Diaspora Mortgages in Kenya
Use published lender information to prepare a Kenya home-loan application from abroad. Each lender makes its own eligibility, affordability and credit decision.
How a Diaspora Mortgage Actually Works
A diaspora mortgage is a Kenyan home loan for a buyer living abroad, secured against a Kenyan property. Product availability, currency, income treatment and loan disbursement are determined by the lender.
Prepare identification, KRA PIN, income evidence, host-country documentation, bank statements and property documents early. Each lender independently assesses affordability, credit profile, property security and the completed application.
Do not sign a sale agreement on the assumption that a lender will approve a specific loan amount or time frame. Ask for the lender’s current documents checklist and written product terms first.
Diaspora Mortgage Products by Bank
Five Kenyan banks offer dedicated diaspora mortgage products. Use this table as a starting comparison — then talk to two banks before you commit.
| Bank | Diaspora Product | Rate Range | Max LTV | Max Term | Diaspora Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KCB Bank Kenya | Affordable Housing Mortgage | From 8.9% p.a. | Up to 105% | 25 years | Resident, self-employed and diaspora applicants are included, subject to assessment. |
| Stanbic Bank Kenya | KMRC Affordable Housing Loan | 8.99% p.a. | Up to 105% | 20 years | Diaspora eligible when the loan is in Kenyan shillings; excise duty applies to the facility fee. |
| Absa Bank Kenya | KMRC Affordable Home Loan | From 9% p.a. | Up to 105% | 25 years | Purchase and construction eligible, subject to lender assessment. |
| Absa Bank Kenya | Standard Home Loan | 13.33% p.a. | Up to 110% | 25 years | Published standard rate on a reducing balance; actual terms are assessment-based. |
| NCBA Bank Kenya | Affordable Housing Mortgage | 9.5% to 20 years; 9.9% longer than 20 years 9.5% p.a. | Up to 105% | 25 years | Combined gross household income is capped at KES 1 million; joint applications allowed within that limit. |
Rates and terms are sourced from current ArdhiHome mortgage data and may change. Confirm every term directly with the lender before applying. KMRC-funded fixed-rate products have their own eligibility criteria.
What Actually Differentiates Diaspora Mortgage Products
Do not compare a diaspora mortgage only by its headline rate. Ask each lender for the written product terms that apply to your income and property.
What to weight in your bank choice:
- Application process from your country
Ask whether the lender accepts digital, couriered or notarised documents, and which documents must be signed or witnessed in Kenya.
- Acceptance of your income source
Ask how the lender documents salaried, contractor and self-employed income from your country of residence. Acceptance is never universal.
- Currency-fluctuation buffer
If repayments are in KES, decide how you will monitor exchange movements and fund your servicing account. Confirm the lender’s account and remittance requirements.
- Property-type appetite
Confirm that the lender will consider your selected property type and development, and understand its valuation and title requirements before committing.
- Early-repayment penalty
Request the lender’s current prepayment, repricing, insurance, facility-fee and default clauses in writing before accepting an offer.
Use the full ArdhiHome mortgage hub to compare sourced product information and estimate buying costs, then verify the current written terms directly with the lender.
Document Checklist
Every Kenyan bank with a diaspora mortgage product asks for some version of the following. Gathering them in advance will cut weeks off the application timeline.
- Kenyan ID or passport and KRA PIN
- Host-country identity, residence or work documentation where requested
- Income evidence, such as payslips, employment confirmation, bank statements or business records
- Tax and financial documents for self-employed applicants where requested
- Property sale agreement or offer letter, title or lease, and official title-search documents
- A valuation report and any lender-specific mortgage, insurance or spousal documents
Indicative information only. Bank product names, interest rates, loan-to-value ratios, fees, and eligibility criteria change frequently. The figures shown are for comparison purposes and were collected from each bank's public communications at the time of writing. Always confirm current terms directly with the lender before making a decision, and consider speaking with at least two banks plus an independent mortgage adviser before signing any offer letter.
