Mortgage Glossary
Foreign National
A non-U.S. citizen who owns or wants to own U.S. real estate.
What is a Foreign National?
In U.S. mortgage lending, a foreign national is any non-U.S. citizen who owns or wants to own U.S. real estate. The category covers a wide spectrum: a non-resident alien living abroad who never sets foot in the country between closings, an H1B or L1 visa holder working in San Francisco, an E2 treaty investor running a small business in Texas, an EB-5 investor in the green-card pipeline, or a foreign student on an F-1 visa whose parents are co-investing.
Conventional Fannie/Freddie financing typically requires a Social Security Number, two years of U.S. employment history, and U.S. tax returns. Foreign nationals usually don’t check all three boxes — even when they have substantial assets, strong international income, and impeccable credit in their home country.
That’s where non-QM and DSCR loans come in. By qualifying on the property’s rental income rather than the borrower’s personal income, a foreign-national-friendly lender can write the same investment-property mortgage to a citizen, a visa holder, or a non-resident alien — using the same underlying property analysis.
How Foreign National lending works at Total Quality Lending
Total Quality Lending’s Foreign National DSCR program lends up to 75% LTV on purchase (at the top tier, DSCR ≥ 1.00, loan ≤ $1.0M), with loan amounts from $150,000 to $1,500,000. We accept ITIN or passport-based ID — no SSN is required. The borrower’s home-country credit reference or international tradelines can substitute for a U.S. credit score (the “No Credit Score” path).
The program is investment-only: no owner-occupied or second-home purchases. Eligible occupancies are investment property only. For visa holders (H1B, L1, E2, O-1, TN, EB-5, F-1), the same Foreign National DSCR matrix applies.
FAQs
Who qualifies as a foreign national for mortgage purposes?
A foreign national is any non-U.S. citizen who owns or wants to own U.S. real estate. This includes non-resident aliens living abroad, visa holders working in the U.S. (H1B, L1, E2, O-1, TN, EB-5, F-1, etc.), and individuals from countries without U.S. treaty relationships.
Do I need a Social Security Number to get a U.S. mortgage as a foreign national?
Not at TQL. The Foreign National DSCR program accepts an ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) or a passport-based ID — no SSN required. The loan qualifies on the property's rental income, not the borrower's U.S. employment or tax history.
What are the TQL Foreign National DSCR limits?
TQL Foreign National DSCR offers up to 75% LTV on purchase, loan amounts from $150,000 to $1,500,000, and credit scores from 680 (or No Credit Score acceptable). It is investment-only — no owner-occupied or second-home purchases.