Guides
Buying a home with an ITIN
The Earned Equity Program accepts buyers with an ITIN. Here is what the published standards ask for, in plain words.
Who the program accepts
An ITIN is a tax number for people who do not have a Social Security number. The Earned Equity Program accepts it.
You do not have to be a citizen or a permanent resident to be considered. With an ITIN, what you need is documented proof that you can make the monthly payment.
The program also lists people with DACA as eligible, under the same standards as everyone else. If you have a work permit (EAD), there is a separate version of the program for you.
How you show your income
Say Rosa works in a restaurant kitchen and gets a W2 every January. She brings two recent pay stubs, last year's W2, and a written verification of employment.
Sometimes a Social Security number that is not hers appears on the W2 or the stubs. In that case, the file also needs three months of her bank statements. The deposits that land in her account may be adjusted upward, to reflect her pay before taxes.
Her husband Miguel paints houses and gets paid by check and Zelle, with no W2. He can show a tax return, a profit and loss statement, or three months of bank statements. If he has worked for himself for less than twelve months, he may not be eligible yet.
Your credit
The published standard is a 580 credit score and two credit accounts, called tradelines, with 24 months of history. Alternative tradelines may be considered.
Below 580, or with no score at all, the file is reviewed as an exception. That path is real, but it is not automatic, and nobody should promise it to you.
Twelve months of rent
The program wants to see twelve months of housing payments, which for most families means rent. Your landlord can fill out a Verification of Rent form, called a VOR. Payments through Zelle, Venmo, or PayPal also count if they are documented.
Without any documented housing history, the standard rises to a 640 score plus three months of reserves. Reserves means money that stays in your account after you close.
The money you bring
The minimum down payment is 3.5% of the price, and closing costs are on top. For example, on a $300,000 home, that 3.5% comes to $10,500.
If your file has no exceptions, only that 3.5% is verified before closing. With an exception, everything you need to close plus your reserves gets verified.
Gift money, from a relative for example, can help you close but cannot count as reserves.
Examples only
Rosa and Miguel are made-up examples, not real clients, and the $300,000 price is only an illustration. This is general information, not a commitment to lend.
Frequently asked questions
+Can I use an ITIN?
Yes. You can qualify with an ITIN and documented proof that you can make the payments. If you are a W2 employee with an ITIN and a third-party Social Security number appears on your W2 or pay stubs, three months of bank statements are required, and net income deposits for ITIN wage earners may be grossed up. There is also a separate EEP EAD program for Employment Authorization Document holders.
+Can I qualify with DACA?
Yes. DACA recipients are eligible for the program, with the same credit, income, and down payment standards as everyone else.
+Do I need a down payment?
Yes. A minimum 3.5% down payment has to be documented. If your file has no exceptions, that 3.5% is the only amount verified before closing. If there is an exception in the file, all cash to close and reserves get verified in your account, plus a letter explaining where the funds came from. Gift funds are acceptable for closing but not for reserves, and a gift of equity is not permitted.
The best first step is a full review
An EEP-certified loan officer will check every program you qualify for, including a regular FHA mortgage, so you choose knowing all your options.
Want to see where you stand today? The six-question tool, Am I home ready?, does not ask for your email. It is not an approval, just a first step.
More guides
- Self-employed buyers No W2? The Earned Equity Program has published ways to show self-employed, 1099, and gig income. Here they are, in plain words.
- Low or no credit score The published standard is a 580 score. Below that, or with no score at all, a file can still be reviewed as an exception. Here is how it works.
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