Foreign national mortgages
A property-first review for borrowers whose income, assets, and credit history are based outside the United States.
Short answer
Foreign-national mortgage programs can finance eligible U.S. property for borrowers who live and earn outside the United States and may not have a U.S. credit score. Lenders typically review passport or visa status, foreign credit or reference letters, income and assets, reserves, property use, and the source and transfer of funds.
Who this is for
- Non-U.S. citizens living and earning primarily outside the United States
- International buyers with limited or no U.S. credit history
- Borrowers purchasing an eligible second home or investment property
- Buyers who can document foreign income, assets, identity, and funds transfer
What it takes to qualify
- Acceptable identity, residency, visa, and sanctions-screening documentation for the lender and transaction.
- Verifiable foreign income, assets, credit references, and reserves under the selected program.
- An eligible U.S. property, occupancy or investment purpose, down payment, and lawful source of funds.
How it works with me
A process you can see the whole way through
Confirm borrower status
Passport, residency, visa, U.S. presence, and tax-identification details place the file in the correct lane.
Map income and assets
We identify currency, statement format, ownership, translation, and funds-transfer requirements.
Match property and purpose
Primary, second-home, rental, entity, and business-purpose rules are compared.
Verify the exact lender
Current country, credit, reserve, down-payment, and property restrictions are checked before relying on terms.
What to know before you decide
Foreign national, visa holder, and permanent resident are different lanes
A permanent resident, a non-permanent resident with U.S. income, and a true foreign-national borrower may qualify under different rules. We identify the correct status first so the loan is not priced or documented under the wrong program.
Money movement is part of underwriting
Foreign statements may need translation, currency conversion, sourcing, and evidence that funds can legally move to the United States. Starting that review before escrow reduces last-minute questions about large transfers, gift funds, ownership, and reserves.
Borrower-status starting points
| Profile | Possible starting lane | Key verification |
|---|---|---|
| Permanent resident | Standard agency or portfolio | Residency and standard qualification |
| Eligible non-permanent resident | Agency, portfolio, or Non-QM | Visa, continuance, income, and current rules |
| Foreign national | Foreign-national portfolio or Non-QM | Foreign credit, assets, reserves, property use, and country rules |
| International investor | Foreign-national or business-purpose investor | Entity, rent, exit plan, and program footprint |
Immigration, tax, sanctions, and lending rules are separate. Qualified legal or tax advice may be needed.
Rates and terms subject to change without notice. Not a commitment to lend. Not available in all states. This is not tax, legal, or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional for your specific situation.
Run your own numbers first
Model the down payment, reserves, currency conversion, and full housing cost before choosing a property.
Open the calculatorsForeign national mortgages: common questions
Do I need a U.S. credit score?
Not always. Some programs accept foreign credit reports, reference letters, or other verified history, while others require U.S. credit.
Can foreign income be used?
Potentially, with lender-accepted verification, translation, conversion, continuance, and documentation.
Can I buy through a company?
Some investment programs allow eligible entities. Consumer and business-purpose rules, guarantees, and title structure need review.
How much down payment is required?
It varies by status, property use, loan size, credit documentation, country, and lender. The current program terms control.
Fine-tune your Foreign national mortgages plan
Send the property, purpose, timing, and numbers you already know. The email opens prefilled for this Foreign national mortgages page so the review starts in the right lane.
MortgageOne Inc. is licensed for consumer mortgage lending in 41 states and Washington, DC. Chris Lamm is individually licensed in 19 states.