Mortgage programs by visa type
- H1B
H1B Visa Holders
Specialty occupation workers — most commonly tech, engineering, healthcare, and finance professionals. Buy U.S. investment property without W-2 history.
- L1
L1 Visa Holders
Intracompany transferees moved to the U.S. by a foreign employer. DSCR loans available regardless of U.S. employment history.
- E2
E2 Visa Holders
Treaty investor visa holders running U.S. businesses. Add rental property income to your portfolio without conventional loan friction.
- O-1
O-1 Extraordinary Ability
Entrepreneurs, scientists, artists, athletes with irregular income — equity, royalties, prize money. DSCR underwrites the property, not your paystubs.
- TN
TN Visa Holders (USMCA)
Canadian and Mexican professionals under the USMCA. Annual renewal is routine and unlimited — no obstacle to U.S. real estate ownership.
- EB-5
EB-5 Investor Visa
High-net-worth investors building U.S. real estate around the EB-5 anchor. Complex international wealth structures underwrite cleanly.
- F-1
F-1 / F-2 Student Visas
International students and dependents — review identity, occupancy and verified assets. Gift funds are not eligible in the Foreign National DSCR program.
Financing considerations by visa category
L1: intracompany transfers
A recent transfer may mean limited U.S. payroll or tax history. Discuss whether an investment-only DSCR review or a documented personal-income path best fits the property. Identity, residency classification, employment documentation where applicable and the selected loan program must all be reviewed.
E2: treaty investors
Separate the operating business from the rental-property financing analysis. An eligible DSCR file relies on property rent; a borrower-income file uses its own documentation rules. Entity vesting must follow the lender’s real-property ownership requirements, signing authority and personal guaranty provisions. Do not assume an operating company automatically meets those requirements.
O1: variable or nontraditional earnings
Royalties, variable compensation and other earnings require the appropriate income review when personal income is used. An eligible investment property may instead be evaluated under DSCR. Explain the source and ownership of closing funds and reserves, as well as the proposed property use.
TN: cross-border employment
Bring current identity and status documents and explain whether earnings and assets are held in the United States or abroad. A personal-income program and a foreign national DSCR program have different definitions and requirements. The lending team must classify the file before applying a matrix.
EB-5: investment and residency documentation
The mortgage review is separate from the immigration investment. Identify the borrower’s current status, the source of funds and any entity ownership. Restricted or committed assets should not be assumed available for closing or reserves. Confirm the actual applicant category and property program.
F-1 and related student situations
A student’s U.S. housing plan and an investment-only purchase are different financing requests. Discuss identity, residency, occupancy and verified assets first. The Foreign National DSCR program does not allow gift funds, so family-provided money should never be assumed to satisfy its down-payment or reserve requirements.
Documents and program classification come first
A visa label alone does not guarantee mortgage approval or determine immigration rights. Provide the current documents and consult an appropriate immigration adviser for status questions. TQL reviews the actual applicant, property, ownership and funds under the applicable lending program.
