Is the process complicated? Will there be a lot of paperwork?

Why does the bank ask for so many documents?

Before lending, the bank must check whether you can repay the loan. It looks at your age, your work, your income, your expenses and the loans you already have.

If information or documents are missing, the bank will not grant the loan. So complete documents are what speeds the process up most.

What is on your side?

• Gather your personal, income and home documents.
• Request your credit liabilities report on the Banco de Portugal website.
• Answer quickly when the bank asks for more information.
• Read the ESIS and the draft contract before you sign.
• Arrange the insurance the bank requires.

What do we handle?

• We tell you which documents to gather, for your case.
• We check the application before sending it to the banks.
• We talk to the banks for you and follow up their answers.
• We explain each offer's ESIS and the draft contract.

Explaining the ESIS and the draft contract is a duty of the credit intermediary for home loans.

Which deadlines are set by law?

The bank's offer is valid for at least 30 days. You cannot sign the contract in the first 7 days after you receive it.

The bank has 10 days to give you a copy of the home's valuation. They count from the day it receives the valuer's report.

Which costs come up along the way?

In our experience, one of the first costs is the home valuation. If you pay for it, the report is yours. You can hand in a valuation made for another bank less than 6 months ago.

At the deed, you pay stamp duty on the loan: 0.6% of the amount, for terms over 5 years.

How long does it take in total?

In our experience, 30 to 60 days, from handing in documents to the deed. An example: complete documents on day 1, answers from the banks by day 14, approval on day 28.

With the 7-day reflection period and booking the deed, you sign around day 40. If a document is missing for 2 weeks, it moves to around day 54. These are example timings.

See the guide How long does the whole process usually take?

How can I make it simpler?

Start with our document checklists, which we send by email. See also What are the main steps until I get the keys?

Where FINOVA helps

We follow every step and always tell you where the process stands. Our fee is paid by the bank. To see how much you can borrow, use the home purchase simulator.

Sources

• Banco de Portugal — Creditworthiness assessment
• Banco de Portugal — Carrying out the activity of credit intermediary (in Portuguese)
• Banco de Portugal — New rules on mortgage credit (in Portuguese)
• Banco de Portugal — Guarantees
• Banco de Portugal — Credit liabilities
• Banco de Portugal — Interest rates in home loans

Sources checked on 22 September 2026.