Plenty of Australians now live and work in the Philippines, and many still want to buy property back home. You can do it from Manila, Cebu or Davao. The hard parts are how lenders treat your income and getting your paperwork certified.
Can you get an Australian home loan while living in the Philippines?
Often, yes. If you are an Australian citizen or permanent resident, a handful of lenders will consider you. This guide explains how expat loans work and gives you a full document checklist, including how to certify papers from the Philippines.
Who This Guide Is For
This guide is for Australian citizens and permanent residents who live in the Philippines and want to buy or refinance in Australia. Your status matters a lot, so check where you fit.
Australian citizens are not treated as foreign buyers. According to the ATO, a foreign person is someone who is not an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen.
Permanent residents generally avoid foreign buyer rules too. The ATO notes a PR who is not ordinarily resident may be treated as a foreign person in some circumstances, so check your position before you sign anything.
Filipino citizens who are not Australian citizens or PR face a very different path. They need FIRB approval and the rules are far tighter, so this guide does not cover them.
If you are married to a Filipino partner who is not a citizen or PR, speak to us before buying. Their status can change the rules.
How Expat Home Loans Work
An expat loan is a normal Australian home loan assessed around your overseas situation. The lender checks the same things: income, expenses, debts, deposit and property. The difference is how they treat each one.
Your income is earned overseas and often in another currency.
You cannot walk into a branch or sign in person.
Not every lender will lend to people living offshore.
Some lenders have special expat products with their own rules and pricing.
Lender policy varies a lot. One lender may decline what another approves, so choosing the right lender first saves weeks.
How Lenders Treat Your Income
Lenders convert foreign income to Australian dollars and then apply a discount, often called shading, to allow for currency swings.
Shading commonly sits somewhere between 10% and 40%, depending on the lender and the currency.
Bonuses, overtime and commissions are often counted at a lower percentage, and lenders may want two years of history.
Income in USD, SGD or HKD is generally easier for lenders to accept than income in other currencies.
Philippine Peso income is accepted by fewer lenders. Treatment varies, so confirm it before you apply.
If you are paid in a stronger currency through a Philippine entity, lenders may look at the whole arrangement, so your contract and payslips need to line up.
Overseas rental income is often discounted or ignored.
Shading directly cuts your borrowing power. Two lenders can assess the same salary very differently.
Deposit and Loan Limits
Expat loans often need a bigger deposit than a standard loan. Many lenders cap expat lending at around 80% of the property value, which means a 20% deposit.
Some lenders may go higher for Australian citizens earning in certain currencies, but this is not the norm.
Plan for the deposit plus stamp duty, legal fees and any lenders mortgage insurance.
Lenders may want your deposit shown as genuine savings.
If you own an Australian property, you may be able to use its equity.
Foreign Buyer Rules: What Usually Does Not Apply to You
Australia has strict rules for foreign buyers. These include FIRB approval, a ban on foreign purchases of established homes, and state foreign buyer surcharges.
Citizens are generally outside these rules, even when living overseas.
Permanent residents are also generally outside them, subject to the ordinarily resident point above.
One caution on land tax. Some states charge extra land tax on owners who live overseas. The Victorian State Revenue Office, for example, says some individuals living overseas may pay extra land tax. Ask your conveyancer or accountant about the state where you plan to buy.
Documents You Need: Identity
Start here, because identity checks can take the longest from overseas.
Valid Australian passport.
Australian driver licence, if you still hold one.
A second form of photo ID, such as a Philippine driver licence or national ID.
Citizenship certificate or PR grant notice if relevant.
Proof of your overseas address, such as a lease or utility bill.
Your Australian address history for the past few years.
Documents You Need: Income if You Are Employed
This is the core of your application.
Your signed employment contract.
A letter from your employer in English confirming your role, start date, salary, currency and employment type.
Your most recent payslips, usually the last two.
Three months of bank statements showing your salary credits.
Your latest tax document, if your country issues one. In the Philippines, employees paid by a local employer may have a BIR Form 2316 (certificate of compensation and tax withheld). It generally does not cover wages from a foreign employer.
Support for any bonus or overtime you want counted.
Make sure the numbers match across these. If your payslip, contract and bank credits tell different stories, expect questions.
Documents You Need: Income if You Are Self-Employed
Self-employed expats face tougher assessment and sometimes a higher rate.
Two years of tax returns, and business financial statements where relevant.
An accountant's letter confirming your income and business.
Six months of business bank statements.
Business registration documents, for example SEC or DTI registration if you run a Philippine business.
Lenders vary on which Philippine documents they accept, so treat this as a guide and check with us first.
Documents You Need: Assets, Debts and Property
Lenders assess the full picture, not just your salary.
Three months of statements for your deposit account, and savings or investment accounts.
Records of any remittances or transfers into your deposit, in your own name.
A gift letter if family is contributing.
Statements for every loan and credit card, in Australia and overseas.
Details of any property you own, including loans and rent.
An Australian credit report. Some lenders may also ask about overseas credit history. Philippine credit reports exist, but we have not found a lender that says it accepts one.
The contract of sale, or the address and price if you want pre-approval.
For a refinance, your current loan statements.
Our guide on what banks look for in your bank statements explains what raises red flags.
How to Certify Documents From the Philippines
Lenders usually need certified copies of ID and sometimes income papers. The accepted method depends on the lender, so ask before you spend money.
Australian Embassy in Manila. It offers notarial services such as certifying copies and witnessing signatures. You book online and attend in person. It does not take cash. For property transactions, it declines the service unless your Australian lawyer or conveyancer gives written instructions. Check the embassy's current fee schedule before you book.
Philippine notary. Some lenders accept documents notarised locally. It is usually cheaper, but not every lender allows it.
Apostille. The Philippines has been part of the Apostille Convention since 14 May 2019. Philippine public documents, such as PSA birth or marriage certificates, may need an apostille from the Department of Foreign Affairs. Private documents like payslips are different.
Translation. Documents not in English need a NAATI certified translation.
Identity checks for the property transfer follow a separate process. Your conveyancer will explain how they verify your identity when you live offshore, which can involve an Australian consulate. Engage a conveyancer early and ask for written instructions before you book any embassy appointment.
Signing From Abroad
Many lenders accept electronic signing, which saves couriering paperwork. Some also accept a power of attorney. Others do not, and it adds legal cost. Ask your broker which lenders on your shortlist allow electronic signing, and speak to your conveyancer about contracts and settlement.
Common Mistakes That Delay Approval
Applying with a lender that does not accept Philippine Peso income.
Sending poor-quality or uncertified scans.
Booking an embassy appointment before checking what your lender and conveyancer need.
Letting a passport expire mid-application.
Mismatched names or spellings across documents.
Moving money into your account right before applying with no clear source.
Skipping translation for non-English documents.
Most of these are easy to prevent when you know the rules up front.
The Step-by-Step Process
Free assessment of your income, status and goals.
Shortlist of lenders that fit your residency and income currency.
Document checklist and certification plan for where you live.
Application lodged and managed through to approval.
Remote settlement, with electronic signing where possible.
Read our guide on how pre-approval works if you want to know your budget before you start looking.
Ready to Buy in Australia From the Philippines?
We work with Australians across the Philippines and Southeast Asia, and we manage the whole process remotely. Learn more about our expat home loan service, or contact us for a free chat and a document checklist built around your situation.
General information only. It does not take your personal circumstances into account. Lender policies and government rules change often, so confirm requirements before applying. This is not legal or tax advice.