Do I repay a BDH loan in fresh dollars, and can I pay from abroad?

Key facts#

How the loan is paid

fresh US dollars in cash only^[1,2,3]

Insurance at signing

life insurance monthly, home insurance yearly, in fresh USD^[1,2]

Interest rate (October 2026)

5.75% a year (APR 6.33%)^[1,4,5]

Loan term

7 to 20 years^[1,2], with a 3-month grace period from signing

BDH's own example instalment (February 2026, at 6%)

USD 724 a month (USD 785 if the rate rises 1 point)^[2] on USD 100,000 over 20 years

Early repayment

no early repayment before 7 years^[1,2] unless the bank agrees

Income proof

employment certificate and fresh-USD bank statements, or other proof of income^[1,2]

Paying by transfer from abroad

Not stated by BDH; ask the bank

Before you sign, if you will repay from abroad#

1. 1
   Ask BDH directly how instalments are paid. BDH serves customers itself and does not work through brokers or intermediaries^[1,8]. Its page has listed a hotline, 1620, but check the number on BDH's own site before you call^[2]. Ask three things: whether it accepts a transfer from a foreign bank, whether someone in Lebanon can pay in cash for you, and what happens if a payment is late. Get the answers in writing.
2. 2
   Get the current Key Fact Statement. The February 2026 version fixed the rate for the first year only^[2]. Ask BDH whether the 5.75% rate works the same way, and whether the July 2026 cut applies to your loan^[1,4,5].
3. 3
   Budget the full amount. Add the instalment, the management fee and the monthly life insurance, then the yearly home insurance^[1,2]. BDH's limits are instalment at most 33%, all debts at most 45% of net income.
4. 4
   Arrange the monthly cash. Decide who in Lebanon will hold and pay the fresh dollars, and how the money will reach them each month.
5. 5
   Keep every receipt. Keep a copy of each payment receipt and insurance renewal, both in Lebanon and abroad.

It depends on#

• Rate changes. BDH's rate is subject to amendment, so your instalment can change^[1,4,5]. Ask BDH how and when it tells you about a change.
• Where your income comes from. BDH does not say which foreign income documents it accepts or whether they must be legalised^[1,2]. Ask BDH before you apply.
• How the home is used. A home financed by BDH must be used only as the family's home. If you break that rule, the contract ends and everything you owe becomes due at once^[1,2]. If you live abroad, ask BDH how this applies to you. The full list is in BDH loan conditions.
• Paying off early. You need the bank's agreement to repay before 7 years, and each prepayment after that carries a fee^[1,2]. Ask BDH how much the fee is.

Common questions#