If you want to get a mortgage in Poland you need to be aware of two important things:
- If you are a foreigner and you have an income from outside Poland it is almost impossible to get a mortgage in Poland. There is some chance if you live in Poland or your salary is paid into your Polish bank account.
- According to Polish law a mortgage currency must be the same as an income currency of a borrower. Getting a mortgage in Poland with foreign currency income is very challenging. At the time of writing mortgage in Poland is possible in PLN, EUR, NOK and SEK.
Find out more: Mortgage in Poland with foreign currency income
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 / temporary employment contracts
- Casual contracts (umowa zlecenie, umowa o dzieło)
- Self-employed
- Running your own business
- Rental income
Permanent 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. If you receive bonuses, overtime or other types of additional income, this may also be taken into account by a bank when calculating how much you can borrow.
Fixed-term employment contracts / temporary employment contracts
You will have to be employed for at least six months before you’ll be accepted for a mortgage. Apart from that you will have to have at least 6 months remaining on your current contract. Bonuses, overtime or other types of additional income are also accepted by banks.
Casual contracts (umowa zlecenie, umowa o dzieło)
A mortgage in Poland is possible if you’re employed on a casual contract. But banks are more strict when assessing applicants who don’t have a normal employment contract. There are huge differences in the way banks in Poland treat applicants on casual contracts. Some banks will instantly say no, others will take it into account if you have at least 12 months’ employment history. Alternatively, some may only consider 65% of income from casual contracts. The minimum acceptable employment history on casual contracts is 6 months.
Important note: your employer must be registered in Poland.
Self-employed
Banks in Poland will consider you as a self-employed if run a business by yourself (a sole trader) and you 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. At some banks 12 month of self-employment is sufficient.
If you were employed previously, especially in a similar role, your employment history from this time are likely to be acceptable. In this case 6 month of self-employment may be sufficient.
Important note: your business must be registered in Poland.
Running your own business
You will need to have been running a business for a minimum of 12 months to be able to get a mortgage in Poland. But at some banks the minimum period is two complete tax years.
There are several types of legal structure you can operate under. This could include (but isn’t limited to) a sole trader or an owner/partner of a limited company. Because of that the way banks assess a business owner’s income can differ.
Important note: your business must be registered in Poland.
Rental income
If you own a property in Poland, you can use the rental income to get a mortgage in Poland. Most banks is Poland will need to see proof of your income for at least the past 12 months. You will need to provide a bank with tenancy agreements and bank statements showing rental payments.
Important note: a rental property must be located in Poland and rental payments must be transferred into Polish bank account.
Other income sources
There are other types of income that may be used to support a mortgage application in Poland, such as pension income, dividend income, 500+ child benefits, maternity leave, alimony.
It’s worth to note that banks in Poland will also take into account your outgoings when assessing your borrowing power. Banks will want to ensure that you can afford the mortgage repayments, and that you have enough money left over to cover your living expenses or other debts.
Find out more: Polish mortgage affordability rules