Foreign national mortgages: buying a U.S. home from abroad or with an ITIN

Can foreigners get a mortgage in the U.S.? The short answer

Yes, but first work out which case you are. Most U.S. mortgages are sold to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Fannie Mae requires each borrower to have a valid Social Security number or ITIN (Selling Guide B2-2-01), and a non-citizen must be a lawful permanent or non-permanent resident of the United States (B2-2-02). So:

Non-QM loans are not sold to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, so each lender sets its own rules. They can look at overseas income, overseas assets and rent; in exchange they usually need more down and cost more than conventional loans, and requirements vary by program. The actual terms come with your pre-approval; this page gives no rates or down payment figures.

What foreign national loans look at

• Identity: passport and visa if you have one; for buyers abroad, the passport and entry records.
• Funds: down payment, closing costs and reserves (money left in your accounts after closing) all need a clear paper trail. Overseas statements need translations.
• Credit: without a U.S. credit history, some programs accept a credit reference letter from an overseas bank.
• Income or rent: some programs look at overseas income; for investment homes, many look mainly at whether the rent covers the payment (DSCR); see the Atlanta investment property guide.
• Occupancy: buyers living abroad usually buy a second home or an investment property, not a primary residence.

Moving money out of China: learn the rules first, then set the timeline

• Inman reported in January 2017 that mainland Chinese residents may buy about $50,000 of foreign currency per person per year, must declare the purpose, and the purpose cannot be buying property overseas; the quota is unchanged (law firm SI Laws says the same in 2026). Check the current rules with SAFE and your bank.
• Ask a bank or professional in China how to move funds legally. I give no advice on getting around currency controls.
• On the U.S. side, the lender verifies where the down payment came from: large deposits need an explanation and transfers need records. Funds that have sat for a while in an overseas account (Hong Kong, Singapore and so on) have the cleanest paper trail.
• Timing: cross-border wires and translations take time. Have the down payment and closing costs in a usable account before you sign a contract.

ITIN: when you need one and when it expires

• An ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) is issued by the IRS to people who must file U.S. taxes but cannot get a Social Security number. You apply with Form W-7. It is for tax reporting only and does not grant work authorization or immigration status.
• If you rent out a U.S. home and have rental income to report, you will usually need one.
• Per the IRS, an ITIN that is not used on a federal tax return for three consecutive tax years expires on December 31 of the third year; renew it with Form W-7 (check "Renew"). If you plan to apply for an ITIN loan, make sure yours is still valid.
• Once you get a Social Security number, you no longer renew the ITIN.

Renting it out: how rent is taxed

According to the IRS:

• U.S. rent received by a nonresident alien that is not effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business is taxed at 30% of gross rent (or a lower treaty rate), with no deductions.
• You can elect to treat the rent as effectively connected (the IRC 871(d) election) by attaching a statement listing all your U.S. real property to Form 1040-NR, and give Form W-8ECI to the tenant or property manager. You then deduct mortgage interest, property tax, insurance, repairs and depreciation and pay graduated rates on net income.
• The election stays in effect for later years, so you file Form 1040-NR every year; returns filed more than 16 months after the original due date can lose the deductions.
• Georgia also taxes Georgia-source rent. Work with a CPA who handles nonresident returns.

Living abroad: how you sign and close

• Georgia closings are run by attorneys (see the closing step in the Atlanta home selling guide; the buyer side is similar). Buyers abroad commonly use a power of attorney, sign before a notary at a U.S. embassy or consulate, or fly in to sign. Both the closing attorney and the lender must accept the method, so ask early.
• Mainland China has applied the Apostille Convention since November 7, 2023: documents notarized in China for use in the U.S. can get an apostille instead of consular legalization (Chinese Embassy in the U.S.).
• Wire fraud is common: always confirm closing wire instructions by phone with the law firm, never from an email alone.

Paying cash, and selling later

• FinCEN cash purchase reporting: the rule required closing agents to report non-financed purchases of homes by companies or trusts, effective March 1, 2026. On March 19, 2026 the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas vacated it (Flowers Title Companies v. Bessent), and FinCEN says reports are not required while that order stands. Its status could change; follow your closing attorney.
• When you sell: when a foreign person sells U.S. property, the buyer generally withholds 15% of the price (FIRPTA), and Georgia also withholds from nonresident sellers. See taxes when selling a home.

Georgia's foreign land law does not cover homes

Georgia's SB 420 (signed in 2024) restricts agents of the governments of certain "foreign adversary" countries (China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia) and companies from those countries from buying farmland and commercial land within 10 miles of military installations. According to the Associated Press, the law does not cover residential property. Ask a lawyer about your specific case. See the visa holder mortgage guide.

Foreign national loan checklist

• Passport (and visa, if any)
• The last two to three months of bank statements (every page, translated)
• Proof of funds and wire records for the down payment, closing costs and reserves
• Without U.S. credit: a credit reference letter from an overseas bank
• Investment home: a lease or a market rent estimate
• Applying with an ITIN: the IRS ITIN letter and the last two years of tax returns

The underwriter may ask for more; follow their list.

What I can do for you

I'm a loan officer licensed in Georgia and California (NMLS #2869394, OrangePath Financial) and an Atlanta real estate agent who works in Chinese and English. If you are buying from abroad, I can tell you which loan fits, which documents you need and when the funds must be in place, then show you homes by video call.

Before choosing an area, check prices with the home value estimate, the yearly bill with the Georgia property tax calculator, and school assignment by address on the school map. Planning an investor visa? See EB-5: the source-of-funds records for the investment and the down payment are best planned together.

Next steps

• Get pre-approved: start with a 5-minute call, no credit pull; tell me where you live, whether you have an ITIN, and whether the home is for you or for rent
• Foreign national and ITIN loan program
• Visa holder mortgage guide: if you already live in the U.S. with lawful status
• Atlanta loans · California loans