Doctor Visa Mortgage
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Author: Elliott Culley - Director & Mortgage Adviser of Switch Mortgage Finance
Doctor Visa Mortgage
Elliot Culley talks through the mortgage options for doctors with a visa.
Can I move to the UK as a doctor? How long do I have to live in the UK before I can get a mortgage?
This is an ever changing world at the moment, where a lot of lenders are changing their criteria. With a visa, depending on your income, there’s the potential to do it from day one in the UK, especially if you’ve got a 10% deposit.
More lenders will become available to you the longer you are in the UK, so once you’ve
been here for a year, that opens up more doors – and the same again at two years.
If you have a slightly higher deposit of potentially 20% or 25%, you can access more lenders at an earlier stage [information is correct at the time of recording in November 2025].
What visa do doctors get in the UK?
If you come over to work for the NHS, it would be a health and care worker visa. That’s the one most lenders will accept. If you’re on that visa you shouldn’t have any issues with lenders at all.
Some will look at how long you’ve got left on that visa, and may require a minimum of 12 months remaining. Other lenders are more relaxed on that. You will just need to conform your visa using a share code.
Can you get a medical visa in the UK?
Yes – this will again be the health and care work visa.
Which lenders will accept applications with a visa as a doctor?
You will definitely have more options if you have a 10% deposit, but a handful of lenders will accept 5% deposits from visa applicants.
Some lenders also have an income criteria, where you need to be earning above a certain salary. Also, the longer you’ve been in the UK, the more options you will have available.
Some lenders can offer you a mortgage from day one in the UK, but you might find you don’t pass their checks, particularly if your credit score isn’t high enough at that point. This is likely if you’ve only just come to the UK. But we have had cases where people have passed, so there are certainly some options for you.
Finally, certain lenders need you to have a minimum time left on the visa, but that’s less common. A few will want at least 12 months left. With more deposit, however, that will affect you much less.
What if I have bad credit and I’m looking to apply for a mortgage with a visa as a doctor?
It will depend on what the bad credit is. A few missed payments shouldn’t really be a problem. If you have a CCJ or a default, that can affect the lenders available to you.
There aren’t too many ‘adverse’ mortgage lenders open to visa applicants at the moment. In that scenario, then, you may need to put down a little bit more deposit. Some lenders may look at 10%, but most will want 15% or even 20% deposit.
Bad credit doesn’t mean you can’t get a mortgage on a doctor visa, but you might find it more tricky initially, and there could be a higher rate. It’s something we can coach you through – we’ll find the right options and look at when to potentially apply.
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How does remortgaging a property work if you’re a doctor on a visa?
It would depend on your visa status at the point when you remortgage. Most clients will potentially be looking to get permanent residency in the UK. But if you are still on a visa, you will only have access to the lenders that accept visa applicants.
It will also depend on your Loan to Value – how much equity you have in the property against its value. If you have 10% or 15% in equity, there should be various lenders available to you.
The main change is that you don’t need to go through the legal process that’s required when purchasing a property. You’ve already got the property, so it’s far simpler.
Can I get a Buy to Let mortgage on a visa as a doctor?
Yes, but you will need a larger deposit. Buy to Let requires a deposit of 20% to 25% – not because you’re on a visa, just because that’s standard. Deposits are always a little higher.
You could purchase a property in your personal name or through a limited company – both options are available. It can be more tricky if you are a First Time Buyer as well, but there are a couple of lenders that can potentially look at that.
How do I apply for a mortgage with a visa as a doctor?
A lot of visa applicants just go to a high street bank or get a Decision in Principle online, which doesn’t actually ask any questions about visa status. Clients naturally assume that decision is valid, but in fact the lender might not even lend to visa applicants – or can only lend up to 75%.
Speak to a mortgage advisor – we know exactly who will suit your situation. Whether you’ve been in the UK for less than a year or over two years, and whether you’ve got a 5% or 10% deposit. We’ll explain your options.
You’ve demonstrated how a mortgage broker can help, anything else to add?
Preparation is key. Get ahead of the game and find out what your options are from a mortgage broker. If you can’t get a mortgage right now, you might just need to wait a couple of months. We will advise you on how to get that property.
Key Takeaways:
- Doctors with a visa may be able to secure a mortgage from day one in the UK, especially with a 10% deposit; however, eligibility and lender options generally increase the longer you have lived in the UK.
- The Health and Care Worker visa is the one most lenders will accept for doctors working for the NHS. Some lenders may require a minimum of 12 months remaining on the visa.
- It is highly recommended to speak to a mortgage adviser, as high street banks and online Decisions in Principle may not fully account for visa status, potentially leading to invalid approvals or a lower maximum Loan to Value (LTV) than expected.
- While bad credit doesn’t completely bar a doctor on a visa from getting a mortgage, it will limit lender options and may necessitate a higher deposit (15% to 20%) and potentially a higher interest rate.
- Buy to Let mortgages are available to doctors on a visa, but they require a larger deposit (typically 20% to 25%); this is standard for Buy to Let properties, regardless of visa status.
YOUR HOME MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP WITH YOUR MORTGAGE REPAYMENTS.
THE FINANCIAL CONDUCT AUTHORITY DOES NOT REGULATE MOST BUY TO LET MORTGAGES.
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