Will a French bank lend to a non-resident or foreigner in 2026?
Quick answer: Yes. Several French banks lend to non-residents in 2026. EU/EEA buyers usually get up to 70–85% loan-to-value, non-EU buyers 50–70%, at rates around 3.5–4.25%. Approval turns on the HCSF 35% debt-to-income rule. Your nationality does not decide it.
French banks still lend to international buyers, but they choose more carefully than they used to. They look at your worldwide income and existing debt, ask non-residents for a larger deposit than residents, and apply the national affordability rules in full. A euro mortgage also works as a currency hedge if you earn in euros, or if you want to limit your exposure when converting from sterling or dollars. The loan is one strand of buying in France as a foreigner, next to the compromis and the notaire’s deed.
Check before you commit
This is general information for foreign buyers, not financial advice. Rates, loan-to-value and lenders’ appetite change often and depend on your profile. Confirm current terms with a French bank or a regulated broker before you rely on any figure here. Verified 29 June 2026.
What is the HCSF 35% rule, and how does it limit borrowing?
Since January 2022 the High Council for Financial Stability (HCSF) has held French banks to a maximum 35% debt-to-income ratio, loan insurance included, and a loan term generally capped at 25 years. The 35% covers all your debt repayments worldwide, on top of the new loan.
For international buyers, this rule limits borrowing more than anything else. Say your gross monthly income is €12,000. Your total monthly repayments must stay under about €4,200, and that total includes existing mortgages anywhere in the world, the new French loan and its insurance. Banks have only limited room to go above the threshold. The HCSF publishes and enforces the rule. In most cases the affordability test sets your maximum loan, whatever passport you hold.
How much deposit do non-residents need?
EU/EEA buyers often borrow up to 85%, though 75–80% is more common. Non-EU buyers usually get 50–70%. Budget a deposit of 15–25% (EU) or 30–50% (non-EU), plus the ~7% notaire fees, which the bank does not finance.
| Buyer profile | Typical max LTV | Deposit needed |
|---|---|---|
| EU / EEA resident | 75–85% | 15–25% |
| UK resident (post-Brexit) | 70–80% | 20–30% |
| Non-EU (incl. US) | 50–70% | 30–50% |
The deposit comes on top of the purchase costs. On a €1.5M Riviera villa, a non-EU buyer borrowing 60% needs roughly €600,000 of equity plus about €105,000 in notaire fees (see our notaire fees guide), and that is before any furniture.
The Alpes-Maritimes keeps part of that bill lower. The 2025 finance law let each department raise its share of the transfer tax from 4.5% to 5% on deeds signed between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2028. On the DGFiP table of 1 February 2026, about 83 departments apply 5%, and the Alpes-Maritimes is one of about 14 that stayed at 4.5%. Transfer duties here come to about 5.81% of the price, against 6.32% in most of France, the neighbouring Var included. On a €1.5M villa the difference is about €7,650.
To see what that equity buys in each village, read what your budget buys. The loan offer also has to fit the timetable of the hinterland buying process.
Which banks lend to non-residents in 2026?
A handful of French banks run non-resident channels in 2026, among them Crédit Agricole’s English-speaking Britline. Each sets its own criteria and changes its appetite often, so a broker earns their fee.
Each lender sets its own minimum loan, accepted types of income and list of countries. Crédit Agricole Britline works in English and leans towards UK buyers. An experienced French mortgage broker is worth paying to match your profile to the right lender. That applies most to retirees, the self-employed and buyers with complex international income. Expect indicative rates of 3.5–4.25%, slightly above resident rates and dependent on LTV and term.
What do US buyers face under FATCA?
US citizens and green-card holders are "US persons" under FATCA, which obliges French banks to report their accounts to the US. To avoid the compliance work, many lenders limit or refuse mortgages to US persons. Fewer banks will see you, so an introduction through a specialist helps.
FATCA does not stop US buyers from owning French property. It makes borrowing here harder. Some French banks do not lend to US persons at all. Those that do often ask for US tax filings and extra paperwork. If you are American, arrange financing early, ask yourself whether paying more in cash is simpler, and take cross-border tax advice, because US worldwide taxation interacts with French rules. Plan the currency side as well (see our currency guide).
← Part of our guide: Buying property in France as a foreigner