Updated November 2026. For people who built their financial life in another country and have little or no US credit file. Fannie Mae Selling Guide pages and NAR’s FHA update read November 7, 2026.
Yes, you can buy a house with no US credit history. As of November 2026, Fannie Mae’s guide lets lenders count credit references from foreign countries when US ones fall short, and it buys loans to lawful permanent and non-permanent residents. FHA is narrower: since May 25, 2025, non-permanent residents aren’t eligible.
Ready to shop? Beycome’s buyer program has no upfront fee on homes listed by other agents. Rules vary by state, and it isn’t offered in Alabama or Tennessee.
Jump to: 🏠 By status · 📸 Foreign references · 🪜 The limits · ⏱️ Step by step · 🤝 Buying with Beycome · ❓ FAQ
Key takeaways
- Your immigration status decides which loans are open. Your missing credit file decides how you prove yourself.
- A manually underwritten Fannie Mae loan with no score needs four credit references per borrower, and a 36% maximum debt-to-income ratio.
- A 12-month rent record counts as one reference, and it removes the 12-month reserve requirement on those loans.
- Some lenders won’t do this work. Ask before you pay any application fee.
Plenty of people arrive with a strong record back home: ten years of on-time loans, a steady salary, savings. Then a US lender pulls a report and finds nothing, because that history doesn’t cross the border on its own. You aren’t a bad risk. You’re simply unrecorded here. The fix is to bring the proof yourself, to a lender that knows what to do with it. If you already live here and just never used credit, our sister guide on what lenders accept instead of a credit score fits you better.
Can immigrants get a mortgage with no credit history?
Yes, but start with status, since it rules loans in or out before anyone looks at your payments. This table reflects what we could read on November 7, 2026. Lenders can add their own rules on top.
| Your status | Conventional (Fannie Mae rules) | FHA |
|---|---|---|
| US citizen, foreign history only | Eligible | Eligible |
| Lawful permanent resident (green card) | Eligible, same terms as citizens | Eligible |
| Non-permanent resident, legally present | Eligible, same terms as citizens; the lender decides what documents prove it | Not eligible for case numbers assigned since May 25, 2025 |
| Not a resident, buying from abroad | Ask lenders; often a specialty product | Not eligible |
The FHA change came through Mortgagee Letter 2025-09 on March 26, 2025, per NAR’s summary of the FHA residency change. Older blog posts still say otherwise, so check the date on anything you read. VA loans depend on military service. Freddie Mac writes its own rules, so ask a lender about those as well.
Buying from abroad with no US residency is a different project. See finding a property as an expat. Some lenders also offer loans based on an ITIN. Those are private products with their own pricing; we didn’t find one public rule set to quote, so compare Loan Estimates carefully.
Does foreign credit history count for a US mortgage?
It can. Fannie Mae‘s guide says that if a non-US citizen or foreign borrower lacks enough US references, the lender “must use credit references from foreign countries” to reach the required number. That’s unusually direct language, and it’s worth quoting to a loan officer who says it can’t be done.
First the lender checks all three US bureaus. Only if no score comes back does this route open. Then the count depends on how the loan is underwritten:
| Underwriting | References per borrower with no score | Other limits |
|---|---|---|
| Manual | Four (three on HomeReady) | One-unit main home; 36% max debt-to-income; baseline loan limits |
| Desktop Underwriter (automated) | Two, when DU asks for them; sometimes none with a cash-flow check | One to four units, main home; all borrowers live there |
A reference needs regular payments at least every three months. A letter from your bank back home, a statement from your landlord abroad, an insurance record: gather them now, and get certified translations where needed. Ask your lender what format it will accept, since the guide doesn’t specify one for foreign papers.
What rules apply to your payment record?
Your rent is the big one. Fannie Mae asks for the most recent 12 consecutive months, shown by canceled checks, bank statements, money orders or a direct landlord letter. If you can show that, the manual-loan reserve rule falls away; without it, you need 12 months of reserves.
The record must be clean. No late housing payments in 12 months. Only one other account can show a 30-day late in that time. No collections (other than medical) or judgments in the past 24 months. So if you’ve just arrived and have been renting for four months, you might be better off waiting. Pay rent from a US bank account starting today, so that every month leaves a trail.
Just landed and want a US score as well? A secured card or a credit-builder loan starts one. FICO needs an account open at least six months, per myFICO. Payment history makes up 35% of a FICO Score. Our plan on improving credit to qualify for a home loan helps. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau notes that plenty of people have thin or unscored files, and its June 2025 correction cut its estimate of adults with no record roughly in half.
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On homes listed by other agents, Beycome credits you up to 2% of the price at closing (1% kept, $1,499 minimum; not on FSBO homes or homes listed by Beycome sellers).
Buy a home →How do you buy a house as a newcomer, step by step?
- Collect the file: passport, visa or green card, Social Security number if you have one, two years of income records and 12 months of rent proof.
- Pull your three US reports for free. Sometimes a phone plan or a student account has already started a file.
- Call three lenders. Ask: “Do you take foreign credit references, and do you manually underwrite?” Credit unions and mortgage brokers are good places to start.
- Season your money. Move your down payment to a US account early, and keep the wire records. Large deposits with no trail slow files down.
- Get pre-approved, then shop inside that number. Remember taxes and insurance.
- Compare at least three Loan Estimates, because no-score files can be priced differently.
Rates are high enough right now that shopping pays: the 30-year fixed averaged 7.18% on November 5, 2026, per Freddie Mac. For down payment basics, read what to know about the minimum down payment. FHA still starts at 3.5% down for those eligible (CFPB). First-time buyers put down a median 10% in NAR’s 2025 Profile. Your other mortgage options are laid out in a separate guide, and manual underwriting has its own page.
How does buying through Beycome work for a newcomer?
You pay nothing up front. Beycome keeps 1% of the price (minimum $1,499) and credits the rest of the buyer-agent commission at closing, with lender approval. On a $400,000 home with 3% offered, that’s $8,000 back, which you could put toward closing costs. That 3% is an example only: commissions are not set by law or NAR rules and are negotiable, sellers choose whether to offer buyer-agent compensation, and since August 17, 2024 such offers aren’t shown on the MLS.
The program is open to every buyer on homes listed by other agents. The credit can’t apply where no buyer-agent commission is offered, like most FSBO homes, or on homes listed by Beycome sellers. Rebate rules vary by state, and it isn’t offered in Alabama or Tennessee. In Florida, Beycome Mortgage’s first-time buyer page explains down payment and credit questions; you never need to use it to get the credit. Buying direct from an owner instead? Read buying a house from an owner.
No US credit history: questions
Can I use my credit history from another country to buy a house in the US?
Often, yes. Fannie Mae’s guide tells lenders to use foreign credit references when a borrower lacks enough US ones. Not every lender offers it, so ask first.
Can a green card holder get a mortgage with no credit score?
Yes. Lawful permanent residents get the same terms as citizens on Fannie Mae loans and remain eligible for FHA. A no-score file still needs alternative credit proof.
Can non-permanent residents get an FHA loan?
Not on case numbers assigned since May 25, 2025, under FHA Mortgagee Letter 2025-09. Conventional loans under Fannie Mae’s rules remain possible if you’re legally present.
How many credit references do I need with no score?
Four per borrower on a manually underwritten Fannie Mae loan, three on HomeReady, and at least two when Desktop Underwriter asks for them.
Does rent count as credit history for a mortgage?
Yes. Twelve straight months of documented rent counts as a reference on Fannie Mae loans, and it removes the 12-month reserve requirement on manually underwritten no-score loans.
Should I wait and build a US score first?
If you can wait six months or more, it opens more lenders. If you’ve got 12 months of clean rent and strong savings, buying now can work too.
Do I need a realtor to buy my first US home?
No, it’s not required; it’s your choice. Many newcomers like a guide through unfamiliar steps. Others go direct, with an attorney or title company handling the paperwork.
Reviewed by Beycome Brokerage Realty LLC, a licensed real estate brokerage. Licenses are listed at beycome.com/faq/how-to/are-you-a-licensed-broker/.
Loan rules summarize public pages read November 7, 2026, and change often; lenders may add their own requirements. This isn’t legal, immigration or financial advice. Talk to an immigration attorney if your status is changing.
Buyer credit: no upfront fee; Beycome keeps 1% of the price (minimum $1,499) and credits the rest of the buyer-agent commission at closing, with lender approval. Not on most FSBO homes or homes listed by Beycome sellers. Not offered in Alabama or Tennessee; rules vary by state. The 3% is an example only: commissions are not set by law or NAR rules and are negotiable. Beycome Mortgage LLC (NMLS #2523620) is licensed in Florida only; using it is never required for the buyer credit.
Sources
- Fannie Mae Selling Guide, B2-2-02, Non-US citizen borrowers, read November 7, 2026.
- Fannie Mae Selling Guide, B3-5.4-01 (November 5, 2025), read November 7, 2026.
- Fannie Mae Selling Guide, B3-5.4-02 (February 4, 2026), read November 7, 2026.
- Fannie Mae Selling Guide, B3-5.4-03, read November 7, 2026.
- NAR, FHA changes to residency requirements, April 14, 2025, read November 7, 2026.
- CFPB, FHA loans, read October 27, 2026.
- CFPB, special loan programs (VA, USDA, state and local), read October 27, 2026.
- CFPB, technical correction to the credit invisibles estimate, read October 27, 2026.
- VA, VA-backed home loans, read November 7, 2026.
- NAHB, Fannie Mae to include rent payment history, read October 27, 2026.
- myFICO, what’s in your credit score, read October 27, 2026.
- NAR, 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers release, read October 27, 2026.
- Freddie Mac, Primary Mortgage Market Survey, November 5, 2026, read November 7, 2026.
Disclosure & Disclaimer
Beycome provides real estate services through affiliated licensed brokerages and has a commercial interest in the services and business models discussed on this blog. Content reflects Beycome’s perspective and may promote our services; it should not be treated as independent or neutral reporting.
Articles are provided for general informational and educational purposes only, not as financial, tax, legal, or investment advice or a recommendation for your particular situation. Reading this blog does not create a brokerage, advisory, or other professional relationship.
Information, opinions, pricing, service descriptions, and comparisons reflect the sources and information available when an article was published or last updated and may change. Although we aim for accuracy, we do not guarantee that all content is complete, current, or applicable to your circumstances. Laws, market conditions, and service availability vary by location. Examples and estimated savings are illustrative, depend on stated assumptions, and do not guarantee individual results.
Verify relevant information directly and consult qualified professionals before making decisions. Beycome services are subject to applicable agreements, eligibility requirements, and state-specific terms.
