Portuguese banks: which ones finance a mortgage for non-residents?
Portuguese banks lend non-residents up to 80 % loan-to-value. Here are the 14 most important lenders — from the state-owned CGD to the specialists — with what matters for foreign buyers.
Portuguese banks for non-residents: which five names lead the field?
The Portuguese banks that finance non-residents are led by Millennium BCP, Novobanco, Banco BPI, Santander Totta and Bankinter Portugal. UCI Portugal is the cross-border specialist and Banco Atlântico Europa the expat-focused niche, while the state-owned CGD is the largest bank. Which house fits is settled in a direct comparison after the credit review.
Millennium BCP, Novobanco, BPI, Santander Totta and Bankinter lead
Above all Millennium BCP, Novobanco, Banco BPI, Santander Totta and Bankinter Portugal; the specialist UCI Portugal and the niche Atlântico Europa. The largest is the state-owned CGD.
Portuguese mortgage: up to 80 % of the lower of price and Avaliação
Typically up to 80 %, set on the lower of purchase price and Avaliação.
What changed among the banks?
Novobanco has belonged to France's Groupe BPCE since 2026; EuroBic has been fully absorbed into Abanca Portugal.
Which Portuguese banks finance non-residents?
Among Portuguese banks, the most active lenders for foreign buyers are Millennium BCP, Novobanco, Banco BPI, Santander Totta and Bankinter Portugal; UCI Portugal is the cross-border specialist and Banco Atlântico Europa the expat-focused niche. In total Perini compares 14 Portuguese institutions and approaches the suitable ones per case — from the large branch banks through the mortgage specialist to the expat-oriented house.
Portuguese banks usually lend non-residents up to 80 % of the lower of purchase price and Avaliação (bank valuation). A Portuguese tax number (NIF) is required in every case, and the bank assesses income and property before committing.
Which house fits a given case depends on the borrower profile and the property, and is settled in a direct comparison after the credit review — not by the best-known name. Perini approaches the suitable houses in parallel rather than relying on a single bank's offer.
In Portugal it's not the brand that decides, but the bank that fits
As independent brokers we compare and negotiate with the right banks for you. Portuguese banks typically finance non-residents up to 80 % of the lower of purchase price and avaliação; the actual rate ranges are on mortgage rates Portugal, the requirements on Portugal mortgage requirements.
Which institution writes your case is part of the mandate and is not listed here. This is a market overview, not a commitment from any particular bank.
Portugal's big banks
The nationwide lenders have established non-resident programmes and mostly English-speaking service.
- Caixa Geral de Depósitos (CGD) — state-owned bank, the largest in Portugal.
- Millennium BCP — largest private bank, active for non-residents.
- Novobanco — owned since 2026 by France's Groupe BPCE; large non-resident business.
- Santander Totta — Portuguese subsidiary of the Santander group, own non-resident programme.
- Banco BPI — active for foreign buyers.
- Bankinter Portugal — strong for non-residents.
Cooperative, mutual and retail
- Crédito Agrícola — Portugal's largest cooperative banking group.
- Banco Montepio (Caixa Económica Montepio Geral) — mutually owned retail bank.
- Abanca Portugal — Galicia's Abanca in Portugal; absorbed EuroBic (integration completed 2025).
- Banco CTT — retail bank of the Portuguese postal operator (CTT).
Specialists and niche lenders
- UCI Portugal (Unión de Créditos Inmobiliarios) — mortgage specialist (Santander/BNP Paribas), strong cross-border.
- Banco Atlântico Europa — expat- and non-resident-oriented bank with a crédito habitação offer.
- Banco Invest — investment bank with its own residential mortgage.
- Banco BiG (Banco de Investimento Global) — investment bank with a crédito habitação product.
Strongest for non-residents: Millennium BCP, Novobanco, Banco BPI, Santander Totta and Bankinter Portugal are the established cross-border lenders; UCI Portugal is the cross-border specialist and Banco Atlântico Europa the expat-focused niche. we check which one fits your case in a direct comparison.
Questions about the Portuguese banks
Which Portuguese banks lend to non-residents?
The most active for foreign buyers are Millennium BCP, Novobanco, Banco BPI, Santander Totta and Bankinter Portugal; the cross-border specialist is UCI Portugal, and the expat-focused niche is Banco Atlântico Europa. The state-owned CGD is the country's largest bank.
How much do Portuguese banks lend to non-residents?
Typically up to 80 % of the lower of purchase price and avaliação (bank valuation). You bring the rest and the purchase costs as equity.
Who owns Novobanco?
Since 2026 Novobanco belongs to France's Groupe BPCE, which completed the acquisition in April 2026. It is one of the larger lenders for non-residents.
Does EuroBic still exist?
No, not as a standalone brand. EuroBic has been fully absorbed into Abanca Portugal (integration completed in 2025). For existing loans, Abanca Portugal is the point of contact.
Which is the largest bank in Portugal?
The state-owned Caixa Geral de Depósitos (CGD) is Portugal's largest bank, followed by the largest private lender Millennium BCP. Size does not decide who finances a non-resident case best.
Related pages
Content by Siegfried Perini — local brand representative since 2019, active in real estate since 1992, entered in the German intermediary register (§ 11a GewO) as a person directly involved in brokerage and advice. Point of contact for German-speaking buyers in Spain and Portugal. Brokerage by Olga Nikushkina, mortgage credit intermediary under § 34i German Trade Regulation (GewO); in Portugal through a locally licensed intermediary.