Non-U.S. residents can own investment real estate in America — and BFF will finance it with foreign credit accepted in lieu of a U.S. score. DSCR qualification only. No personal income required. STRs, condotels, and non-warrantable condos all eligible. $150K to $1.5M.
Program at a Glance
The BFF Foreign National program is designed for non-U.S. residents who want to own investment property in the United States. It solves the two things that disqualify international buyers from conventional programs: no U.S. credit history and no U.S.-based income documentation. Qualification is DSCR-based — the property's rent covers the debt service. No personal income required. Foreign credit is accepted in lieu of a U.S. FICO.
Maximum LTV steps down for short-term rentals and condotels due to income variability. Refinance LTV is 65% across all property types.
| Transaction | Standard | STR | Condotel / NWC |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purchase | 75% | 70% | 65% |
| Refinance | 65% | 65% | 65% |
The Foreign National program accepts property types most U.S. mortgage programs won't touch - a key advantage for international investors targeting vacation markets or hotel-condo structures.
🏛SFR / PUDUp to 75% LTVStandard single-family investment property. Long-term tenants. 🏘Short-Term RentalUp to 70% LTVAirbnb, VRBO, vacation rental. STR income used in DSCR. 🏠Warrantable CondoUp to 75% LTVStandard condo meeting agency project eligibility requirements. 🏢CondotelUp to 65% LTVHotel-style condo with rental pool. Most programs won't touch these. 🏙Non-Warrantable CondoUp to 65% LTVHigh investor concentration or other agency-ineligible factors. 🏚2-4 UnitSee matrix for LTVMulti-unit investment. DSCR on combined rent roll.
Most international investors buying U.S. property have never opened a U.S. credit account. BFF accepts foreign credit documentation as a full alternative to a U.S. FICO score.
Borrower Has U.S. Credit 680+ Standard FICO score required Minimum 680 FICO. Standard tri-merge credit report pull through U.S. bureaus (Experian, Equifax, TransUnion). Same process as any other Non-QM file. Borrower Has Only Foreign Credit Foreign Foreign credit documentation accepted No U.S. credit history required. BFF accepts foreign bank reference letters, foreign credit bureau reports (translated and certified), and documented international payment history. Contact your AE to confirm acceptable formats for the specific country before collecting documents. Foreign credit documentation: Acceptable documentation typically includes translated foreign credit bureau reports (certified), bank reference letters from major financial institutions, or 12-24 months of documented international account payment history. Formats vary by country - confirm with your AE before collecting documents.
OFAC (the Office of Foreign Assets Control) administers U.S. economic sanctions. Screening every Foreign National borrower is a federal compliance requirement, not optional.
Run OFAC before investing time in a scenario. Borrowers from OFAC-sanctioned countries - including Russia and Belarus - are not eligible. The OFAC clearance must be documented in the loan file. A failed OFAC screen is an absolute disqualifier regardless of all other factors. Most countries are eligible. OFAC sanctions apply to specific listed nations and individuals - the vast majority of the world clears without issue. Borrowers from Canada, Mexico, the UK, Western Europe, Latin America, Asia, and most other regions will pass OFAC screening routinely. Only specifically sanctioned nations and listed individuals are blocked.
Key parameters from the BFF Foreign National Matrix. Download the PDF for complete guidelines before pricing any Foreign National scenario.
| Parameter | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Max Loan | $1,500,000 |
| Min Loan | $150,000 |
| Max LTV - Purchase | 75% standard investment · 70% STR · 65% condotel / non-warrantable condo |
| Max LTV - Refinance | 65% all property types |
| Min FICO (U.S. credit) | 680 |
| Foreign Credit | Accepted in lieu of U.S. score - no U.S. credit history required |
| Income Qualification | DSCR only - no personal income documentation required |
| Occupancy | Investment property only - no primary residence, no second home |
| Property Types | SFR · PUD · Warrantable and non-warrantable condos · Condotels · 2-4 Unit · STR eligible |
| Reserves | 6 months PITIA required post-closing |
| Impounds | Required on all Foreign National loans - escrow waiver not available |
| First-Time Investors | Allowed |
| Derogatory Seasoning | 3 years on BK, foreclosure, short sale, deed-in-lieu, loan modification |
| OFAC Check | Required on all borrowers - must clear and be documented before submission |
| Ineligible Countries | Russia · Belarus · All OFAC-sanctioned nations |
| Ineligible States/Areas | Illinois (entire state) · New York (entire state) · Maryland (Baltimore row homes) · Pennsylvania (Philadelphia / row homes) |
| Note | STR DSCR may use market rent or documented STR income report (AirDNA or comparable). Confirm acceptable documentation with AE before ordering appraisal on a short-term rental property. |
Non-U.S. residents who want to own investment real estate in America. No U.S. income docs, no U.S. employer, DSCR qualification only.
International buyers targeting Florida, Hawaii, Arizona, mountain resorts. STR income used in DSCR. 70% LTV on short-term rental properties.
Hotel-condo structures in resort markets. Virtually no conventional program finances condotels. BFF Foreign National does at 65% LTV.
International buyers who have never opened a U.S. credit account. Foreign bank references and credit documentation accepted — no U.S. tradeline history required.
Foreign investors purchasing 2–4 unit rental properties. DSCR on combined rent roll. No U.S. tax returns or W-2s required.
No prior U.S. real estate ownership required. First-time investors eligible. Down payment can come from foreign accounts with proper sourcing documentation.
Yes. BFF accepts foreign credit documentation in lieu of a U.S. FICO score for borrowers who have never established U.S. credit. Acceptable documentation typically includes foreign bank reference letters, translated and certified foreign credit bureau reports, or equivalent payment history documentation from the borrower's home country. When U.S. credit does exist, a minimum 680 FICO applies. Contact your AE before collecting foreign credit documents to confirm the acceptable format for the specific country.
Yes. STR properties are eligible at a maximum 70% LTV (vs. 75% for standard investment). DSCR is calculated using market rent or a documented STR income report such as AirDNA. No existing rental history is required — projected market-rate STR income is sufficient. Confirm the acceptable STR documentation format with your AE before ordering an appraisal.
OFAC (Office of Foreign Assets Control) administers U.S. economic sanctions. An OFAC screen checks whether the borrower appears on the Specially Designated Nationals list — individuals and entities blocked from U.S. transactions. OFAC clearance is required on every Foreign National loan. Borrowers from sanctioned countries including Russia and Belarus are ineligible. Most international borrowers clear OFAC routinely — the sanctions apply to specific listed entities, not all non-U.S. residents. Run the check early and document the result in the file.
Four areas are ineligible: Illinois (entire state), New York (entire state), Maryland (Baltimore row homes specifically), and Pennsylvania (Philadelphia and row home properties specifically). The MD and PA restrictions apply to specific property types within those states — suburban or other property types outside the restricted areas may be eligible. When a subject property is near these geographic or property-type boundaries, confirm eligibility with your AE before proceeding.
Yes. Impounds are required on all BFF Foreign National loans — the escrow waiver option is not available. Taxes and insurance must be collected monthly as part of the PITIA payment and held in escrow by the servicer. This ensures ongoing property tax and insurance obligations are met for borrowers who may be residing outside the U.S.
BFF Foreign National Matrix — Rev. Feb 2026
Run OFAC before investing time. Russia and Belarus ineligible. Document the clearance. Federal compliance requirement on every file.
Most programs won't finance short-term rentals or condotels. BFF Foreign National does — at 70% and 65% LTV respectively. A real edge for vacation market investors.
Price it in the Quick Pricer, download the matrix, or call your AE. We Deliver.
