happy to help.
If you are based overseas and your UK address remains unoccupied for most of the year, there will be more challenges to overcome, but it can still be possible to secure a loan.
For example, if you submit your tax returns to HMRC and your property is occupied throughout the year by your family or partner, there may be options available to you.
Another scenario could be that you do not pay tax due to the amount of time spent out of the country. Or if you are mostly away from the UK but wish to use a buy-to-let property as security, there are lenders that should still be open to accepting your application.
Most lenders will accept secured loan applications from borrowers who can demonstrate their settlement status in the UK.
As long as you provide documentation that confirms you have indefinite leave to remain, settled, pre-settled status or a valid work-related visa, and you meet the rest of the lender’s criteria, lenders will accept and review your application.
To get a better idea of how this works and the type of documents you may need to supply, get in touch with our team to find out more.
You can apply for a secured loan if you are an expat living abroad and you own a property in the UK with a consumer buy-to-let mortgage.
Consumer buy-to-let mortgages are mortgages for ‘accidental landlords’ – which refers to people who didn’t initially intend to rent out a property, form example ended up moving abroad but kept your UK property and now rent it out.
While this does not apply to non-UK nationals with a consumer buy-to-let mortgage, there may be other alternatives available to these types of borrowers.
It’s very likely that most lenders will allow a borrower to use a House of Multiple Occupation (HMO) as security for their loan.
An HMO is a property occupied by more than two people, often renting individual rooms who are not related or living as a couple. People pay rent to live in the property and also share the facilities, for example a student house.
We have lenders we work with will usually accept applications from expatriates and non-UK nationals, with no limit on the number of rooms in the property, provided you can meet their lending requirements.
If you are living outside of the UK and have any questions about using an HMO as security, you can speak with one of our advisors who will be more than happy to help.
Getting a quote won’t affect your credit score
A key part of being an expatriate applying for a secured loan is that you currently own a property in the UK.
Lenders will need to establish that the property is actively being used and rented out, which you can do by providing the relevant documentation.
And as part of the affordability assessment, the lender will review the amount of rental income you receive on a monthly and annual basis.
We work with lenders that can offer deals to expatriates and non-UK residents who wish to use a holiday let as loan security.
A holiday let is defined as a furnished property that is rented out to holidaymakers for short periods, which can last anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.
When reviewing your application, lenders will request additional details about your property’s rental income. This information helps them assess your affordability based on an average of the rental income from high, medium, and low seasons. Even if the property is not currently being used as a holiday, there is still a chance that lenders will accept it as security based on 50% of the projected rental income.
Feel free to get in touch with us at any time to find out how holiday lets can be included in your secured loan application.
We’re extremely proud to be rated ‘Excellent’ for our service standards. We’ve helped thousands of customers across the UK over the last 15 years to find the right finance for their needs – no matter how complicated the circumstances. And we look forward to helping you.
At Willows we work with some of the most trusted and experienced lenders on the market, and our advisors can guide you through the process, no matter how complex it may be. Once we have a better understanding of your situation, we can help you find a suitable lender and the best available deal.
Our friendly team of advisors are on hand to answer any questions you have about getting a secured loan as an expat, visa holder or non-UK national. You can get in touch with them today by calling 01656 766 158 and they’ll be more than happy to help.
Our friendly team of brokers are on hand to answer any questions you have about flats and secured loans. You can get in touch with them today by calling 01656 766 158 and they’ll be more than happy to help.
If you have a question – we’d be happy to talk to you – simply call us…
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I would highly recommend Willows Finance. They helped us organise finance recently and were efficient, transparent and proactive throughout the process. They understood our needs, identified and explained the solution clearly, and helped us to seemlessly complete the application. Thank you Willows!
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Willows finance have been extremely helpful and efficient in finding me a loan, I feel I’ve had just the right amount of contact not too pushy or overbearing, however they did chase me when I was slow with paperwork etc which was not a bad thing and ended in me receiving a loan in a timely manner.
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Willow finance were great start to finish, they always answered promptly and it was so helpful that they were able to communicate via WhatsApp as I couldn’t always be available for phone calls. Willows Team was patient, answered all my questions and endeavoured to make the process as seamless as possible. I would definitely recommend Willow and would use their services again if I ever needed it!
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LOANS ARE SECURED AGAINST PROPERTY. THINK CAREFULLY BEFORE SECURING OTHER DEBTS AGAINST YOUR HOME. YOUR PROPERTY MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON YOUR MORTGAGE OR ANY OTHER DEBT SECURED UPON IT.
Willows Finance is a credit broker not a lender using a representative panel of lenders. We work with a Panel of Lenders whose particulars will be supplied upon request to find a potentially suitable arrangement for your consideration.
For credit broking, we do not provide or offer advice or recommendation. Whichever lender we introduce you to we will receive commission from. Different lenders pay different amounts based on different commission models and interest amounts. For transparency we work with the following commission models: percentage of the amount you borrow, rate for risk (this is based on the risk profile of the proposal).
Willows Finance Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Our Financial Conduct Authority FCA register number is 670052. We are registered under the Data Protection Act No. Z1447660 and are a member of the Association of Finance Brokers.
Willows Finance Limited registered address is Brocastle, Bridgend CF35 5AS. Company registered in England.
Registration number 6678545. Copyright © 2025 Willows Finance Ltd
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PRIVACY OF YOUR INFORMATION
At Willows Finance Ltd, we appreciate that your privacy is extremely important to you. With this in mind, we have put in place a number of measures to ensure that any personal details we obtain from you as a result of visiting this website is processed and maintained in accordance with accepted principles of good information handling and also in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1988.
This statement provides you with details of the type of information we may hold about you, how we obtain and use information and how we protect your privacy.
Willows Finance Limited
Brocastle, Bridgend, CF35 5AS
Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority
Firm Reference Number: 670052
Company Number: 6678545 (Registered in England and Wales)
This document outlines the services we provide. If you need clarification, please contact us at 01656 766158.
We offer first and second charge regulated mortgage contracts for business or personal use.
Other finance options may include:
Regulatory Status:
We offer an advised mortgage broking service and provide enough information for you to make an informed decision.
We are not independent financial advisers. Free debt advice is available from the Money Advice Service.
You can view our privacy policy at: https://willowsfinance.co.uk/privacy-cookie-policy/.
Lenders may also have their own privacy policies which will be provided to you.
We charge a broker fee upon loan completion. The average fee is approximately 5%, depending on your situation.
Fee details:
No refund is offered after completion. You may pay upfront or add the fee to your mortgage. Fees and commission will be detailed in your ESIS and Mortgage Agreement.
You will receive a Mortgage Agreement and an ESIS document detailing:
You may cancel your application anytime before completion without any charge. Mortgages cannot be cancelled after completion.
Missing payments can lead to charges, repossession, and negative impacts on your credit rating.
Consolidating debt may result in higher long-term interest. Securing debt against your home increases risk.
Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on a mortgage or other loan secured on it.
If you wish to complain, contact us at:
Willows Finance Limited
Brocastle, Bridgend, CF35 5AS
Tel: 01656 766158
You may be able to refer your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
We are covered by the FSCS. You may be eligible for compensation of up to £85,000 per person per firm for mortgage advice and arranging.
More info: www.fscs.org.uk
After processing your application, you’ll receive a Mortgage Agreement and have a 7-day reflection period.
Contact us during this period with any questions. To proceed, sign and return the agreement.
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