What to Do if Your Applicant is on a Visa

by Becky Brower

While finding a suitable tenant for your vacancies, you’ve probably come across applicants who are on a visa. Whether it’s a work or student visa, many of these applicants have no financial background in the United States, and this makes performing a credit check impossible. Everyone in the United States (regardless of whether they’re a citizen, a green card holder, or have a visa) is protected under the Fair Housing Act, which specifically covers “discrimination because of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, and the presence of children.”

To avoid a potential discrimination lawsuit, you should prepare your leasing process to include practices that can vet your applicants, equally. You should conduct a background screening check on all your applicants and allow all interested to fill out a rental application. To make the application process for visa holders easier, consider accepting these alternative forms of documentation