Foreign National Mortgage Issue

DarlyPaws

This is going to sound complicated but please bear with me. My husband (British citizen) and I (US citizen but UK permanent resident with ILR since 2009) have just sold our house. We have had an offer accepted on another house. We contacted our current mortgage holder because we were happy with their rates and wanted to stay with them. We passed affordability and can put down between 20% and 40%. Our outgoings aren't much (as many will be paid off in 2-3 weeks) and this has been noted.

They asked me to submit my passport. Sure, no problem!

Until yesterday. I was walking to the bank to have the passport certified and was actually mugged as I was on my way there. My passport, which had my visa in it, was stolen. I went in and told them what happened and said I would be back. I rang the police and lodged a report.

Now, today, I went in with loads and loads of documents. I had copies of my passport identity page and of my residence visa (I always have copies because things happen) so I took those in. I know they can't certify them but I took them anyway. I also took the original letter and attachments that were given to me when the visa was approved. They could certify that and check it against the copies to show the dates are the same etc. I took my original marriage certificate, UK driving licence, police report reference number, P60, payslips, bank statements, and employment contract. We took in all the identity documents for my husband as well. I wanted to establish that I was resident in the UK. However, they had seen my passport and verified it when we took out our current mortgage.

However, I am worried they will decline the application because I couldn't present my actual passport. That isn't my fault. My residence permit is still valid despite the fact that my passport was stolen. I know it was bad luck but I have provided them quite a bit of information, which includes a police reference number.

I guess what I'm asking is: am I likely to get an approval? Or should I just expect to be declined?

DarlyPaws

Malcnascar wrote: »

I dont think you need to worry.

Ask to speak to someone in authority and explain to them what you have said to us. In time you will get your passport and visa documents replaced and will be able to produce these.

From their position they have to follow the various tick boxes but a quality organisation has their reputation to protect also. Imagine if the declined on these technicalities. The press love bashing the Bank's.

I hope you are right! I can't get my passport and visa completely replaced for 6 months (shocking, I know) because I can't get an appointment for a new passport until the end of February. That takes about 4-6 weeks to arrive and then I have to wait a few months to have the visa re-issued into the new passport. A total nightmare!

DarlyPaws

Malcnascar wrote: »

Thats a real shame. It's why I suggested you get to speak to someone in authority. That in it's self can be hard, hope you don't come up against a brick wall there.

I wish you every success. I spend a lot of time in Spain and I understand just how important your passport is.

Just ensure that they understand how loyal you have been to them and the circumstances were not your fault. I think it reasonalble for some reverse loyaltiy.

I think so, too. I mean, I could understand if I couldn't produce anything but that isn't the case. They will be sending everything to the mortgage centre and it should arrive by Tuesday. However, I'm going to ring them on Monday and see if I can speak to an underwriter or someone to explain the situation. I can't change the situation.

DarlyPaws

An update:

The mortgage is approved subject to valuation. :T

So, if anyone finds themselves in a similar situation, fight, fight, fight!

I took in all the documentation I could find proving that I had permanent residence and I made a point of explaining my entire situation. I also made a bit of a nuisance of myself. Okay, more than a bit. I spoke to managers and higher. However, what really did it was the fact that I had a document proving every single solitary thing.

Valuation is in 2-3 days so yippee!!