I work for a foreign DOD contractor, in Iraq; they do not have an EIN, and I do not get a W-2. I have worked for the company for years, and prior to this I worked for another DOD contractor, for several years, as well; again, the employer did not have an EIN, nor give me a W-2.

I have not filed a tax return now for 5 years, even though I have a house in the US, I am in Iraq for more than 330 days a year. I have been under the impression that I do not have to file a tax return because of the lack of an EIN by my employer.

Here is my problem. I am trying to buy a house and the mortgage company is telling me that they do not recognize foreign earned income where a tax return is not filed, because there is no way to substantiate my income, and actually verify it.

Take the home loan out of the equation, should I be filing a tax return regardless, and how could I show that the company is in fact a real company but does not a have a US tax id, to produce a w-2 for me?