You can get a U.S. credit card without a Social Security number (SSN). Many issuers accept an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) in its place, so apply with yours where the application asks for an SSN or ITIN. If you don’t have one, request it from the IRS on Form W-7, usually with your tax return.
American Express and Bank of America both accept an ITIN on their card applications. The sooner you open a card, the sooner you start the payment history that landlords and lenders check.
The catch is the ITIN itself. The IRS issues one if you need it for a federal tax purpose, such as filing a return, and you aren’t eligible for an SSN. Your immigration status doesn’t affect eligibility. If you qualify for an SSN, get that instead.
To get one, send Form W-7, usually with your federal tax return. Include your passport, or two other documents that prove your identity and foreign status, as originals or certified copies. If you’d rather not mail your passport, apply in person, free at an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center or through a Certifying Acceptance Agent, who may charge a fee. Expect to hear back in about 7 weeks, or 9 to 11 weeks between January 15 and April 30 or if you apply from abroad.
Once you have the number, confirm that a card’s application takes an ITIN before you apply, since some issuers accept one only on certain cards. If you’re turned down for having no U.S. credit history, try a secured card, backed by a refundable deposit, from an issuer that takes your ITIN. Your credit history from another country can help too, where an issuer accepts a foreign credit report.
Then use the card to build your history. Experian says an account the issuer reports should appear on your U.S. credit report even without an SSN, so pay on time every month and keep your balance low. Six months in, you’ll have enough history for a FICO score.
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