Foreign-national programs finance U.S. investment property for buyers who do not have U.S. credit history or a Social Security number. Income is documented with foreign tax returns, employer letters or bank statements; credit is established with an international credit report or reference letters from foreign banks. These are non-owner-occupied loans: the property is an investment or rental, not a primary residence. Expect a larger down payment than a domestic buyer and plan for a U.S. bank account before closing.
Who this is for
Non-U.S. citizens without permanent residency who want to own U.S. investment property: buyers living abroad, visa holders, and families placing capital in Las Vegas or San Antonio real estate. Permanent residents and most work-visa holders with U.S. credit usually qualify for standard programs instead.
How qualification works
The program replaces each U.S. document with a foreign equivalent. Income is verified from home-country returns, an employer letter on letterhead, or 12 to 24 months of foreign bank statements, translated where required. Credit comes from an international credit report or two or three reference letters from banks in your country. Assets for down payment and reserves must be seasoned and are usually moved to a U.S. account before closing. Underwriting also checks:
- Passport and visa status, and that the purpose is investment.
- Source of funds, with more documentation than a domestic file.
- Property: an appraised rental in a market the investor accepts.
What I evaluate before it goes to underwriting
- Whether you actually need a foreign-national program or have enough U.S. credit for a standard one
- Which income documentation from your country the investor will accept, and translation requirements
- Timing on moving funds to a U.S. account so seasoning is satisfied by closing
- Reference-letter requirements, which vary sharply by investor
- Vesting: individual names on these programs; some allow a U.S. entity
What documentation is needed
- Passport and visa or entry documentation
- Foreign tax returns, employer letter, or 12 to 24 months of foreign bank statements
- International credit report or bank reference letters
- Evidence of down-payment and reserve funds, with source and transfer history
Send everything as complete PDFs. Why, and how.
Common underwriting issues
- Funds arriving in the U.S. too late to season
- Untranslated or uncertified foreign documents
- Reference letters that do not state account age and standing
- Income that cannot be verified through a third party
- Buyers expecting to occupy the property, which these programs do not allow
Down payment, reserves and pricing
Typically 25% to 35% down. Rates run above agency pricing. Vesting is individual. Non-owner-occupied only. Reserves are commonly six to twelve months.
Nevada and Texas considerations
San Antonio draws Mexican buyers who want a foothold north of the border; I work those files in Spanish from the first call, including document translation logistics. Las Vegas draws investment capital from Asia, Canada and Latin America into single-family rentals. San Antonio · Las Vegas.
Example scenario
A Monterrey business owner buying a $350,000 rental in Stone Oak, 30% down from a Mexican account moved to a U.S. bank sixty days before closing, income shown on two years of Mexican returns with certified translation, and two bank reference letters. The whole file is worked in Spanish; the closing is in English with the documents explained beforehand in Spanish.
Common questions
Do I need a Social Security number?
No. These programs are designed for buyers without one. An ITIN is not required either, though ITIN holders may fit an ITIN program instead.
Can I live in the home?
Not on a foreign-national program; they are investment-only. Visa holders who intend to occupy should ask about standard programs if they have U.S. credit.
Do I need a U.S. bank account?
Yes, in practice. Funds for closing and reserves need to be in a U.S. account, usually seasoned for 30 to 60 days.
Can documents be in Spanish?
They can be provided in Spanish; investors generally require a certified English translation for the file. I coordinate that.
Sources
Foreign-national programs are private-investor products with no single public guideline; terms are set by each investor's matrix and confirmed on your file.
Guidelines are the agencies'; lenders add overlays and change them. Every figure on this page was checked on the review date below and is confirmed again against your file before it goes in a quote.
