Can you obtain a mortgage in Spain while still living in USA?

Last Updated on March 18, 2026 by Bruno Bianchi

Question

Does anyone have direct experience obtaining a mortgage in Spain while still living in USA? We will continue our current jobs remotely while living in Spain. Each bank we’ve talked to seems to freak out about one thing or another: we get paid in dollars, husband is self employed, we’re not currently living in Spain, etc. We will be financing about 50% and husband is Spaniard. We are looking for specific banks, not brokers, with personal experience.

Answers

These are the answers of some Facebook group members.

“Sabadell is who we have our mortgage with. Initiated it while still in us but did work through a broker.”

“Used Sabadell in Barcelona for mortgage while living in Us.”

“I have sold to many Americans and got mortgages without problems.However, they do ask for a lot of, what you might consider unnecessary, information.This has nothing to do with the banks but is dictated by EU law on money laundering.Painfully intrusive but not the banks fault.”

“what percentage was covered by banks? I read that you can only get 40-50% for non residents”

“I was able to get a mortgage remotely, but did utilize a broker. I wound up getting a mortgage with Bankinter. The broker wound up charging 1% of the mortgage, which I think is pretty standard. I originally tried doing it on my own but was to difficult to do remotely. In the end, fo me it was worth it.”

“Santander and BBVA have non-resident mortgages. I’ve never used it though.”

“Try Cajamar Rural. I also get paid in US dollars and I am a freelancer. All the big banks said no to us but this bank easily gave us a loan.”

“We got a loan as non-residents with Santander in 2019. It was challenging as the Spanish mortgage laws had just changed, and I was over 65.”

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Shaheen Samavati

Shaheen Samavati is a pivotal figure at SpainGuru, where she brings her profound understanding of Spanish immigration to the forefront. Her journey in Spain began when she arrived in Madrid to pursue her studies at IE Business School. Over the years, Shaheen has not only immersed herself in the Spanish culture but has also become a trusted resource for expats. Through her active participation in the "American Expats in Spain" Facebook group and her role as a content manager for Spotahome.com, she has consistently provided invaluable insights to the expat community.

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