Foreign National Loans

How foreign nationals qualify without U.S. credit

Because you have no U.S. credit file, the program substitutes documentation from your home country. The two anchors are an accountant’s (or CPA-equivalent) letter attesting to your income and financial standing, and at least one reference letter from your bank confirming your relationship and accounts in good standing. Together these stand in for the U.S. credit report and income documents a domestic borrower would provide.

Proof of funds is central: the lender confirms you have the down payment, closing costs, and reserves, and that the money is legitimately sourced. Documents in a foreign language are typically accompanied by certified translations. The cleaner your documentation package, the smoother an inherently cross-border file becomes.

Loan size and down payment scale together

Leverage steps down as the loan grows. Smaller loans reach up to 80% loan-to-value (to $1M), and the maximum leverage tightens as loan amounts climb toward the $10M ceiling at 65%. In practical terms, larger purchases require proportionally larger down payments — a structure that reflects the reduced credit visibility on international buyers.

Occupancy and title

Foreign national loans on this program are for investment properties only — not a primary residence or a second home you use yourself. Many are qualified on the property’s expected rental income (a DSCR structure) rather than on personal income. Title can be held individually or through an LLC or corporation, which many international investors use for liability, privacy, and estate-planning reasons. We can coordinate with your U.S. counsel on the vesting structure before closing.