Overview
The Fair Housing Act prohibits landlords from refusing to rent to an international student or tenant based on their national origin. You need to consider all the applications you’ve received, and your tenant screening process needs to remain the same for each applicant, regardless of whether an applicant is a U.S. citizen or an international tenant.
Tenants need a social security number (SSN) to authorize a credit and background check in most states, depending on the provider and Transunion themselves only accepts a Social Security Number. If you are taking applications from international students and applicants who don’t have an SSN, you may need to require additional documentation to verify their information.
You'll want to check your local landlord-tenant laws before beginning the screening process.
Send an application with tenant screening turned off
For applicants without a social security number, you'll want to send them an application that doesn't request reports automatically. You'll need to choose either the Cover Screen Costs option or the Customize Fee option with "the application fee will cover the screening report charges" turned off. This way the rental application will not request reports, which will not be able to verify their information.
Since the SSN is a required field, have them temporarily enter any 9-digit number so they can continue filling out their rental application and complete it.
Note: These applicants without an SSN will most likely show up as Identity Unverified. Just ignore this since they can't be verified using Transunion.
Alternatives for screening tenants without a social security number
Credit reference: A credit reference on a rental application provides information on a financial relationship the tenant had with a person or business that can speak to their trustworthiness and ability to make on-time payments. Examples of this are asset documentation, character references, or financier support.
Landlord reference: If the international applicant has previously rented an apartment, then you may be able to connect with their prior landlords.
Monthly bill statement: An applicant’s phone bill or utility bill statement can be a good indicator of their ability to make on-time payments.
Bank account statement: A bank statement can provide insights as to how they’re currently paying for their monthly expenses. This can be with stipends, allowances, or grant money.
Pay stubs: Tenants currently employed in the U.S. should be able to provide two of their most recent pay stubs to verify their income.
You can set up your rental applications with these additional sections in the Additional Information section and the Files & Documents section. For a refresher on how to create a rental application, read Company Rental Application Settings.