The D.C. area is no stranger to residents from all parts of the world, and navigating the rental market can be troublesome for those renters new to the area. It can be especially daunting as an international applicant because some landlords and property managers may not be experienced in handling these types of transactions, but with a little preparation, it’s certainly easy to move through the lease process simply and quickly.
Be sure to have all your documentation ready. You need to have at a minimum a copy of your work visa, passport, and proof of employment. The potential landlord may not understand that you’ll likely not have a Social Security number if you are new to the U.S., which also means you don’t have any U.S. credit history.
It’s important that they do understand you are in the U.S. legally, and that being granted a work visa provides some assurances you have proved to the State Department your ability to support yourself (and your family) while in the U.S. It may be helpful to enlist the help of a real estate agent to help communicate with private landlords.
Real estate agents in the D.C. area typically get paid by the landlord, so it shouldn’t cost you anything to work with an agent. If you’re looking at managed properties, ask up front what is required when you don’t have a Social Security number or work/rental/credit histories in the U.S.
While citizenship status is not covered as a protected class under Fair Housing law, landlords still need to be consistent in their screening processes, and they still must follow the law with respect to security deposits and pre-paid rent.
In DC, landlords are allowed to request a security deposit of up to one-months’ rent. If you do have the ability to pre-pay some of your rent, the landlord is required to keep the pre-paid rent in an escrow account, and only distribute the amounts as it becomes due.
If you’ve been in the States for at least a year, and you’ve established a rental history, having your current landlord provide a reference may be helpful to your prospective landlord.
While being an international applicant may throw up a roadblock or two, good preparation and communication can help get you through the process with ease. It may be helpful to think of it from the landlord’s point of view, as they are trying to minimize their risk and any applicant out of the norm presents an additional level of risk.
Being aware of their concerns and providing as much documentation to prove yourself as a good tenant will get you off to a good start in your tenant-landlord relationship.