Getting a mortgage in the Netherlands as an expat (2026): NHG, 100% LTV and the 30% ruling

Yes, expats can get a mortgage (hypotheek) in the Netherlands, and the rules are the same as for Dutch buyers. You can borrow up to 100% of the home's market value, and your income sets the second, usually tighter, limit. In 2026 you can add the government-backed guarantee NHG to loans up to €470,000 (€498,200 with energy-saving measures). You need savings for the buying costs, because those cannot be financed. Non-EU nationals usually need a residence permit, and a temporary contract works best with a letter of intent from your employer.

Status as of 29 September 2026, checked against the official sources listed at the end of this article. Amounts for 2027 are proposals unless stated otherwise and can still change.

Dutch lenders apply two limits, and the lower one wins:

• Loan-to-income: the national lending standards (leennormen, based on advice from the budget institute Nibud) set what share of your gross income may go to housing costs. The percentage depends on your income, the mortgage rate and the home's energy label. Homes with a better label give you extra room.
• Loan-to-value (LTV): you can borrow at most 100% of the market value (marktwaarde) set by a valuation. For energy-saving measures you may go up to 106%.

Debts count against you: a student loan, credit cards and overdrafts registered at BKR (the Dutch credit registry), a private car lease and alimony all lower your maximum. Foreign debts are not in BKR, but lenders ask about them and you must declare them. The lending standards for 2027 had not been published on 29 September 2026; until then the 2026 standards apply.

NHG (Nationale Hypotheek Garantie) is a guarantee from the Dutch homeownership guarantee fund. If you have to sell at a loss after, for example, a divorce, job loss or the death of a partner and can't repay the rest, NHG can cover the shortfall under conditions. Lenders give a lower interest rate on NHG mortgages, which is why most buyers who qualify use it.

Source: NHG. NHG has also announced new conditions for 2027, including a standard energy-saving budget of at least €20,000 for single-family homes with energy label E, F or G (NHG conditions 2027). NHG is only for a home you live in yourself.

Nationality and residence: EU/EEA and Swiss citizens are treated like Dutch buyers. Non-EU nationals usually need a valid Dutch residence permit; some lenders set extra conditions, for example for permits with a short remaining term. You will also need a BSN (citizen service number) and a Dutch bank account. Requirements differ per lender, so ask an adviser which lenders fit your situation.

Temporary contract: many expats start on a fixed-term contract. The usual route is a letter of intent (intentieverklaring) in the employer's statement (werkgeversverklaring), saying your employer plans to make your contract permanent if your performance and the business situation stay the same. According to ASN Bank, the lender then treats the application as if you had a permanent contract. Without one, lenders look at your income over the last three years via tax statements, which is hard if you have only just arrived. You can't apply during a probation period.

Foreign income or self-employment: some lenders accept income paid from abroad, others don't. Self-employed buyers usually need several years of Dutch figures. This is where an independent mortgage adviser earns their fee.

Usually less than people hope. The 30% ruling (30%-regeling) lets your employer pay part of your salary tax-free, which raises your net pay. Dutch lenders mainly calculate on gross income, and they don't all treat the ruling the same way: according to mortgage adviser De Kredieter, some count your full gross salary and others only the taxable part, and some look at what you can afford after the ruling ends.

Sources: Business.gov.nl and Ondernemersplein. The salary threshold in 2026 is €48,013 (€36,497 for under-30s with a master's degree), and it rises for new applicants from 2027. The ruling lasts at most five years, so ask the lender to show you the monthly cost after it ends.

Yes, if the home is your main residence and the loan is repaid in full within 30 years on an annuity or linear schedule. Mortgage interest deduction (hypotheekrenteaftrek) is capped at the rate of the second income-tax bracket: 37.56% in 2026 (HomeFinance). Buyers under 35 can be exempt from transfer tax once, for a home worth up to €555,000 in 2026; see buying vs renting in the Netherlands.

1. Get your paperwork in order: BSN, residence permit (non-EU), employment contract, employer's statement, recent payslips and, if you've been here a while, Dutch tax returns.
2. Get an orientation: an adviser or bank calculates your maximum. Many offer this in English.
3. Make an offer: in the Netherlands you agree a price first; the purchase contract usually includes a financing condition (financieringsvoorbehoud).
4. Valuation and application: a certified valuer sets the market value; the lender issues a binding offer.
5. Notary: you sign the transfer deed and mortgage deed and get the keys. Arrange home insurance from that day; see contents and liability insurance.

Checked on 29 September 2026:

• NHG: limit 2026 set at €470,000 (in Dutch)
• NHG: conditions and norms 2027 (in Dutch)
• Business.gov.nl: 30% ruling compensation down to 27%
• Ondernemersplein: 30% ruling becomes 27% (in Dutch)
• De Kredieter: how the 30% ruling affects your mortgage
• ASN Bank: letter of intent for your mortgage (in Dutch)
• HomeFinance: mortgage interest deduction capped at 37.56% in 2026 (in Dutch)