A foreign national loan is built for buyers who are neither U.S. citizens nor U.S. residents, and who typically don't have a U.S. credit history, a Social Security number, or U.S.-based income the way a standard mortgage application expects. Since most conventional underwriting leans heavily on a U.S. credit score and domestic income documentation, these buyers need a different path.
These programs qualify a buyer using alternative documentation: bank statements, international credit references, proof of assets, and sometimes the income the property itself will generate if it's being purchased as a rental. Down payments tend to run higher than a standard U.S. buyer would put down, reflecting the added complexity of underwriting someone without a domestic financial footprint.
This is a common path for buyers purchasing a U.S. vacation home or an investment property from abroad. It takes more documentation and a lender genuinely set up for this kind of file, which is exactly the kind of match we make before wasting anyone's time with a lender who isn't equipped for it.
Get StartedCommon Questions
Do I need a Social Security number to get a foreign national loan?
No, these programs are specifically built for buyers without one, using alternative documentation like bank statements and international credit references instead.
Can a foreign national loan be used for an investment property?
Yes, that's one of the most common uses, often alongside or in place of showing personal income, especially when the property itself will generate rental income.
Other Loan Programs
No Down Payment for Military Families
FHA LoanEasier to Qualify For
Conventional LoanThe Standard Option
USDA LoanNo Down Payment Outside the City
Jumbo LoanFor Higher-Priced Homes
RefinancingTrade In Your Current Loan
Commercial LoanFinancing for Buildings That Make Money
Construction LoanFinancing to Build, Not Just Buy
Land LoanFinancing for Land, Not Just Homes
Doctor LoanBuilt for Big Student Debt and Bigger Potential
Renovation LoanBuy the Fixer-Upper and Fund the Fix
DSCR LoanQualify on the Property, Not Your Paycheck
Asset Depletion LoanLet Your Savings Do the Talking
Fix & Flip LoanMove Fast on the Next Flip
HELOCA Credit Line Backed by Your Home
Manufactured Home LoanFinancing Built for Manufactured Housing
Second Home LoanFinancing for the Place You Escape To
Multi-Family LoanLive in One Unit, Rent Out the Rest
Non-Warrantable Condo LoanWhen the Condo Doesn't Fit the Standard Box
Reverse MortgageTurn Home Equity Into Income, Without a Monthly Payment
ITIN LoanHomeownership Without a Social Security Number
Bank Statement LoanWhen Your Tax Return Doesn't Show Your Real Income
This is general information, not a commitment to lend. Rates, terms, and eligibility vary by lender and are subject to underwriting guidelines. East Coast Mortgage is an Equal Housing Lender, NMLS #2354674.