Many borrowers on a visa assume a U.S. home loan is closed to them. They are unsure how their immigration paperwork may affect the way an underwriter reads their file. This guide covers which path a visa holder actually takes.
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Can You Get a Mortgage on a U.S. Work Visa?
SHORT ANSWER
A work visa holder with a Social Security number and legal presence in the United States can use the same conventional loan a citizen uses. Fannie Mae buys those loans on identical terms. A foreign national loan is built for someone outside that group.
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| Visa and Foreign National Loan Question | Direct Answer |
|---|---|
| Work visa holder with legal presence | Same conventional terms as a citizen |
| Fannie Mae borrower ID requirement | A Social Security number or an ITIN |
| Who needs a foreign national loan | Buyers with no U.S. tax ID number |
| FHA rule change for visa holders | Closed to new files since May 25, 2025 |
| Who remains eligible for FHA financing | U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and citizens of the three Pacific island nations under a Compact of Free Association with the United States |
| Documents Fannie Mae requires to prove legal presence | None specified. The lender decides what to accept on each file |
| Who warrants that a borrower is legally present | The lender, at the point it delivers the loan to Fannie Mae |
| ITIN holder eligibility on a Fannie Mae loan | An Individual Taxpayer Identification Number satisfies the requirement in place of a Social Security number |
| Identity checks a lender runs on every mortgage borrower | Office of Foreign Assets Control screening and Patriot Act identity verification |
| Foreign national loan borrower profile | A non-U.S. citizen with no U.S. tax identification number and no legal presence here |
| Agency backing on a foreign national loan | None. Neither Fannie Mae nor Freddie Mac buys these loans |
| Buying a U.S. home through a company instead of your own name | Not permitted on a Fannie Mae loan. A borrower must be a natural person |
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| Visa and Foreign National Loan Factor | What It Means for Your File |
|---|---|
| Why a Visa Holder Is Usually Not a Foreign National Case | Fannie Mae buys mortgages made to lawful permanent residents and to non-permanent residents under the same terms it offers U.S. citizens. A borrower on an employment visa with a Social Security number and documented legal presence sits inside that group. Being routed to a foreign national program instead changes the down payment from a conventional figure to a far larger one. Borrowers often learn on the call that they were never outside conventional financing to begin with. |
| What Changed for Non-Permanent Residents in 2025 | FHA financing closed to non-permanent residents for case numbers assigned on or after May 25, 2025. Eligibility now runs to U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and citizens of Compact of Free Association nations. Conventional financing stayed open to the same borrowers FHA closed to. Most pages describing FHA and visa holders still reflect the rule as it stood before that date. |
| Why Two Lenders Can Give You Different Answers | Fannie Mae does not publish a list of documents that prove legal presence. The rule says the lender makes the determination based on the circumstances of the individual case, using documentation it considers appropriate. The lender then warrants that determination when it delivers the loan. That discretion is why one lender accepts a file another questions, and it is a difference in risk appetite rather than a difference in the rule. |
| The One Requirement That Has No Flexibility | Every borrower on a Fannie Mae loan needs a valid Social Security number or an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number. There is no workaround and no substitute document. A borrower holding neither falls outside conventional financing entirely. How the second of those two numbers works on its own is covered on our ITIN Home Loan guide. |
| The Screening Every Borrower Passes Regardless of Status | Identity verification on a mortgage is tied to obligations that apply to every borrower. Lenders screen against Office of Foreign Assets Control lists and verify identity under the Patriot Act. A citizen and a visa holder go through the same checks. This step is often mistaken for extra scrutiny aimed at foreign borrowers when it applies across every file a lender takes. |
| Who the Foreign National Path Was Actually Built For | A foreign national loan serves someone with no U.S. tax identification number and no legal presence in the country, typically buying from abroad. Neither Fannie Mae nor Freddie Mac buys these loans, so every term comes from the individual lender or investor. What that structure looks like is covered on our Foreign National Home Loan guide. |
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| Visa and Foreign National Loan Metric | What Lenders May Check on Your File |
|---|---|
| Tax Identification Number | A valid Social Security number or ITIN is required on every Fannie Mae loan. A lender that cannot resolve an inconsistency in the number must validate it directly with the Social Security Administration. |
| Evidence of Legal Presence | Fannie Mae leaves the choice of documents to the lender. An employment authorization document, a visa, an I-94 record, or a permanent resident card are all commonly used to establish it. |
| Who the Borrower Is | A borrower must be a natural person. Taking title through a company is not permitted on a Fannie Mae loan, which is a common surprise for buyers accustomed to holding property through an entity abroad. |
| Watchlist and Identity Screening | Every file is screened against Office of Foreign Assets Control lists and verified under Patriot Act identity rules. Nothing about this step is specific to a non-citizen borrower. |
| Program Eligibility Before Anything Else | Your status decides which programs are open before credit or income is reviewed. A non-permanent resident has conventional financing available and FHA closed as of May 2025. |
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| Main Loan Types | Primary Income & Target Qualification Fit |
|---|---|
| Conventional Loans | Standard W-2 income with strong credit profiles. |
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ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE
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| People Also Ask | Why These Questions Matter |
|---|---|
| Can you buy a house in the U.S. on an H-1B visa? | Lenders can finance a home for an H-1B visa holder using a conventional loan. Fannie Mae buys mortgages made to non-permanent residents on the same terms it offers U.S. citizens. The visa category itself does not change the loan terms available to you. |
| Do you need a green card to get a mortgage? | A green card is not required for a conventional home loan. Fannie Mae treats lawful permanent residents and non-permanent residents alike, buying both on citizen terms. What matters is a valid tax identification number and documented legal presence in the country. |
| What if your visa expires soon after closing? | Fannie Mae sets no minimum time remaining on a visa or work authorization. Any timing requirement comes from the individual lender rather than from the rule itself. Your loan officer can tell you what documentation a file needs when status sits close to expiring. |
| Explore Our Learning Center | What You’ll Find Inside |
|---|---|
| Mortgage Basics Guide | Simple explanations of core terms like principal, interest, escrow, and PMI |
| Income and Employment Requirements | How income, self-employment, bonuses, and job gaps affect your approval |
| Credit & Approval | Credit score requirements, how to improve your score, and how lenders approve a file |
| Homebuying Tips | Preparing for a mortgage, choosing the right program, and avoiding common mistakes |
| Loan Comparisons | Side-by-side comparisons to help you see which loan program actually fits |
| Refinance Guides | Rate-and-term, cash-out, and streamline refinance options explained plainly |
| Loan Program Guides | In-depth guides to Conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, Jumbo, and more |
| State-Specific Mortgage Info | Local rules, programs, and agencies for your specific state |
| Sources Used on This Page |
|---|
| This page uses the plain phrase “legal presence” where the selling guide uses “legally present in the United States.” It uses the plain phrase “tax identification number” where the guide names a Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number. Fannie Mae — Selling Guide B2-2-01 | Selling Guide B2-2-02. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development — Mortgagee Letter 2025-09. |
| Last Verified August 2026 |
| HUD closed FHA financing to non-permanent residents for case numbers assigned on or after May 25, 2025. Guidance published before that date describes a rule that no longer applies. Which version of an FHA rule governs a file turns on the date the case number was assigned rather than the application date. Fannie Mae last revised its non-U.S. citizen eligibility section in 2015 and its general borrower eligibility section in September 2025. Foreign national loan terms are set by each individual lender or investor and change without published notice. |
| Disclaimer |
| Conventional guidelines are set by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. FHA guidelines are set by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Foreign national loans carry no agency standard, and all terms vary by lender and investor. The rules shown on this page were checked against the sources listed above as of the Last Verified date. Each agency updates its guidance on its own schedule. Immigration status questions are decided under federal immigration law rather than by any lender. This page is provided for educational purposes only. Smart Loan Savings Educational Content |