Straight mortgage refusal?

Apologies if I’m posting in the wrong place.
Myself and husband put in an application with UB for mortgage. Everything seemed ok but then we got a call back before application was to be sent to underwriters to say that husbands nationality got flagged up as he’s non eu. They asked for copy of his GNIB card and due to him being from Zimbabwe and over with his family years ago as a child he has been unable to get a new passport due to a lot of issues with the Zimbabwe embassy. The immigration is happy to renew his GNIB card yearly and have done so for the last 10 years. We’ve been married 12 years and have 2 kids. I have suggested he should get naturalized but he’s just put it on he long finger.
My question is can we be refused a mortgage because of this?
I am the main earner and he’s the second applicant. He has been in the same company for nearly 10 years and that was stated in his income cert. Getting naturalized will take the guts of a year and we would like to get a place now. We have a good deposit and have been approved for the help to buy scheme.
Any thought/advice will be appreciated.
Thanks.

What Stamp number has he got on GNIB card?

It's not unreasonable for lenders to restrict loans to Irish citizens or at least to people who have their paperwork in order.

A citizen is probably less likely to leave the country and their mortgage behind them.

Brendan

Don't give up hope just yet.

It may be worth your while using a mortgage broker to secure a loan from a lender that's a little more relaxed about residency - it may cost a little more if successful.

P.S. Get your husband to pull his finger out and sort out his Irish citizenship (from one ex-zimbo to another!)

MsCutha said:

My question is can we be refused a mortgage because of this?

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A bank is a private company and as such it is not obligated to do business with anyone.

Zimbabwe is also a very high risk country for money laundering. That plus his inability to produce a passport is going to make it difficult for him, even if he gets Irish citizenship.

Thanks for the reply. He has a stamp 4. He had been renewing a stamp 4 for about 10 years.

He hasn’t been back inZimbabwe for over 16 years.

Brendan Burgess said:

It's not unreasonable for lenders to restrict loans to Irish citizens or at least to people who have their paperwork in order.

A citizen is probably less likely to leave the country and their mortgage behind them.

Brendan

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He hasn’t been to Zimbabwe in 16 years and has very few family members there. His immediate family have all been in Ireland since 2000.

Thanks Andrew Murphy, we will try brokers when we hear back from UB. We also have an application with BOI that is being sent to the underwriters at the moment. Any ideas how long the process will take? BOI hasn’t asked for immigration status but that doesn’t mean they won’t. Thanks for the replies.

MsCutha said:

He hasn’t been to Zimbabwe in 16 years and has very few family members there. His immediate family have all been in Ireland since 2000.

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But banks are not going to spend money doing those kind of background checks when there are plenty of others customers seeking mortgages. Personally I'd be doubtful that the application went as far as the underwriters, more likely a polite way of saying no.

Jim2007 said:

But banks are not going to spend money doing those kind of background checks when there are plenty of others customers seeking mortgages. Personally I'd be doubtful that the application went as far as the underwriters, more likely a polite way of saying no.

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We haven’t been refused yet, they’ve just asked for gnib card to verify stamp on it. He’s been here since he was 16.

Stamp 4 used to be accepted by UB anyway unless things have changed in recent years.

Thanks Monbretia, good to hear that. We are waiting to hear back.

Stamp 4 is fine for most lenders but you need to show the actual GNIB card and it needs to be valid

Thanks Corktim, he has a valid GNIB card and yesterday BOI approved us for a mortgage received letter today. But hoping to go with UB as they have 2.85% interest rates. UB seemed happy with the GNIB card (so far). They sent us a list of requirements to be sorted and we have, now we are waiting for their feedback.

What is a GNIB card? And a stamp 4?

GNIB is the residence permit issued to non nationals outside of the EU. You can have stamp 1-4, 4 being the closest thing to permanent residency. Most banks only take stamp 4 for this reason

Thanks for all the replies. Just got approved with UB. They were happy with the stamp 4. Got BOI approval as well.