Are you looking to purchase a home in the United States but are not a U.S. citizen? Fannie Mae has guidelines in place to help non-citizens who are lawful permanent or non-permanent residents secure a mortgage under the same terms available to U.S. citizens.
Eligibility Guidelines:
- To be considered legally present in the United States, a borrower must have a Social Security Number (SSN) and current, verified status. This status can be documented by an employment authorization document (EAD), Green Card, work visa, or other valid documentation.
- Borrowers who meet the legal presence criteria must also meet all other underwriting and eligibility requirements for the loan to be eligible for sale to Fannie Mae. This includes continuity of income requirements.
- Documentation of income continuity is generally not required for most employment-related income types, such as base, bonus, overtime, or commission. However, if continuity of income documentation is needed, the borrower’s legal status does not impact the analysis.
- Our discretion in evaluating individual borrower situations and determining appropriate documentation for legal presence.
- We can decide what documentation to retain in the loan file to demonstrate a borrower’s legal presence.
If you are a non-U.S. citizen looking to purchase a home in the United States, our guidelines provide a pathway to homeownership. Contact us to learn more about how you can qualify for a mortgage as a non-citizen borrower.
