If you are a foreigner and you have an income in Poland you are in a very good position to get a mortgage in Poland. You can use many different sources of income to qualify for a mortgage in Poland, including:
- Permanent employment contracts
- Fixed-term employment contracts
- Casual contracts (e.g. umowa zlecenie, umowa o dzieło)
- Self-employment
- Operating your own business
- Rental income
Note 1: If you are a foreigner living and working abroad, you are not eligible for a mortgage in Poland.
Note 2: If you are a foreigner living in Poland but working abroad, there is some possibility of obtaining a mortgage. You must have either:
- a residence card, or
- a certificate of registration of residence (if you are an EU citizen).
Note 3: Under Polish law, the currency of the mortgage must match the currency of your income. At the time of writing, mortgages in Poland are available in PLN and EUR.
PERMAMENT EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS
This is a source of income that banks in Poland like the most. You will have to be employed for at least three months before you’ll be accepted for a mortgage. Although, some banks require 6 or 12 months of a job experience.
When assessing how much you can borrow, banks consider your average net salary overthe past 3, 6 or 12 months, depending on the bank. Bonuses, overtime, and other types of additional income may also be included in the calculation if they are regular and well-documented.
To prove your income, you will typically need:
- An income certificate from your employer – each bank has its own form that your employer must complete, confirming your employment, position, salary, and other relevant details
- Confirmation of salary transfers into your account for the past 3 to 12 months
- Bank statements from the past 1 to 3 months (required by some banks) – these should be for the account where your salary is paid
- Your most recent tax return (required by some banks).
FIXED-TERM EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS
To qualify for a mortgage with a fixed-term employment contract, you must have been employed for at least three months. Apart from that your current contract must have at least six months remaining at the time of application.
When calculating your borrowing capacity, banks typically consider your average net salary over the past 3, 6, or 12 months. As with permanent contracts, bonuses, overtime, and other forms of additional income may also be included if they are consistent and verifiable.
Required documentation is the same as for permanent employment, including:
- An income certificate completed by your employer (on the bank’s form)
- Proof of salary transfers for the past 3 to 12 months
- Bank statements from the past 1 to 3 months (for the account receiving your salary)
- Your most recent tax return (required by some banks).
CASUAL CONTRACTS
It is possible to get a mortgage in Poland if you’re employed on a casual contract (e.g. umowa zlecenie, umowa o dzieło). However, banks are generally more cautious when assessing applicants without a standard employment contract. There are significant differences in how banks treat income from casual contracts:
- Some banks will automatically reject applications based on casual contracts.
- Others may accept them if you have at least 12 months of employment history.
- Some may only count a portion of your income—typically up to 65%.
The minimum acceptable employment history on a casual contract is usually 6 months.
When calculating how much you can borrow, banks will consider your average net income over the past 6 or 12 months, depending on the lender.
Important note: Your employer must be registered in Poland.
To prove your income, you will typically need:
- An income certificate from your employer (each bank has its own form that must be completed)
- Confirmation of income transfers into your account over the past 6 to 12 months
- Bank statements from the past 1 to 3 months (for the account receiving your income)
- A copy of your current contract (required by some banks)
- Your most recent tax return (required by some banks).
SELF-EMPLOYMENT
Banks in Poland will consider you as a self-employed if you run a business by yourself (a sole trader) and have a B2B contract with another company. Most banks is Poland will need to see proof of your income for the past two complete tax years. However, at some banks, 12 month of self-employment is sufficient.
If you were previously employed, especially in a similar role, your employment history from that time may also be considered. In such cases, 3 to 6 months of self-employment may be enough, depending on the bank.
When calculating how much you can borrow, banks will take into account your net income from the past 1 to 2 tax years, as well as income from the current year.
Important note: Your business must be registered in Poland.
To prove your income, you will typically need:
- Financial statements for the past 1 to 2 tax years
- Tax returns from the past 1 to 2 years
- A copy of your B2B contract (sometimes required).
- Bank statements from the past 6 months (required by some banks) – these should be from your business account.
OPERATING YOUR OWN BUSINESS
To qualify for a mortgage in Poland, you generally need to have been running your business for at least 12 months. However, some banks require a minimum of two complete tax years.
There are several types of legal structures under which you can operate, including (but not limited to) being a sole trader or an owner/partner in a limited company. Because of these different structures, the way banks assess business owners’ income can vary.
Sole Traders
If you operate as a sole trader, you will need to provide the same documents as other self-employed borrowers (as outlined above). Banks will also calculate how much you can borrow using the same criteria applied to self-employed individuals. Your business must be registered in Poland.
Limited Company Owners/Partners
If you are an owner or partner in a limited company, it’s important to note that the company’s income is not considered your personal income. Polish banks assess only your personal income when determining how much you can borrow.
Although the bank will evaluate the profitability of your company, it will only count the income you personally receive. There are two main ways to draw personal income from a limited company:
- Salary – In this case, you are treated as an employed person.
- Dividends – In this case, banks will analyze your dividend income over the past 2 to 3 years.
RENTAL INCOME
If you own a property in Poland, you can use your rental income to qualify for a mortgage. Most banks in Poland require proof of rental income for at least the past 12 months. However, one bank may accept income earned over just the past 6 months.
When assessing how much you can borrow, banks will consider your net rental income from the past 6 to 12 months, depending on their policies.
To prove this income, you will typically need:
- Tax return for the past year
- A copy of the rental agreement from the previous year and the current valid contract
- Bank statements confirming rental income transfers over the past 6 to 12 months
- Proof of ownership of the rental property, such as the purchase agreement or land and mortgage register number (Księga Wieczysta).
Important note: The rental property must be located in Poland.
OTHER INCOME SOURCES
In addition to employment or business income, there are other types of income that may be considered by banks when applying for a mortgage in Poland. These can include:
- Pension income
- 800+ child benefit (Rodzina 800+)
- Maternity leave payments
- Child maintenance received from an ex-spouse
Acceptance of these income types varies between banks, and they are often treated as supplementary rather than primary income sources. Each bank will have its own rules on how much of this income can be considered and for how long it must have been received.
Types of Income Not Accepted by Polish Banks for a Mortgage
There are several types of income that banks in Poland typically do not consider when assessing your mortgage eligibility. These include:
- Income from an employment contract during the notice period
- Income from an employment contract on a trial period
- Self-employment where the business is registered outside of Poland
- Social benefits (e.g. welfare support)
- Survivor’s pension
- Income from investments, such as stocks, bonds, or investment funds
- Doctoral scholarships
- Proceeds from selling personal assets
- Future rental income (as traditional buy-to-let mortgages are not available in Poland).
How Much Can You Borrow?
When assessing how much you can borrow, banks in Poland will evaluate your income and outgoings to ensure you can afford the monthly mortgage repayments. They also want to make sure you have enough income left over to cover living expenses and any other financial commitments.
In addition to your income, banks will also consider factors such as:
- Your age
- Credit history
- Deposit size
- Type and source of income
Typical Borrowing Capacity
As a general rule, you can expect to borrow up to 5.5 times your annual net income.
For example:
- If your net income is 120,000 PLN per year (or 10,000 PLN per month), you may be eligible to borrow around 660,000 PLN.
- If you’re buying a property with another person, banks will consider your combined income. For example, if both of you earn 10,000 PLN per month, your combined net income would be 240,000 PLN per year, and you might qualify for a mortgage of around 1,320,000 PLN.
Important Note
Each bank has its own internal lending criteria, and the income multiplier they apply may vary. Some banks may apply a higher or lower income multiple than 5.5x.
Find out more: Polish mortgage affordability rules