Mortgage in France for a foreign buyer: which documents to translate, and does the whole bank statement need translating?
By Keran Chaussard, administrator of the Directory of Sworn Translators of France — updated on
To grant a mortgage to a foreign or non-resident buyer, a French bank asks for the same supporting documents as from a resident, but written in a foreign language: identity document, proof of income, tax assessments, employment contract or employer’s statement, recent bank statements and proof of the deposit. It must be able to understand them, both to assess the borrower’s ability to repay and to check the origin of the funds.
It is generally not necessary to have months of bank statements translated in full. What the bank is looking for is the income paid in, recurring outgoings (loans, rent), balances and unusual transactions. Depending on what it accepts, a statement from the foreign bank, a partial translation clearly identified as such, or a translation of the headings and significant transactions only is enough. Ask the bank what it requires before ordering anything.
The documents most often requested
| Document | What the bank checks | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| Passport or identity document | Identity, nationality | Rarely needed |
| Proof of address | Residence, tax residence | If the language is not understood |
| Employment contract or employer’s statement | Job stability, length of service, probation period | Often requested |
| Payslips (usually the last 3 months) | Regular income, bonuses | Often requested |
| Tax assessment or tax return (1 or 2 years) | Annual income, non-salary income | Often requested |
| Bank statements (3 to 6 months) | Income, outgoings, account management, savings | See below |
| Proof of the deposit | Origin of funds (savings, sale of a property, gift) | Often requested |
| Repayment schedules for existing loans | Existing debt | Often requested |
| Balance sheets and tax return packages | Income of an entrepreneur or self-employed person | Often requested |
The lending rules that apply in France also apply to foreign borrowers: the bank calculates a debt-to-income ratio and a loan term within the limits set by the High Council for Financial Stability (Haut Conseil de stabilité financière). For a non-resident, it often also asks for a larger personal deposit and may require income to be paid into, or savings held with, the bank.
Does the whole bank statement need translating?
This is the question that weighs most on the cost of the file: six months of statements can run to dozens of pages. In most cases, a full translation is neither necessary nor useful. The bank needs to understand:
- the income credited (salary, rent received, dividends) and how regular it is
- the recurring outgoings (loan repayments, rent, maintenance payments)
- the balances and the absence of repeated overdrafts
- any large or unusual transactions, in particular those funding the deposit
Three solutions avoid a full translation, to be agreed with the bank:
- A statement from the foreign bank, on one or two pages, showing the balances, the income paid in and the absence of incidents, translated in full.
- A partial translation of the statements: headers, column and section headings, and significant transactions. A partial sworn translation must say so clearly (“translation of extracts”) so that there can be no confusion about its scope.
- A translation of the headings and of one sample statement, with the other months left in the original language: amounts and dates can be read without translation once the labels are understood.
In addition, many French banks accept statements in English directly, without translation. The question of translation arises mainly for less widely spoken languages.
Conversely, a full translation may be required when the statements are used to prove the origin of a large deposit, or when the bank applies enhanced due diligence measures under anti-money laundering rules.
Income in foreign currencies
The translation reproduces amounts in the original currency. The bank converts the income into euros itself to calculate the debt-to-income ratio, often with a discount to reflect exchange rate risk. If a conversion is added in the translation, it must state the exchange rate applied and its date. Also watch the thousands and decimal separators, which vary from country to country.
Sworn translation or not?
A bank is not a public authority: it sets its own requirements. Some accept a professional non-sworn translation, others ask for a translation by a court-appointed expert translator, in particular for the tax assessment, the employment contract and proof of the deposit. The notary, for their part, will need documents translated by an expert for the deed of sale and its annexes (civil status, matrimonial property regime, power of attorney).
Borrower insurance
Borrower insurance may require a health questionnaire and, depending on the amount and age, medical examinations or reports. If these are written in another language, the insurer may ask for a translation. As health data are sensitive, send them only to the insurer and the translator.
Common mistakes
- Having six months of statements translated before knowing what the bank expects.
- Sending incomplete statements (missing pages, secondary accounts left out), which raises questions about the origin of funds.
- Converting income without stating the rate or the date.
- Providing documents from different periods: payslips, statements and the employer’s statement should cover the same period.
- Forgetting existing loans abroad, which the bank will find in the statements.
Finding a translator for a mortgage file
The Directory of Sworn Translators of France lets you search for a court-appointed expert translator by language, département, region and court of appeal. For a mortgage file with several documents, first send the list required by the bank and a sample statement: the translator can then propose a suitable full or partial translation. The express file submission service lets you entrust the whole file to the Directory.
Frequently asked questions
- Can a foreign national get a mortgage in France?
- Yes, including a non-resident, provided they can show stable income and the ability to repay. The bank often asks for a larger deposit.
- Do all bank statements need translating for a mortgage?
- Generally not. A statement from the foreign bank, a clearly identified partial translation or a translation of the headings is often enough. A full translation may be required to prove the origin of a large deposit.
- Do statements in English need translating?
- Many French banks accept them without translation. Ask before ordering.
- Must the translation be sworn for the bank?
- It depends on the bank. The tax assessment, employment contract and proof of deposit are the documents for which a sworn translation is most often requested.
- How is income in a foreign currency taken into account?
- The bank converts it into euros, often with a discount. The translation reproduces the original amounts; any added conversion must state the exchange rate and its date.
Sources
- High Council for Financial Stability (Haut Conseil de stabilité financière), decision D-HCSF-2021-7 on the conditions for granting mortgage loans (in French)
- French Monetary and Financial Code, Articles L. 561-5 et seq. (due diligence obligations of credit institutions)
- Law No. 71-498 of 29 June 1971 and Decree No. 2004-1463 of 23 December 2004 on court-appointed experts
