Foreign national, ITIN/Tax ID, and non-resident mortgages: which one fits you?
Yes — you can buy or refinance a property in the United States without US citizenship, green card or permanent residency.
And it may take less down than you think: ITIN buyers with strong credit can put as little as about 10% down.
The trick is knowing which of three paths is yours — they have very different rules. Sort yourself below and you’ll know what you can actually qualify for.
- Licensed in GA, FL, TX, SC & AL
- Investor lending in ~46 states
- Hablamos español
Which one are you?
Almost every page online blurs these three together — which is exactly why people get quoted the wrong loan.
Tap the situation that sounds like you. If you’re between two, that’s normal; this section should help you clear up any confusion.
The thing that shapes your options: your credit score sets your down payment. Strong credit can mean as little as ~10% down; near the 640 minimum it’s closer to 40%.
- Can buy — A home to live in, a second home, or a rental
- Down payment — As low as ~10% (720+ score) on a home to live in
- Minimum credit — 640, and a single score, or even no score, can work
- How you prove income — W-2s, bank statements, or a P&L — your choice
- Investing too? — Qualify on the rent with an ITIN rental (DSCR) loan
DACA and asylum borrowers often qualify through these same guidelines.
The thing that shapes your options: a valid status plus a Social Security number puts you close to citizen treatment — the visa letters matter less than valid work authorization and US credit.
- Can buy — A home to live in, a second home, or a rental
- Loan options — Regular loans such as Conventional mortgages and non-QM alike
- Down payment — As low as 3% or 5% for a Conventional loan
- US credit — Usually yes, via your SSN
- DACA / asylum — Available for Conventional financing and served on other portfolio programs
Self-employed on an E-2 or O-1? Bank statement loans may fit.
The thing that shapes your options: you are a foreign national residing outside of the United States — so it’s a vacation home or rental (not a primary), and if it’s a rental you can qualify on the rent with no US credit at all.
- Can buy — A second home or a rental (not a home to live in)
- Down payment — As low as ~25% on a rental, qualifying on the rent
- US credit — Not required, qualify on rent and assets
- Loan size — Financing available into the $2M+ range
- Getting funds ready — Move money to a US bank and let it sit before applying
Buying a rental abroad-to-US? Qualifying on the rent usually beats a full-doc option.
ITIN vs. foreign national vs. non-permanent resident
These three get lumped together constantly. They shouldn’t be — the differences decide which loans you can get, whether you can buy a home to live in, and how much you’ll need for your down payment.
|
|
ITIN borrower
|
Non-permanent resident
|
Foreign national
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lives in the US?
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No — resides abroad
|
|
Tax ID
|
ITIN (no SSN)
|
Usually SSN via work visa
|
None (foreign tax ID)
|
|
Can buy a home to live in?
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
No — vacation or rental only
|
|
US credit needed?
|
Helps, not always required
|
Usually yes (via SSN)
|
No
|
|
Down payment starts around
|
~10% (strong credit)
|
Close to a regular loan
|
~25% on a rental
|
|
Typical loans
|
ITIN full-doc, bank statement, ITIN rental (DSCR)
|
Regular and non-QM loans
|
Foreign national rental (DSCR), asset-based
|
Your credit score sets your down payment
This is the part most lender sites never explain. With an ITIN, how much you put down on a home to live in isn’t a fixed number — it moves with your credit score.
Stronger score, less down. Here’s roughly how it breaks down on our most flexible ITIN program.
down
down
down
down
down
Minimum credit score is 640, and no score or a single score can work. Notice the jump at the bottom: if you’re sitting near 640, nudging your score up a tier can cut your down payment dramatically — often the highest-return thing you can do before you buy. That’s exactly the kind of thing we’ll flag for you.
Can you buy a home in the US without a green card or citizenship?
Short answer: yes. There’s no citizenship or green-card requirement to own US real estate, and at Andes Mortgage, we make loans to all three borrower types above every day.
What changes isn’t whether you can buy — it’s which loan and on what terms.
A visa holder with a Social Security number and US credit is treated almost like a citizen.
A US resident with an ITIN can buy a home to live in, a second home, or a rental.
Someone living abroad can buy a US vacation home or rental, usually with more down and without needing US credit at all. This page’s whole job is to point you at the right one before you waste time being quoted the wrong loan or simply told no because you talked to the wrong lender.
A note we put on every page in this section
Andes Mortgage provides mortgage guidance only — not immigration or legal advice. If you have questions about your status, an immigration attorney is the right person to ask. On the financing side, an ITIN mortgage is an ordinary loan: legal, mainstream, and used every day. Nothing about applying is a workaround or a gray area.
Do you need US credit?
It depends entirely on which borrower you are — and this trips a lot of people up.
If you live abroad (foreign national)
No US credit or international credit report is needed at all.
For a Foreign National loan, we qualify you based on your assets and the property’s rental income. If you happen to have foreign credit, it can help, but it isn’t required.
If you live in the US (ITIN)
Helpful, and a stronger score gets you a lower down payment — but the floor is a 640. Some programs work with a single score or none, using things like rent, utilities, and other on-time payments to round out your profile.
If “I have no US credit” is the wall you keep hitting, that’s a solvable problem, not a dead end. Book a call with us and we’ll help you navigate through it all.
Where to go next
Once you know your type, follow it into the details — down payment, documents, and the investor products that fit.
ITIN mortgages
Buy a home to live in, a second home, or a rental with an ITIN and no SSN — from as little as ~10% down with strong credit.
Non-permanent resident
On a work visa, or a DACA or asylum borrower? You’re often close to citizen terms. See what lenders check.
Foreign national
Living abroad and buying a US rental? Qualify on the rent, from as little as 25% down — no US credit needed.
Buying a rental? Both ITIN and foreign national investors can qualify on the property’s income with a DSCR loan — and tap the equity later through a DSCR HELOC.
Who can buy a home to live in — and who can't
This is the cleanest line between the three, and it surprises people. It comes down to where you live.
|
What you're buying
|
ITIN
|
Non-permanent resident
|
Foreign national
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
A home to live in
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Not this program
|
|
A second home
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
|
A rental / investment
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
Yes
|
The logic is simple: a home to live in has to be somewhere you actually live. If you reside abroad, US lenders finance you for a vacation home or a rental — not a primary. If you live in the US, a home to live in is on the table whether you hold an ITIN or a work visa.
How OFAC and country checks work
Two things are worth knowing up front so nothing at the closing table catches you off guard.
OFAC screening (federal law)
Every US mortgage — for citizens and non-citizens alike — is screened against the federal OFAC sanctions and Specially Designated Nationals lists. It’s the law, not a lender preference, and it’s a routine background check, not a judgment about you.
Country-specific rules vary
Some lenders also restrict income or assets sourced from specific countries, and which countries are affected varies by lender and changes over time. Rather than guess, we confirm your specific situation against current guidelines before you shop — so you only spend time on programs that actually fit.
Down payments at a glance
Down payments here start higher than a regular loan for a citizen — but “higher” is a range, not a mystery, and the low end may surprise you.
|
Your situation
|
Down payment starts around
|
Credit
|
|---|---|---|
|
ITIN — home to live in
|
~10% (720+), rising to ~40% near a 640
|
640 minimum
|
|
ITIN — second home or rental
|
~25–30%
|
Score and program dependent
|
|
Non-permanent resident
|
Close to a regular loan: 3%-5% minimum
|
Standard, via SSN
|
|
Foreign national — rental (qualify on rent)
|
~25%
|
Not required
|
|
Foreign national — cash-out refinance
|
Keep ~30% equity
|
Not required
|
Rates run a bit above a comparable regular loan to reflect the extra documentation and, for foreign nationals, the lack of US credit.
The trade is access: these programs exist precisely so the down payment and rate are the only real hurdles — not your citizenship or your credit file.
How we built the numbers on this page
Foreign national and ITIN lending has no government agency guideline behind it — the rules live in wholesale lender guidelines that most consumers never see. So instead of repeating one lender’s overlay, we work from the current wholesale guidelines behind our own programs and publish them in plain ranges. We show the low end (the most flexible programs) and note where terms tighten, so what you read matches what you’ll actually be quoted.
- ITIN, home to live in — down payment as low as ~10% at a 720 score, rising toward ~40% near the 640 minimum; single score or no score can work.
- ITIN, second home or rental — commonly ~25–30% down; also available as a rental loan that qualifies on the property's income.
- Foreign national rental — as low as ~25% down qualifying on the rent, with no US credit required and financing up to the $2M+ range.
- Non-permanent residents (including DACA and asylum borrowers on some programs) are generally treated close to US citizens.
Ranges reflect current wholesale lending guidelines and are typical values, not a single lender’s terms or a commitment to lend. Program terms and eligibility vary by lender and are subject to change without notice. Guidelines last verified: July 2026.
The questions people actually ask
Can I buy a house in the US without a Social Security number?
Yes. If you live in the US and file taxes with an ITIN, ITIN mortgage programs let you buy a home to live in, a second home, or a rental — no SSN required, and from as little as about 10% down with strong credit. If you live abroad, foreign national programs serve you instead.
How much do I need to put down with an ITIN?
For a home to live in, it tracks your credit score: roughly 10% down at 720+, around 15% at 680–700, about 20% near 660, and closer to 40% at the 640 minimum. Second homes and rentals generally start around 25–30%. If you’re near a score tier, improving it a little can meaningfully lower your down payment.
What's the difference between an ITIN loan and a foreign national loan?
Where you live. ITIN borrowers live and work in the US and file taxes with an ITIN — they can buy a home to live in. Foreign nationals live abroad and buy US property as a vacation home or rental, usually with more down and no US credit. Same “non-citizen” label, genuinely different loans.
Do I need US credit to qualify?
Not always. Many foreign national programs need no US credit at all — they qualify you on rental income or documented assets. ITIN borrowers benefit from having US credit (a 640 is the floor, and a higher score lowers your down payment), but some programs work with a single score or alternative history like rent and utilities.
Can DACA or asylum borrowers get a mortgage?
Often yes. Some programs specifically include DACA and asylum borrowers, sometimes through the same flexible ITIN-style guidelines. Program treatment in this area can change, so we verify current terms for your situation. We provide mortgage guidance only, not immigration advice — for status questions, talk to an immigration attorney.
Is an ITIN mortgage legal?
Yes — completely. An ITIN is an IRS tax-processing number, and ITIN mortgages are ordinary loans made by regulated lenders every day. It isn’t a loophole or a gray area. We provide mortgage guidance only, not immigration or legal advice; for status questions, an immigration attorney is the right resource.
go here next
More resources you can't afford to skip
Foreign National Loans
Program explained in full detail
Foreign National Loan Requirements
See what's needed
ITIN/Tax ID Loans
Buy property with individual taxpayer number
Not sure which one you are? That's exactly what the quiz is for.
Answer a few quick questions and we’ll point you to the right path and the loans that fit — no credit pull, no obligation. Hablamos español.
Owner & mortgage broker, Andes Mortgage LLC · NMLS #988935
- Guidelines last verified: July 2026 · reviewed quarterly
Andes Mortgage provides mortgage guidance only, not immigration, legal, or tax advice. Figures shown are typical ranges from current wholesale lending guidelines as of the date above — not a single lender’s terms and not a commitment to lend. Program terms and eligibility vary by lender and are subject to change without notice. Andes Mortgage LLC · NMLS #2187991 · Equal Housing Lender.