Yeah, I’ve seen the same thing—location doesn’t always matter as much as people think. It really comes down to the lender’s internal policies and whether their underwriters have dealt with H1-Bs before. I’ve had clients get approved in “tough” markets just because the loan officer knew their stuff. If you find someone who actually understands visa paperwork, it makes a world of difference. Honestly, sometimes it feels like luck of the draw... but persistence pays off.
Title: Can H1-B Visa Holders Still Get a Mortgage After Trump’s Crackdown?
I’ve been running into this exact thing lately. I’m in the middle of my first home purchase (on H1-B) and honestly, I thought the biggest hurdle would be the market itself—like, prices or down payment. Turns out, it’s way more about the lender and their comfort level with visa stuff. My first attempt was with a big national bank that advertises “international-friendly” loans, but their underwriter kept asking for documents that literally don’t exist for H1-Bs. It felt like they were just reading from a checklist and had no idea what to do when something didn’t match up.
After that, I tried a local credit union. The loan officer there actually knew what an I-797 is without me having to explain it three times. She even asked about my visa expiration and renewal history right away, which made me feel like she’d done this before. The process still took forever—lots of back and forth—but at least it wasn’t me educating them every step.
I do think location can matter a little, though—not so much because of local laws, but because some areas just have more lenders who’ve worked with international buyers. Like, in tech-heavy cities, you’ll find more people who “get it.” But yeah, overall it really does come down to the individual lender and whether they’re willing to put in the work.
It’s kind of wild how inconsistent the experience can be. One friend in Texas got denied twice before finding someone who understood his situation; another in California sailed through on her first try. There’s definitely some luck involved... but also persistence and maybe a bit of research into which banks have done this before.
If anyone else is going through it right now: keep copies of everything and don’t be afraid to ask if your loan officer has handled H1-Bs before. Makes things way less stressful if they have—even if you still end up buried in paperwork.
I get where you’re coming from, but I’d push back a bit on the idea that it’s mostly about the lender’s willingness. In my experience, a lot of the “inconsistency” actually comes down to how each underwriter interprets risk—especially since some banks tightened up their guidelines after 2017. Even in tech hubs, I’ve seen folks with solid jobs get tripped up by visa expiration dates or gaps in employment history. It’s not always just about finding someone who “gets it”—sometimes the bank’s policies are just stricter, no matter who you talk to. The paperwork grind is real though... can’t argue with that.
It’s interesting you mention underwriter interpretation—totally agree that it’s not just about finding a “friendly” lender. I’ve seen cases where two applicants with nearly identical profiles got different outcomes, just because one bank flagged the visa expiration as a bigger risk. That said, sometimes it does feel like there’s a bit of luck involved in who reviews your file.
Even in tech hubs, I’ve seen folks with solid jobs get tripped up by visa expiration dates or gaps in employment history.
That rings true. I’ve worked with clients who had six-figure incomes and spotless credit, but their H1-B renewal was less than a year out and suddenly the bank wanted extra documentation or even denied the application outright. It’s frustrating, especially since those same folks might have gotten approved a few years earlier under looser guidelines.
I’m curious if anyone here has noticed differences between national banks and local credit unions? In my experience, some credit unions are more flexible on things like employment gaps or visa timelines, maybe because they’re more familiar with the local workforce. But then again, their rates or down payment requirements can be less competitive.
Has anyone tried going through a mortgage broker instead of directly to a bank? Sometimes brokers seem to know which lenders are more open to H1-B borrowers, but I wonder if that actually makes much difference given how strict some policies have become post-2017...
I’ve actually gone the broker route twice now, and both times it felt like they had a better read on which lenders would even consider my H1-B situation. That said, the policies have definitely tightened since 2017—one lender that used to be flexible just flat out refused to look at my file last year. Credit unions did seem more open-minded, but yeah, their rates weren’t great and the down payment they wanted was higher. It really is a balancing act between flexibility and affordability... I wish there was more consistency across the board.
