No Social Security Number, no U.S. credit, no problem.
International buyers are still told they have to pay cash for U.S. real estate. That has not been true for years. Foreign national programs finance these purchases every day.
A missing credit file is a documentation question, not a disqualification.
U.S. lenders are built around a domestic credit report. When there isn't one, most loan officers stop there rather than reach for the programs designed to substitute for it.
Those programs accept an international credit reference letter from a recognized institution, or two or three reference letters from banks and creditors in your home country confirming accounts in good standing. A larger down payment, usually 25% to 35%, is the other substitute.
Income can be documented with foreign employer letters, foreign tax filings, or foreign bank statements, generally with a certified translation and a currency conversion at a published rate.
Programs commonly used
Foreign National Programs
Purchases, refinances, and investment property financed without an SSN or U.S. credit history, typically with 25% to 35% down.
Rental-Income (DSCR) Programs
On investment property, some programs waive income documentation entirely and qualify on the property's rent instead.
ITIN Programs
For buyers who hold or can obtain an ITIN and want to take title personally.
LLC Title Structures
Title can frequently be held in an LLC, which many international buyers prefer for estate and privacy reasons.
Program availability, terms, guidelines, and documentation requirements vary by lender and are subject to underwriting and change without notice. This is not a commitment to lend.
The honest answers
“Don't I have to pay cash?”
No. A well-developed foreign national lending market finances U.S. purchases for international buyers routinely.
“I have no U.S. credit score at all.”
These programs are built for that. International reference letters and a larger down payment take the place of a domestic score.
“Will the paperwork take months?”
These files close in three to five weeks routinely. Delays usually come from cross-border wire timing and translations, not underwriting, so start both the week you go under contract.
Three minutes. Twelve questions. A straight answer.
No credit check, no documents. See where you stand and which programs are commonly used.
Common questions
Let's look at your file together.
One conversation is usually enough to know whether a path exists.