Do all mortgage lenders offer home loans to non-permanent residents?

Most lenders do not offer mortgages to non-permanent residents due to perceived risks. Still, some do, withlimited options and stricter requirements. Before searching for a home to buy, find an experienced lender to guide you on the documents needed to verify your legal residency status, income, and other relevant information. NewCastle Home Loans offers conventional and FHA mortgages to non-permanent residents under the same terms available to U.S. citizens as long as you: Prove that you are legally present in the U.S. Qualify for the home loan by meeting the standard credit, employment, income, and cash-to-close loan requirements. To prove that you are legally present in the U.S., you must have: a Social Security Number a valid employment authorization document or work visa The following table lists the acceptable non-permanent resident visas...

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A non-permanent resident of the U.S. can get approved for a mortgage to buy a home. However, the process may have additional requirements compared to U.S. citizens.

In this article, I'll explain how a non-permanent resident can get approved for a home loan.

Can I get approved for a mortgage as a non-permanent resident?

Non-permanent residents are eligible for conventional mortgages. However, most lenders do not offer mortgages to non-permanent residents because of the risks. Some lenders offer mortgages but have limited options and stricter requirements.

Before searching for a home, contact a lender with mortgage experience for non-permanent residents. NewCastle Home Loans offers conventional mortgages to non-permanent residents buying and refinancing homes in Florida, Illinois, Indiana, and Tennessee.

You may be eligible for the same low interest rates as U.S. citizens if you meet these conditions:

Prove you are legally present in the U.S.
Meet the standard credit, employment, income, and cash-to-close requirements.

To prove you are legally present in the U.S., you must have a Social Security Number and a valid employment authorization document (EAD) or work visa. Here's a sample EAD card:

EAD CARD SAMPLE NEWCASTLE HOME LOANS-1

If your EAD expires within the year, provide a copy of your previous expired EAD. If your renewal application is pending approval, provide a copy of the USCIS's temporary extension document.

For homebuyers with an H-1B visa and foreign workers in specialty occupations, provide a copy of your USCIS Form I-94 and evidence of employment by the authorized employer for at least one year.

Homebuyers residing in the U.S. with refugee or asylee status granted by the USCIS must provide employment authorization, Form I-94 with refugee or asylum status, or Form I-797 indicating approval of a Form I-589.

Acceptable visas for non-permanent residents

This table shows the visa types that NewCastle Home Loans accepts for conventional mortgages. Each entry includes a short description of the visa and the documents you need for mortgage approval.

Keep in mind that many banks and lenders may not accept your visa or might ask for extra documents.

Accepted Visa Types & Non-Permanent Resident Status - NewCastle Home Loans
Visa category	Description	Documentation
Asylum	An individual seeking asylum in the U.S. Pending asylum status refers to a person who has applied and is waiting for the USCIS to grant asylum. NewCastle Home Loans offers mortgages to homebuyers with asylum or pending asylum status.	Employment authorization document (EAD), or Form I-589, or Form I-730, and completed Form I-94
DACA	Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)	Employment authorization document (EAD)
E-1 E-2	An international trader or investor, spouse, and children. Employer-sponsored.	Class E-1, E-2 visas
E-3 E-3D	An Australian specialty occupation worker, spouse, or child. Employer-sponsored.	Class E-3, E-3D visas
G-1 G-2 G-3 G-4 G-5	A representative of a recognized foreign government to an international organization, staff, and their immediate family.	Class G-1 through G-5 visas and written proof from the U.S. Department of State that there is no diplomatic immunity
H-1B H-1B1 H-2A H-2B H-4	A temporary worker in a specialty occupation, employer-sponsored. A spouse or child of a person classified H-1B/B1/C, H-2A/B, or H-3, Class H-4.	Class H-1B, H-1B2, H-1B3, H-1B1, H-2A, H-2B H-4 visas
I	A foreign media representative, spouse, and child.	Class I visa. Stamped Form I-94.
K-1 K-3	A partner/spouse of a U.S. citizen.	Class K-1 or K-3 visas and evidence that Form I-485 was filed

L-1A L-1B L-2	Enables a U.S. employer to transfer an employee, spouse, or child from a foreign office to a U.S. office. Employer-sponsored.	Class L-1A, L-1B, L-2 visas
NATO-1 NATO-2 NATO-3 NATO-4 NATO-5 NATO-6 NATO-7	A representative, official, or expert of a NATO member state, official staff, or immediate family. NATO-7 is a personal employee or immediate family.	Class NATO-1 through NATO-5 visas and written proof from the U.S. Department of State that there is no diplomatic immunity
O-1 O-2 O-3	An individual with the ability in the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics. Sponsored. Individuals accompanying an O-1.	Class O-1 through 0-3 visas
P-1A P-1B P-2 P-3 P-4	An athlete, entertainment group member, artist, essential support personnel, spouse, or child. Sponsored.	Class P-1A, P-1B, P-2 through P-4 visas.
R-1 R-2	A religious worker, spouse, or child. Employer-sponsored.	Class R-1, R-2 visas
Refugee	An individual who was persecuted or feared persecution due to race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group.	Form I-590 with proper endorsement, an approved Form I-730, Form I-94 (arrival/departure record), and an EAD.
T-1	A victim of a severe form of human trafficking.	Class T-1 visa
TN TD	Nonimmigrant NAFTA professional, spouse, or child for Canadian and Mexican citizens. Employer-sponsored.	Class TN visa or approval of TN non-immigrant status from a U.S. port-of-entry
V-1 V-2 V-3	Spouse or child of a legal permanent resident who is the principal beneficiary of a family-based petition (Form I-130)	Class V-1 through V-3 visas

NewCastle Home Loans specializes in mortgages for qualified non-permanent residents. We offer lower mortgage rates and better service than the typical bank. Feel free to book a time to talk to a mortgage expert.

Can a non-permanent resident get an FHA loan?

The FHA is changing its rules. Starting May 25, 2025, non-permanent residents will no longer be eligible for FHA home loans.

This change applies to anyone not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. If you have temporary legal status—such as DACA, asylum, or an H-1B visa—you cannot use an FHA loan to buy or refinance a home after this date.

Read the official FHA Mortgagee Letter 2025-09

If you want an FHA loan, you must have a contract to buy a home before May 25. Finding the right home can take time, so act now.

Get pre-approved for a mortgage.
Find a home you want to buy and make an offer.
If the seller accepts, apply for the mortgage.

If we receive your application before May 25, we can reserve your FHA loan for your home purchase.

What if I already have an FHA loan?

This rule will not affect your current mortgage if you already have an FHA loan. However, you cannot refinance into another FHA loan after May 25 if you're a non-permanent resident.

Enrique has an FHA loan with a 7.5% interest rate. He contacted us to reduce his rate and payment by refinancing.

However, Enrique is a DACA recipient and is no longer eligible for an FHA refinance.

Luckily, he still qualifies for a conventional loan. We switched him from FHA to conventional, saving him over $200 monthly.

Why should non-permanent residents get pre-approved for a mortgage?

Non-permanent residents should get pre-approved for a mortgage for several reasons:

A pre-approval letter confirms that a lender has reviewed your financial details and determined how much you can borrow.
Sellers see a pre-approval letter as proof of your buying power, which can strengthen your offer.
Knowing your loan is approved lowers stress during the home-buying process.

NewCastle Home Loans offers a verified mortgage pre-approval letter for non-permanent residents purchasing homes in Florida, Illinois, Indiana, and Tennessee. This letter shows that a loan decision-maker has checked your financial information, giving you confidence.

Here's a real-life example of how we help people buy homes.

Chantell wanted to buy her new home for $395,000. The builder referred her to a bank loan officer for a mortgage.

The loan officer said her credit, job history, and income were good, and he set her up with a loan. She planned to make a 5% down payment.

Everything seemed to be on track. After four months, the builder finished construction, and Chantell prepared to close.

Surprise! The bank denied her loan. They don't accept Class TN, an employer-sponsored work visa for Canadian citizens.

Chantell then found NewCastle Home Loans through Google. She applied, and we approved her loan within a week, with a lower interest rate and payment than the bank.

A week later, she purchased her first home!

Read Chantell's Google review.

Take your first step toward homeownership. Get pre-approved for a mortgage by a lender you can trust.

Mortgage rules for non-permanent residents

Here's more information about the general mortgage rules for non-permanent residents.

Remember, each lender may have specific requirements and criteria for approving mortgage loans for non-permanent resident aliens. Some lenders may choose not to offer you a loan. In contrast, others may have strict underwriting standards or internal policies that limit lending to specific borrower demographics, including non-permanent residents.

Talk to an expert at NewCastle Home Loan. Ask questions, get straight answers, and find out how to start on your home loan.