I would invest on the East side but dont want to get my passport stamped. haha

Even a passport photo and phone number. 

Lodger has verbally agreed to surrender premises (mailed back keys from jail) and but stated since has no living family members available, requested his security deposit back and month to month storage of personal property (passport, social security card, US Army Veteran Honorable Discharge paper, about 5 suitcases of clothing and a couple milkcrate size boxes of misc personal belongings, that's it).

I spent 1 month there back in the early '80's on my Aust. passport & also picked up a little of Russian by necessity.One intriguing issue I found in coastal construction, particularly the various early 1920's Mansions, was the structural failure of the cement used.

If they are willing to provide these documents or perhaps a copy of a passport they may be serious.

The IRS will only issue ITINs to those taxpayers who include original documentation (meaning passports, birth certificates or certified copies of these documents from the issuing agency) with their federal form W-7, Application for IRS Individual Taxpayer Identification Number.

I've got two passports (dual citizen), and a drivers license.

They have Passports from their home country, and Visas for the USA.

Even if you verify that the dad makes plenty of money, if they suddenly decide to pack up and go home without telling you, you likely won't be able to collect a judgement anyway.You can ask for things like:- Passport, Visa- Verification of their enrollment in the school- Local ID like DL- Pay stub from DadAnd do your own digging.That being said, a lot of my friends are either landlords to Chinese student renters or are themselves Chinese student renters and they seem to all be happy with the arrangement.  

Lots of hurdles to cross if you are not in the USA (independent of passport).