Most people assume you need a Social Security number to get a mortgage in the United States. That assumption stops a lot of people in Houston from buying a home they could actually afford. It is wrong.
If you have an ITIN, an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, you can qualify for a mortgage in Texas. This is not a gray area. ITIN mortgage programs exist specifically for this situation, and lenders who specialize in them approve loans for Houston borrowers every week.
Here is what you need to know.
What Is an ITIN and Who Has One
The IRS issues ITINs to people who need to file U.S. taxes but are not eligible for a Social Security number. That includes undocumented immigrants, some visa holders who are not work-authorized, and certain foreign nationals. The number lets you pay taxes, build credit history, and, when you work with the right lender, buy a home.
Houston has one of the largest undocumented and ITIN-holding populations in the country. Many of these residents own businesses, have been in the U.S. for years, and pay federal and state taxes consistently. What they have not always had access to is a lender who can actually help them purchase a home.
A Change That Affects More Than Just Undocumented Borrowers
In May 2025, the Department of Housing and Urban Development eliminated FHA loan eligibility for H1B visa holders. Before that change, many H1B workers, engineers, tech employees, and energy sector professionals in Houston and in cities like Sugar Land and Clear Lake, could use FHA loans with low down payments to buy their first home.
That path is now closed.
H1B visa holders are now in a similar position to ITIN borrowers: they need an alternative program. DSCR loans, foreign national programs, and ITIN mortgage products are the realistic paths forward. If you are on an H1B and you were counting on FHA, this is the section of the mortgage market you need to be exploring right now.
How ITIN Mortgages Work
ITIN mortgage programs are a type of non-QM loan, meaning they fall outside the conventional guidelines set by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Non-QM does not mean high-risk or predatory. It means alternative documentation. The lender evaluates your ability to repay in a different way than a conventional bank would.
Here is what a typical ITIN mortgage looks like:
Down payment: Most programs require 20 to 25 percent down. Some programs go as low as 15 percent with strong compensating factors. This is higher than FHA's 3.5 percent, but it reflects the program structure and the lender's risk model.
Credit history: You do not need a U.S. Social Security number to have a U.S. credit history. If you have a credit card, an auto loan, or a utility account in your name using your ITIN, that activity is often reportable. Some lenders also accept international credit history or use alternative credit scoring that looks at payment history for rent, utilities, and phone bills.
Income documentation: This is where it gets nuanced. Some ITIN borrowers qualify using traditional income documents, pay stubs, W-2s, or tax returns filed under their ITIN. Others, particularly self-employed borrowers, qualify using 12 to 24 months of bank statements instead. If you own a business and your tax returns understate your actual cash flow, the bank statement route is usually the better option.
Interest rate: ITIN loans carry a higher rate than conventional loans, typically 1 to 2 percentage points above a comparable conventional loan. This is the cost of the alternative documentation structure. It is also not permanent. Many borrowers refinance into a conventional product once they establish a longer credit history or adjust their immigration status.
What Most Lenders Will Tell You
If you walk into a bank or call a loan officer who only handles conventional and FHA products, they will tell you they cannot help. That is true for them specifically. They are not wrong. Conventional programs require a Social Security number. FHA programs, as of May 2025, require citizenship or permanent residency.
What they usually do not tell you is that a different kind of lender can help. ITIN mortgage programs exist through non-QM lenders and brokers who specialize in alternative documentation. Most large banks and conventional lenders simply do not offer these programs, and they are not always aware of who does.
The mistake borrowers make is assuming that a no from one lender means no from every lender. It does not.
What You Need to Start the Process
Before you call a lender, it helps to have these ready:
- Your ITIN and evidence you have been filing taxes with it (two years of returns is standard)
- Two years of tax returns if you are a W-2 employee or if you have consistent reported income
- Twelve to twenty-four months of personal and business bank statements if you are self-employed
- Documentation of any U.S. credit history you have, credit card statements, auto loan history, rental payment records
- Proof of reserves, most ITIN programs want to see three to six months of mortgage payments held in an accessible account after your down payment
You do not need to have everything perfectly organized on day one. A good loan officer will walk you through exactly what they need and what gaps can be filled with alternative documentation.
The Bank Statement Angle for Self-Employed Borrowers
A large share of ITIN holders in Houston are self-employed, restaurant owners, nail salon owners, contractors, and small business owners who generate real income but keep it separate from what their tax returns show.
If that describes you, the bank statement mortgage may be a better fit than a standard ITIN program. Instead of qualifying on your tax return income, you qualify on your actual monthly deposits. Twelve months of personal bank statements or twenty-four months of business statements are used to calculate your average monthly income. Deductions do not factor in.
Many self-employed ITIN holders in Houston qualify for significantly larger loans under a bank statement structure than they would under a conventional income calculation. For more on how this works, see the bank statement loans page.
Buying a Home in Houston Is Possible
The reality is that ITIN holders and H1B visa holders who lost their FHA path are not without options. The options just require working with a lender who knows the programs and has done these loans before.
Houston is one of the most diverse cities in the country. The mortgage market for borrowers outside conventional guidelines is real, active, and growing. Non-QM originations nationally surpassed $120 billion in 2025 and are projected to grow through 2026. ITIN programs are part of that market.
You can learn more about the full range of foreign national and ITIN-friendly programs on the foreign national loans page and the non-QM loans page.
Your Next Step
A 15-minute call is enough to find out whether you qualify and what a realistic loan amount looks like for your situation. No Social Security number is required to have that conversation. No credit pull is required either.
Brandon speaks English and Vietnamese and works with borrowers across all 50 states.
Book a Free CallOr call or text directly: 832-997-1527
Brandon Huynh, NMLS #2522494. Lock It Mortgage, powered by Swift Home Loans Inc., NMLS #2075228. This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a commitment to lend or a loan approval. Loan terms, rates, and qualification requirements are subject to change and vary based on individual creditworthiness, property, and market conditions. All loans are subject to credit approval. Equal Housing Lender.