You can sometimes borrow part of the money for a golden visa property, but the rules are narrower than most buyers expect. In Greece, the property must be free of encumbrances when you apply, so a mortgage secured on the Greek property itself is a problem. Cyprus expects the investment funds to come from abroad, and Portugal’s fund route is built around capital you bring in yourself. Borrowing against an asset you already own, such as a UK home, is usually the more workable route, provided you can document every step.

This guide covers Greece, Portugal and Cyprus from a UK investor’s point of view. If you were searching for mortgage rules in Dubai, those work differently and are not covered here. It sits within our wider guidance on residency and citizenship by investment, where how you pay can matter as much as what you buy.

Can you use a mortgage for a golden visa property?

Sometimes, but not in the way a normal property purchase works. Immigration authorities want to see that you have genuinely invested the qualifying amount, that the asset is yours and that the money has a clear, lawful origin. A local mortgage secured on the qualifying property tends to cut across all three. Lending that is secured elsewhere, from abroad, is easier to defend, but you should get your adviser to confirm the position for your route in writing before you sign.

Country	What the sources point to	Main watch point
Greece	The Ministry asks for land registry certificates showing the property has no encumbrances. Practice on loans is set out mainly by lawyers, not in the published document list	A mortgage registered on the Greek property can conflict with the no-encumbrance requirement
Cyprus	Commentators describe a requirement that the funds come from abroad, plus proof of secure annual income	Views differ on how much must be paid when you apply, so ask for the current position
Portugal	The property route has closed. The fund route is aimed at capital transferred from abroad	Do not assume that borrowing from a Portuguese bank will count towards the minimum

For Greece, the document list is on the Ministry of Migration and Asylum golden visa page. Thresholds depend on location and property type, so check our Greece golden visa requirements guide for the current picture.

Greece: why the property must be free of encumbrances

The Ministry’s list for the initial permit includes land registry certificates confirming that the property carries no encumbrances. A mortgage is a charge registered against the property, so a loan secured on the Greek asset is exactly what that certificate is meant to rule out.

That does not mean every loan is forbidden. It means the security matters. A loan secured on another asset, and repaid from your own resources, is a different thing from a Greek bank mortgage registered on the qualifying property. Older Greek law firm commentary generally takes that view, but it is practice rather than a published rule, and practice can shift. Ask your Greek lawyer how the authority has treated loan-funded purchases in recent files.

The thresholds are €800,000 in Attica, the regional units of Thessaloniki, Mykonos and Santorini and islands with more than 3,100 inhabitants, and €400,000 elsewhere. A €250,000 route applies to listed building restoration and conversion to residential use. In pounds, that is roughly £672,000, £336,000 and £210,000. Our guide to Greece golden visa exemptions explains where each applies.

Cyprus: foreign funds and proof of income

Cyprus fast-track permanent residence under Regulation 6(2) is built around a qualifying purchase of at least €300,000 plus VAT, along with secure annual income. According to Legal 500’s summary of Regulation 6(2), the investment funds should come from abroad. In practice, that points away from a Cypriot bank loan as the main source of the qualifying amount.

There is a second uncertainty. Commentators differ on how much of the price must already be paid when you submit the application. Rather than rely on a forum thread or an agent’s assurance, ask for the current requirement in writing and keep the answer on file. Our Cyprus permanent residency by investment guide sets out the route in full.

Portugal: the fund route and borrowed capital

Portugal closed its real estate route to new applications, so a mortgage on a Portuguese golden visa home is no longer relevant. The investment fund route remains. AIMA’s document checklist for the fund route expects a bank declaration from a Portuguese-authorised institution showing the capital has been transferred in.

We understand that borrowing the minimum investment from a Portuguese bank is not accepted, so treat it as unavailable unless your adviser confirms otherwise in writing. Our guide to Portugal golden visa investment funds explains the route in more detail.

What lenders and authorities will want to see

A lender worries about repayment. An immigration authority worries about the origin of the money and the ownership of the asset. You need to satisfy both, and the paperwork overlaps. These are the points that come up most often.

•       The Loan Agreement And The Lender’s Identity
•       Which Asset Secures The Borrowing
•       Proof That Loan Proceeds Reached Your Own Account
•       A Clear Trail From Account To Seller Or Fund
•       Evidence Of Income Used To Service The Loan
•       Confirmation That The Qualifying Property Is Unencumbered
•       Written Advice On How Borrowed Funds Are Treated

Borrowing against a UK property

For many UK investors, the practical option is to raise money against a home or investment property in the UK, then send it abroad. A remortgage is the usual way, though a further advance or a secured loan can also work. Your Bank of England Bank Rate stood at 3.75% after the September 2026 decision, but your own rate will depend on your lender and your circumstances.

The paper trail is the part people underestimate. A bank asked to move six figures abroad will want to know where the money came from, and a loan is a legitimate answer provided it is documented. Our guide on how to prove source of funds sets out what compliance teams look for, and the guide to currency exchange for a golden visa investment covers moving the money efficiently.

Check the cost of ending the loan early, too. A mortgage that is cheap to take out can be expensive to leave if you want to sell the property later.

An example in pounds

Here is an illustration of how it might look, not a recommendation. Suppose you plan to buy a €400,000 property, which is about £336,000. You put in €200,000 of your own savings, around £168,000, and fund the other €200,000 by raising about £168,000 against your UK home.

The Greek property is bought outright with no Greek mortgage, so the land registry certificate shows no encumbrances. The UK loan is secured on a UK asset and repaid from your UK income. The source of the funds is therefore your savings and a documented loan from a regulated UK lender. Whether the authority accepts that treatment is the point to confirm in advance, not after you have paid.

How it can go wrong

A common mistake is agreeing a local mortgage on the golden visa property first, then discovering at the certificate stage that the charge conflicts with the no-encumbrance requirement. By then the deposit may be paid and the contract signed, so unwinding it is awkward and costly.

Another is borrowing from a friend or a relative without a written agreement. An informal loan can look like an unexplained transfer, which compliance teams treat with suspicion. If family money is involved, document it properly, and read our guidance before you move anything.

There is also a plain financial risk. Your repayments continue regardless of your permit, your tax position or the property market, so make sure you can carry the loan without relying on the investment.

Think about the whole family plan

If you are borrowing, you have less room for surprises elsewhere. Children heading overseas for school or university add costs, and our global education services can help you plan those alongside the permit. For the purchase itself, our real estate services for overseas investors can coordinate with your lawyer on the property and the payment schedule.

Frequently asked questions

Can I get a mortgage for a Greek golden visa property?

A mortgage registered on the property can conflict with the requirement that it is free of encumbrances. Borrowing secured on another asset is usually easier to defend, but confirm the current practice with a Greek lawyer first.

Can I use a UK remortgage to fund a golden visa?

Often, yes, if the loan is documented and the proceeds are traceable from your account to the seller or fund. Ask your adviser to confirm that the route you have chosen accepts borrowed money.

Do I need to pay the full amount in cash?

Greece expects full payment and a registered transfer for the initial permit. Cyprus and Portugal have their own rules on timing and the origin of funds, so check the details for your route.

Will a lender lend against a property abroad?

Some will, but terms vary and lenders often ask for a larger deposit from non-residents. A secured loan against UK property is usually simpler to arrange.

Does borrowing affect the source of funds checks?

Yes. You will need to show the loan agreement, the lender and the transfer of the proceeds, as well as how you will repay it.

Settle the financing before you commit

How you pay for a golden visa property affects your permit, your tax and your family’s finances, so it is worth settling early. If you would like help structuring the funding and lining it up with your application, our team can guide you through our immigration and investment migration services. If you are also weighing a second passport, you can compare the citizenship by investment programmes we work with. Get in touch and we will help you plan the next step.