Permanent vs temporary residence: what changes for your mortgage
A permanent residence card or EU long-term resident status opens practically every bank. Here is how the difference looks in practice.
Kready · 2026-09-21
Your residence document is one of the first things a bank checks. The type of permit affects how many banks you can choose from and sometimes how much own contribution you need.
Permanent residence and EU long-term resident
- Accepted by all banks we compare.
- Usually no extra requirements compared with Polish citizens.
- Validity of the plastic card matters less – the permit itself is indefinite.
Temporary residence card
- Accepted by most banks, often with a requirement of 12+ months of remaining validity.
- Some banks ask for a 20% own contribution from temporary residents.
- A few banks do not accept it at all.
Is it worth waiting for permanent residence?
Not necessarily. If you already qualify with a temporary card, waiting may cost you more than it saves – property prices and rates change too. It is worth waiting only when:
- your card expires within a few months, or
- the only banks available to you have noticeably worse terms.
Compare both scenarios in the calculator – change the residence status in the "About you" step and see how the list of banks changes.