Foreign National Loan Eligibility in California

The first question isn't "do I qualify" — it's "which category am I?" Lenders use three distinct labels, and they aren't interchangeable. A foreign national is a non-citizen with no green card — often living abroad — who may or may not have an ITIN; this is the most documentation-light group and the one these loans are built for. An ITIN borrower typically lives and earns income in the US and files taxes with an IRS-issued ITIN; they usually fit a dedicated ITIN loan. A resident alien holds a green card or qualifying visa and can generally use ordinary conventional financing. Getting this right on day one routes you to the correct program, rate, and document list — and avoids weeks of wasted effort. We identify your category in the first conversation. Find my category →