The Interrogation
Welcome to the next installment in our blogs about buying a house in France.
We are in the long, 6-8 week period between having signed the CdV and getting to sale completion with the AdV. The last week we provided additional information to help secure the mortgage with a French bank. They asked for a lot as you will see below.
You will tell me everything, everything, you will hide nothing, do you understand!
That sounds like an interrogation doesn’t it and that is a little like how it feels like with all the information that a French bank demands when applying for a mortgage.
To be fair, for us, as non French residents, looking to mortgage a house in France while remaining resident and working in another EU country, with 2nd nationalities in non EU countries, it might be fair to expect a little more in depth checking by a bank, but even so, we have still been surprised at the extent of the information requested.
Tell Us Everything!
The last time I applied for a mortgage, it was in the UK in 2002 and there was very little scrutiny in comparison. As I remember it, they needed to see proof of income, bank statements to ensure we were not too heavily in debt already and not much else.
In comparison this is what we’ve been asked for by the French bank, so far.
Copies of passports, all pasports, for all nationalities held.
Proof of address from utility bills.
3 months payslips most recent payslips.
3 months statements from every bank account in every country.
Prove of employment, payslips are not enough, they need letters from employers.
Marriage certificate.
Divorce certificate(s) if previously married.
Details of any dependant children.
Certified copies of passports, in addition to the photo copies sent.
Information about any other loans.
Explanation of unusual amounts of income observed in the bank statements. This was from inheritance but they had to confirm that it was legal and not money laundering.
Proof of selling shares in another country as part of investigating non employment income.
Proof of family death and related details to confirm other extraordinary income. IE inheritance.
Personal justifications:
Why aren’t you buying a house where you live?
Are you really going to continue working and not just retire? Really they asked that!
Why do you want to buy the house?
Can we get our own valuation of the property? Clearly not trusting the estate agents to have priced it according to the local market!
Blood….. actually no they haven’t asked for that, yet.
Why why why?
It turns out that there a good reasons for the increased scrutiny in France, mainly due to the French laws around loans, spousal debt and inheritance.
The table below attempts to explain why French banks are more rigorous in their information demands then we prevously experienced.
| Aspect | UK Mortgage (circa 2000s) | French Mortgage (current, expats) |
|---|---|---|
| Proof of income | Required — payslips, P60, bank statements | Required — payslips, tax returns, bank statements (often 3–12 months) |
| Credit checks | Standard checks via UK agencies | Standard checks, plus extra scrutiny for non-residents/expats |
| Other financial commitments | Declared on forms (loans, credit cards, etc.) | Declared with supporting evidence (loan statements, liabilities, etc.) |
| ID & address | Passport, driving licence, utility bills | Passport, residence permit, proof of address (Lux/France/home country) |
| Marital status | Declared on the form; marriage certificate usually not required | Proof of current status required — marriage certificate, sometimes birth certificate |
| Joint applicants | No marriage proof needed; married or unmarried couples could apply jointly | Marital regime affects liability; bank/notaire may require regime details |
| Divorce history | Not typically requested unless affecting income/credit | Divorce certificates required — to establish legal and financial independence |
| Legal framework | Common law; focus on affordability and creditworthiness | Civil law; notaire ensures deed reflects obligations under marriage/property regime |
| Inheritance / liability | Handled separately (wills, insurance, etc.) | Directly tied into mortgage deed; affects survivorship and debt inheritance |
| Expat treatment | No distinction — UK residents treated the same | Expats face extra scrutiny; more documentation required |
Lesson Learned
You should be mindful of these documentation requirements when applying for your french mortgage. Do not be put off, it’s just process and administration.
We are dedicated scanners and filers of information with everything from the last 10 years stored on cloud drives. But even then it took us a while to find everything requested. Do you have all the required information available, indeed do you have it scanned and not just on paper. Having a scanner is also a benefit when exchanging documents internationally.
So as with everything, plan ahead and then the procedures may not be too demanding.
Good Luck.
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