Mashreq overhauls mortgage policy — non-resident LTV, income, eligibility tightened

Mashreq Bank has executed one of the more comprehensive policy resets we have seen this year. Effective immediately, eleven distinct policy elements have been updated — affecting non-residents, self-employed applicants, and high-risk borrower segments most.

What changed

The following Mashreq mortgage criteria have been updated:

• LTV / FTV for the Non-Resident Segment
• Maximum Loan / Finance Amount across all segments
• Maximum Number of Properties across all segments
• Minimum Income thresholds
• LOB & LOS criteria for Self-Employed (Full Documentation)
• LOB & LOS criteria for Self-Employed (Low Documentation)
• High-Risk Borrower Segment definitions (Nationality / Sector) — applicable to both Salaried and Self-Employed
• Eligible Property Segment
• Seller Buyout Transactions (all segments)
• Buyout Transactions for the Non-Resident Segment
• Underwriting Adjustments & Required Documentation

Who this affects

This is the broadest policy reset in the April cycle. The headline is the tightening for non-residents — both LTV/FTV and buyout rules — suggesting Mashreq is being more selective on overseas-buyer risk. Self-employed applicants see meaningful changes to both Full-Doc and Low-Doc criteria, which can change qualifying loan size or income evidence requirements.

The High-Risk Borrower Segment revision is the most consequential for some applicants. Mashreq has updated which nationalities and employment sectors are categorised as higher risk — affecting both salaried and self-employed buyers across the board.

What to do next

If Mashreq was on your shortlist or you have an application in flight, request a written confirmation of how the new policy reads against your specific profile (nationality, sector, income type, property location). The detail matters — in some cases the new framework may improve your terms; in others it will exclude you. We can help you read the small print.