Question 1

Can I buy a house with an ITIN?

Accepted Answer

Yes. An ITIN mortgage uses your Individual Taxpayer Identification Number in place of a Social Security number. You will generally need two years of tax returns filed with that ITIN, documented income, and 15–20% down. Your immigration status is not part of the underwriting decision.

Question 2

Do I need a green card or work permit?

Accepted Answer

No. ITIN lending does not require permanent residency or an employment authorization document. If you do have an SSN or EAD, though, tell me — you may qualify for FHA or conventional financing at meaningfully better terms.

Question 3

How much down payment do I need for an ITIN loan?

Accepted Answer

Fifteen to twenty percent is typical, and select programs go to ten percent for borrowers with strong credit and reserves. Gift funds from family are allowed on most programs with proper documentation.

Question 4

What if I have no credit score?

Accepted Answer

That is common and workable. We build an alternative credit profile from twelve months of payment history on three or four accounts — rent, utilities, cell phone, and insurance are the usual four. A landlord ledger or cancelled checks will do for rent.

Question 5

I get paid in cash. Can I still qualify?

Accepted Answer

Only for the portion you can document. Cash that never touches a bank account cannot be used. If you are planning to buy in the next year or two, start depositing your income now and file your returns accordingly — that single habit is what makes the file work.

Question 6

Are ITIN loan rates much higher?

Accepted Answer

Higher than conventional, yes — these are portfolio loans the lender keeps on its own books rather than selling. But they are real 30-year fixed mortgages with normal amortization, and you can refinance later if your situation changes.

Question 7

Can I buy a two-family with an ITIN loan?

Accepted Answer

On many programs, yes — one to four units, with you occupying one of them. The rental income from the other units can often help you qualify. This is a popular route in Queens and Brooklyn.

Question 8

Who should not use an ITIN loan?

Accepted Answer

You have a Social Security number: If you have an SSN, you have access to FHA, conventional, VA, and USDA — all cheaper than ITIN pricing. Work authorization status matters for some of these, but the SSN opens the standard doors first. You have less than about 10-15% down: ITIN programs are portfolio loans and they require real down payment — typically 10% at minimum and often 15-20%. There is no 3.5%-down ITIN loan. Your income is entirely undocumented cash: ITIN lending still requires income documentation — tax returns filed with the ITIN, bank statements, or 1099s. Cash with no returns and no deposits can’t be underwritten by anyone. You haven’t filed returns with your ITIN: Most investors want one to two years of filed returns under the ITIN. If you have the number but haven’t filed, that’s the first step — and it’s worth starting now. You’re buying an investment property: Most ITIN programs are owner-occupied. If the goal is a rental, DSCR is often available to foreign nationals and ITIN holders on better terms. You live abroad and have no U.S. credit or residence: That’s a foreign national loan, which is a different product with different rules — usually more down payment but no U.S. credit requirement.

Question 9

What income can be used to qualify for an ITIN loan?

Accepted Answer

Counts: Tax returns filed with your ITIN — One to two years, depending on the investor. This is the strongest documentation in an ITIN file. W-2 wages — If you work on payroll, paystubs and W-2s work the same way they do on any other loan. Self-employment income — Returns plus a P&L, or a bank statement program that uses deposits with an expense factor. 1099 income — Contractor income documented on 1099s with an expense factor applied. Bank statement deposits — 12 to 24 months of business or personal deposits when returns don’t reflect the full income. Co-borrower income — A spouse or family member on the loan, with or without an SSN, can be blended into the file. Documented rental income — Existing leases with a deposit history to support them. Does not count: Cash with no returns and no deposits — No lender can underwrite income that leaves no trace anywhere. Income from a business under two years old — Same two-year rule as every other self-employment program. Undocumented family contributions — Money someone gives you monthly isn’t income unless it’s structured and documented as support. One-time payments — A settlement or a one-off job. Usable as down payment, not as income. Income you can’t tie to you — Deposits into an account in someone else’s name, or revenue from a business you can’t document owning.

Question 10

Why do ITIN loans get denied?

Accepted Answer

The lender doesn’t actually have an ITIN program: A borrower gets told yes by someone who assumes their investor list covers it, then gets declined weeks later because no investor on their sheet accepts an ITIN. Fix: I know which investors genuinely lend to ITIN borrowers and what each one requires. That verification happens before you spend money on an appraisal, not after. The ITIN itself has lapsed: ITINs expire if they haven't been used on a return in three consecutive years. An expired number stops the file cold. Fix: I verify the ITIN is current at the first conversation. If renewal is needed, we start that with the IRS immediately and build the timeline around it. Returns weren’t filed, or were filed without the ITIN: The borrower has income but filed under a different number, or didn't file at all. Most investors need returns tied to the ITIN. Fix: We identify this on day one. If filings are missing, I'll tell you honestly what the timeline looks like and what to do first — usually working with a tax professional before we apply. Credit couldn’t be established: No traditional score and no alternative tradelines assembled, so the file has nothing to underwrite against. Fix: I build the non-traditional credit file deliberately: twelve months of rent verified by the landlord, utilities, insurance, phone. Assembled properly it satisfies the requirement. Down payment funds couldn’t be sourced: Cash saved at home, funds wired from abroad, or a family gift with no documentation. The money is real and the paper trail isn't. Fix: We source and season every dollar before it matters. Cash gets deposited and seasoned on a schedule, international transfers get documented at both ends, gifts get proper letters. Program overlays on property or occupancy: ITIN investors often restrict property types — no non-warrantable condos, no rural acreage, owner-occupied only. A fine borrower gets stopped by the house. Fix: I match the property to the investor's overlays before submission. If the house doesn't fit one investor, I know which one it does fit.

	ITIN loan	Foreign national	Conventional
Who it is for	You live and file taxes in the US with an ITIN	You live abroad and buy here	You have an SSN or valid work authorization
Down payment	15–20% typical	25–30% typical	3–5% and up
Income documentation	US tax returns filed with your ITIN	Foreign income, translated	US income, standard documentation
Credit	US credit or alternative credit	Foreign credit reference or none required	US credit score required
Occupancy	Primary residence usually	Second home or investment	Any
Pricing	Above conventional	Above ITIN	Best available

Guideline	Purchase	Refinance
Minimum down	15–20% typical · 10% on select programs	—
Max LTV	Up to 85%	Up to 80% rate/term · 75% cash-out
Minimum FICO	580–660 typical · alternative credit accepted with no score	Same
Max DTI	43–50% depending on program	Same
Income documentation	2 years of ITIN tax returns · bank statement options for self-employed	Same
Alternative credit	12 months each of 3–4 tradelines: rent, utilities, phone, insurance	Same
Reserves	2–6 months PITI after closing	Same
Property types	Primary residence · 1–4 unit · condo · second home on select programs	Same
Gift funds	Allowed on most programs with proper documentation	—
Terms	30-yr fixed · 5/6, 7/6 ARM · interest-only on select programs	Same

No Social Security number. Still a homeowner.

A normal mortgage, with one document swapped out.

Down, typically

Years of tax returns

SSN or green card

Typical credit floor

ITIN, Foreign National, or conventional?

ITIN vs. Foreign National vs. Conventional

Who I write these for.

Long-time renters

Small business owners

Two-income households

Buyers told no by a bank

Multi-family buyers

Refinancing an existing ITIN loan

What you will need.

Your ITIN and tax returns

Proof of income

Credit, traditional or not

Down payment and reserves

The specs, in plain English.

ITIN Mortgage · Typical Guidelines

Who an ITIN loan is not for.

You have a Social Security number

You have less than about 10-15% down

Your income is entirely undocumented cash

You haven’t filed returns with your ITIN

You’re buying an investment property

You live abroad and have no U.S. credit or residence

What income we can actually use.

Counts toward qualifying

Doesn't count (or counts against you)

Why ITIN loans get denied — and what I do about it.

The lender doesn’t actually have an ITIN program

The ITIN itself has lapsed

Returns weren’t filed, or were filed without the ITIN

Credit couldn’t be established

Down payment funds couldn’t be sourced

Program overlays on property or occupancy

What people ask before we start.

Related reading.

Where I close these loans.