Q: “I need a loan. I don’t have a social security number (SSN) but I do have a tax id number (ITIN). Can I get a mortgage?"
A: According to Fannie Mae, they do back loans for borrowers who have no Social Security number but instead have an Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN), so you should be able to get a mortgage backed by them.
According to Fannie Mae’s Selling Guide, here are the details regarding qualifying for a conforming mortgage without a Social Security number:
Origination thru Closing / Subpart B2: Eligibility / Chapter B2-2: Borrower Eligibility
B2-2-01, General Borrower Eligibility Requirements (12/14/2022)
Tax Identification Numbers
Fannie Mae requires that each borrower has a valid Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) (in addition to meeting existing legal residency and documentation requirements).
More particulars are found deeper in their Selling Guide:
Origination thru Closing / Subpart B2: Eligibility / Chapter B2-2: Borrower Eligibility - B2-2-02, Non-U.S. Citizen Borrower Eligibility Requirements (07/28/2015)
Non-U.S. Citizen Borrower Eligibility Requirements
Fannie Mae purchases and securitizes mortgages made to non-U.S. citizens who are lawful permanent or non-permanent residents of the United States under the same terms that are available to U.S. citizens.
Fannie Mae does not specify the precise documentation the lender must obtain to verify that a non-U.S. citizen borrower is legally present in the United States. The lender must make a determination of the non-U.S. citizen’s status based on the circumstances of the individual case, using documentation it deems appropriate. By delivering the mortgage to Fannie Mae, the lender represents and warrants that the non-U.S. citizen borrower is legally present in this country.
A simple document describing Fannie Mae's non-citizen borrower eligibility guidelines containing additional details and likely borrower scenarios disappeared from Fannie's website in early 2025, perhaps portending a change in policy to come. As Fannie's Selling Guide has not changed, an archived version is presented here for now.
