Mortgages by visa & residency status
Your immigration status decides which loan programs are open to you, how lenders read your income and credit, and what down payment to expect. These guides go status by status — for work-visa holders, permanent residents, and newcomers building a life in the U.S.
Mortgage-qualification information only — not immigration or legal advice. Consult an immigration attorney for status questions.
- Work visa7 min read
Mortgage for h-1b visa holders
Specialty-occupation workers with an SSN can usually get conventional loans on standard terms — the question is visa continuity, not eligibility.
- Transfer visa6 min read
Mortgage for l-1 visa holders
Intracompany transferees with an SSN qualify like other work-visa holders — strong W-2 income, with continuity tied to the sponsoring employer.
- Extraordinary ability6 min read
Mortgage for o-1 visa holders
Artists, founders and researchers on an O-1 often have an SSN but irregular or self-employed income — which decides the loan path.
- USMCA professional6 min read
Mortgage for tn visa holders
Canadian and Mexican professionals under USMCA have an SSN and mainstream loan access — with renewal frequency the main lender question.
- Permanent resident6 min read
Mortgage for green card holders
Lawful permanent residents are treated essentially like citizens — full access to every loan program with no visa-continuity questions.
- Deferred action7 min read
Mortgage for daca recipients
With a valid EAD and SSN, DACA recipients can access conventional financing — FHA's brief opening ended with a May 2025 policy change.
- No U.S. residency7 min read
Mortgage for foreign nationals
Non-resident buyers with no SSN use foreign-national loans — no U.S. credit required, foreign income accepted, larger down payments.
- Protected status6 min read
Mortgage for refugees & asylees
Refugees and asylees with an EAD and SSN can finance a home — since the 2025 FHA change, the near-term paths run through conventional and community lenders.
- Investor visa6 min read
Mortgage for e-2 treaty investors
Every E-2 holder runs a business by definition — so the mortgage question is self-employed underwriting plus visa continuity, stacked.
- Dependent-spouse work permit6 min read
Mortgage for h-4 spouses with ead
H-4 income counts like anyone's while the EAD is valid — the underwriting story is the renewal chain: your EAD rides on the H-1B, which rides on an employer.
- Post-study work authorization6 min read
Mortgage for f-1 students on opt
Working on OPT with an SSN, a real salary — and a 12-to-36-month authorization window. Honest answer: buying is possible but hard, and timing usually beats forcing it.
- ITIN & newcomer10 min read
ITIN mortgage loans: buying a home without an SSN
No Social Security number? The full pillar guide on ITIN programs — who qualifies, rates, down payment, and the path to conventional financing.
Start here
How we source this
- USCIS — Working in the United States
- IRS — Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN)
- Fannie Mae Selling Guide
Every visa and status guide above is grounded in these primary sources.