Yes, you can get a mortgage on an H-1B visa without a green card. Fannie Mae buys loans made to lawful non-permanent residents on the same terms as loans to US citizens, so a conventional mortgage is open to you if you qualify. FHA loans are a different story: HUD ended FHA eligibility for non-permanent residents for case numbers assigned from 25 May 2025.
Quick answer
Can you get a mortgage on an H-1B visa?
Yes, through a conventional loan. Fannie Mae buys mortgages to lawful non-permanent residents on the same terms as for US citizens, and the lender must confirm your status. FHA loans are no longer available to non-permanent residents since May 2025. Credit, income, debts and savings decide the offer, as for anyone.
Facts checked in November 2026 against official sources. Rules and fees change, so confirm with the provider before you act.
This research-based guide explains the rules lenders work under. It is not mortgage, legal or immigration advice: for your own case, speak to a HUD-approved housing counselor and to more than one lender.
Can you get a mortgage on an H-1B visa?
Yes. US law does not bar temporary visa holders from owning a home or borrowing to buy one. The CFPB’s Regulation B, which carries out the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, allows a lender to consider your immigration status, so expect questions about your visa. That is not a ban.
What decides the loan is the program the lender uses. Most US home loans are conventional loans sold to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac, or government loans insured by FHA, VA or USDA.
What Fannie Mae allows for non-permanent residents
Fannie Mae’s Selling Guide section B2-2-02 on non-US citizen borrower eligibility says it purchases and securitizes mortgages made to non-US citizens who are lawful permanent or non-permanent residents, on the same terms available to US citizens.
Fannie Mae does not list the exact documents. The lender must decide your status with documentation it considers appropriate, and by selling the loan it states that you are legally present in the US. That is why each lender may ask for different papers and why their answers can differ.
Freddie Mac, the other agency that buys conventional loans, publishes its own rules in its Seller/Servicer Guide. Ask your lender which guide your loan will follow.
FHA loans ended for H-1B borrowers
Many older articles still list FHA loans as an H-1B option. That is out of date. HUD Mortgagee Letter 2025-09, dated 26 March 2025, removed the non-permanent resident sections from FHA’s policy handbook, which ended FHA eligibility for non-permanent resident borrowers. The change must be applied to FHA case numbers assigned on or after 25 May 2025.
FHA loans remain open to US citizens and lawful permanent residents. If you get a green card later, FHA may become an option again; ask a lender at that point.
| Loan type | Open to H-1B holders? | Source | What to ask the lender |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conventional loan sold to Fannie Mae | Yes, same terms as citizens if you qualify | Fannie Mae Selling Guide B2-2-02 | Which documents prove lawful status |
| Conventional loan sold to Freddie Mac | Set by Freddie Mac’s own guide | Freddie Mac Seller/Servicer Guide | Which guide the loan follows |
| FHA loan | No, for case numbers from 25 May 2025 | HUD Mortgagee Letter 2025-09 | Only relevant after a green card |
| Lender’s own non-agency loan | Depends on the lender | The lender’s terms | Rate, fees and down payment in writing |
Documents lenders usually ask for
Because Fannie Mae leaves the list to the lender, expect some variation. These are the papers H-1B buyers are commonly asked to show:
- Passport and H-1B visa stamp
- Form I-797 approval notice, the latest one if you have an extension
- Form I-94 record
- Social Security number for the credit report
- Pay stubs, W-2 forms and an employment letter
- Bank statements showing your down payment and reserves
If part of your down payment comes from family in India, ask the lender early how it wants that money documented. Our guide on how to receive money from India in the USA covers the transfer side. Buying property in India instead is a different process, covered in our guide to sending money to India for a property purchase.
Your US credit history matters most
Your Indian credit history does not move with you, as our guide on whether a CIBIL score counts in the USA explains. A mortgage lender looks at your US credit file, so the length of that file affects both approval and the rate.
- Build a file first with a card, using our credit card guide for H-1B holders
- Ask whether the lender can consider rent or utility payment records if your file is thin
- Avoid new loans just before you apply, including a car loan on an H-1B visa
- Check your reports for errors before a lender pulls them
Our guide to how long a first US credit score takes sets expectations.
What if your H-1B ends or you move back to India?
A mortgage is a debt in your name, so it stays when your status changes. If you lose your job, change employers or return to India, the monthly payment is still due. Before you buy, ask each lender how it treats the time left on your visa approval, and think about what you would do with the home if your plans change.
Our guide to what happens to your US credit score when you move back to India explains what follows you. For questions about how a job change affects your status, speak to an immigration attorney.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a green card to get a mortgage?
No. Fannie Mae buys mortgages to lawful non-permanent residents, such as H-1B workers, on the same terms as for US citizens. The lender confirms your status and decides which documents it needs, so ask two or three lenders what they accept.
Can H-1B holders get an FHA loan?
Not any more. HUD Mortgagee Letter 2025-09 ended FHA eligibility for non-permanent residents for case numbers assigned on or after 25 May 2025. FHA loans remain available to US citizens and lawful permanent residents, so the option may return after a green card.
How much down payment does an H-1B holder need?
There is no separate H-1B rule in the Fannie Mae guide, because the same terms apply as for citizens. The amount depends on the loan, your credit and the lender. Ask each lender for its requirement in writing and compare offers.
Can I get a mortgage with no US credit history?
It is hard. Lenders rely on your US credit file, and an Indian credit score does not transfer. Build a US file with a card first, and ask the lender whether it can consider other records, such as rent payments, if your file is thin.
Next step: talk to a housing counselor and compare lenders
Before you sign anything, find a HUD-approved housing counseling agency through HUD’s website and ask for a pre-purchase session, then get written quotes from at least two lenders. To get your credit ready first, follow our guide on how to build credit in the US as an immigrant.