Financing without a Social Security number.

How does an ITIN loan work?

An ITIN loan is less a separate income calculation than a separate identity and credit framework. Your income can be documented any of the ways described across our Non-QM programs: tax returns filed under your ITIN, 12 to 24 months of bank statements, 1099s, or a CPA-prepared P&L. What changes is how the lender establishes who you are and whether you pay your obligations.

Some ITIN borrowers have a full credit file and a FICO score, and those loans price better. Many do not, and those files are underwritten on alternative tradelines: twelve months of on-time payment history across three or four accounts such as rent, electricity, phone, auto insurance, tuition, or a store account, documented with cancelled checks, bank debits, or a verification of rent signed by a landlord or management company. This is a real underwriting path, not a courtesy.

How much down payment does an ITIN loan require?

• Roughly 10% down at 720+, 10% to 15% at 680 to 719, 15% to 20% at 640 to 679. Thin or purely alternative credit generally means 20% or more.
• 2 to 6 months of PITIA in reserves, depending on down payment and credit profile.
• Gift funds from family are commonly allowed with a documented trail. This matters more here than in other programs, because pooled family down payments are ordinary. The money has to be traceable and seasoned in your account, not handed over in cash at the closing table.
• Most programs are primary residence, with a smaller set allowing second homes and, occasionally, investment property.

What documents does an ITIN loan require?

• Valid ITIN assignment letter: IRS notice CP565 or CP567.
• Government photo identification: passport, consular ID (matrícula consular), or a driver's license, depending on the lender.
• Proof of U.S. residency: a lease, utility bills in your name, or similar, typically covering the last two years.
• Income documentation: two years of ITIN-filed tax returns, or 12 to 24 months of bank statements, or 1099s, or a CPA-prepared P&L, matching how you are paid.
• Twelve months of alternative credit across three or four accounts if you have no usable FICO, with proof of payment, not just a bill.
• Two to three months of asset statements, plus a gift letter and the donor's proof of funds if any of the down payment is a gift.
• Employment verification if you are a W-2 employee, or business license and ownership proof if you are self-employed.

What are the advantages of an ITIN loan?

• A genuine path to homeownership without a Social Security number
• The same income flexibility as every other Non-QM program
• Alternative credit is fully underwritten, not treated as a fallback
• Most programs do not ask about immigration status
• Down payments as low as 10% for strong credit profiles

What are the trade-offs of an ITIN loan?

• The highest rate premium of the Non-QM programs
• The fewest lenders, which makes real comparison shopping difficult
• Documentation of residency and income history is stricter
• Cash income that never reaches a bank account cannot be counted
• Larger down payment at the lower end of the credit range

Why do ITIN loans get declined?

• Gaps in ITIN tax filings, or returns that were never filed for a year the lender needs.
• Alternative credit cannot be documented: three accounts instead of four, eleven months instead of twelve, or a landlord who will not sign a verification.
• Income paid in cash that never hit a bank account. The most common and most painful decline in the program.
• A down payment that appears as an unsourced deposit rather than seasoned, documented funds.
• Residency cannot be shown continuously for the required period.
• Reserves fall short once down payment and closing costs are counted from the same balance.
• Recent collections or charge-offs that the alternative credit history does not outweigh.

What does a typical ITIN loan file look like?

A landscaping company owner nine years in, filing every year with his ITIN. Crucially, he has deposited every job into a business checking account rather than keeping cash, which is what makes the file possible. He has no FICO score, but four years of on-time rent verified by his property manager, plus a phone bill, auto insurance, and a paid-off car loan give him the tradelines he needs. He qualifies on 24 months of business bank statements at a 50% expense factor. 15% down on $420,000, 3 months of reserves, a gift from his brother seasoned 90 days.

What about foreign national loans?

Foreign national programs serve non-U.S. citizens purchasing property in the United States and use alternative documentation in place of an SSN-based credit history. Guidelines differ from the ITIN program above. Call the team for the current foreign national requirements before you plan a down payment.

About these figures: the ranges on this page describe the non-QM lending market as of September 2026. They are not quotes, offers, or commitments to lend. Guidelines, rates, and program availability vary by lender, property type, and borrower profile, and they change often. Your terms are set after a full review of your credit, income documentation, assets, and the property. Not tax or legal advice. Equal Housing Opportunity.