Complete Guide To ITIN’s: Applying For Credit Cards, Credit Reports & Credit Scores

What Is An ITIN?

A reader recently asked me what credit cards they could apply for using an ITIN. For those not familiar ITIN stands for Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, these numbers are given to foreign employers by the IRS for tax purposes. When you apply for a credit card, there is a field for your Social Security Number (SSN), some card issuers allow people with ITIN’s to enter their ITIN there instead of a SSN, while others don’t allow people with an ITIN to apply for their cards.

Below is a hopefully helpful list of the policy of different card issuers when it comes to SSN/ITIN requirements, tips for getting approved and how ITIN’s work in regards to credit scores & reports.

Card Issuers That Allow You To Apply With An ITIN

American Express

American Express allows you to apply with an ITIN. In addition if you have an American Express issued card in another country it’s possible to use this relationship and the associated credit history you have with them to get approved (although you’ll still most likely need to call reconsideration to do so, if you’re not familiar with reconsideration phone calls, please read this first).

[Read: Credit Card Reconsideration Phone Numbers]

In addition to this it’s also possible to move existing cards from your home country to American Express USA (and from American Express USA to other countries) via American Express’ Global Card Transfer program. If you do a card transfer you should keep in mind you won’t receive a sign up bonus, and you won’t be able to receive a sign up bonus again on that card (because American Express cards have a once per lifetime rule).

Bank of America

BofA allows you to apply for a credit card with an ITIN, but it’s necessary to go into a Bank of America branch to apply without a SSN. Some people have also been able to get credit cards without an ITIN just by using their passport number as well.

Capital One

Capital One used to offer a credit card called “Capital One Cash Rewards for Newcomers” that was specifically designed for people new to the country and with no SSN. This card has been discontinued and but they are still accepting applications with ITIN’s according to reader Darren. Authorized users are also allowed with an ITIN.

Chase

Reader, Another was able to get approved by applying using an ITIN online. Keep in mind that Chase has strict rules about the number of applications you can have for Chase branded cards.

Citibank

Citibank allows you to apply with an ITIN. Because Citibank operates in a lot of other countries, they also allow you to use any existing relationship you have with them in another country. If you’re from the United States, then you can also use your relationship here with other countries as well. You can find more about this at Citi’s Global Banking Relocating page. Apparently authorized users with an ITIN cannot be added.

Card Issuers That Don’t Allow You To Apply With An ITIN

Barclaycard

You’re supposed to be a permanent resident before you can apply for any Barclaycard card’s, although this isn’t always enforced. What is enforced is the requirement of having an SSN to be approved.

Discover

Used to accept ITIN’s but have stopped accepting them since November 2014.

US Bank

Does not allow you to apply with an ITIN. Apparently this doesn’t apply to their secured card, you can apply for this but it won’t graduate to an unsecured card.

Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo does not allow you to apply with an ITIN. Apparently this doesn’t apply to their secured card, you can apply for this but it won’t graduate to an unsecured card.

Credit Scores & Credit History With An ITIN

If you have an ITIN, then you’re credit is not tracked at the same level as it would be with a SSN.

Getting Your Credit Reports With An ITIN

Experian

Experian allows you to request your credit report using an ITIN, but because their automatic system only recognizes SSN’s it will automatically show an error. You can get around this by requesting your report by mail. Only Experian, must request it by mail (not online). Use this form to request your credit report from Experian. More information can be found on the Experian blog here.

Equifax

Equifax does not allow consumers to get a credit report without an SSN, if you try using an ITIN they will request proof of SSN.

TransUnion

TransUnion does not allow consumers to get their credit report unless they have a valid SSN. Some people have been able to receive their reports when they were subjected to adverse action (e.g denial for credit) but this has been largely hit and miss.

Getting Your Credit Scores With An ITIN

You might be able to get your credit score with an ITIN if the credit score is generated with an Experian credit report. You can view ways to get your FICO score for free here. You might also be able to receive a credit score when you’re subjected to adverse action.

Transferring Your ITIN Credit History To A SSN

If you’re assigned an SSN and previously held an ITIN with credit history, then this credit history is not automatically transferred to your new SSN. Instead this is what you need to do:

  1. Contact any current lenders (credit card companies, auto loans etc) and let them know about your new SSN, asking them to please report your existing and future credit history to your newly assigned SSN.
  2. Contact the three major consumer reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian & TransUnion) and let me know about your new SSN, asking them to please report your existing and future credit history to your newly assigned SSN.

Each letter should be posted and also include a copy of the letter you received from the Social Security Administration that shows your new SSN. It’s also a good idea to confirm that this information has been correctly transferred after a few months.

Obviously you should only do this if you have a good credit history with your ITIN, if you don’t then please don’t port your negative credit history over to your new SSN. You should also make sure that you don’t make the same mistakes again, make sure you fully understand how FICO scores are calculated.

Additional Tips For Getting Approved For A Credit Card Without A SSN

  • Build a relationship with the credit card issuer before applying. The easiest thing to do is to open a deposit account (e.g checking or savings) with them first, before trying to apply. Make sure you check to see if they are offering a sign up bonus for these accounts first.
  • Leverage existing credit cards you have in your home country. Both Citi & American Express specifically allow you to leverage these relationships, so make sure you take advantage of them.
  • Apply in branch instead of online. If you have an existing relationship with the card issuer (whether this is a credit card in another country with them, or a deposit account here) then applying in branch should give the person processing your application the chance to point this out if you’re automatically denied due to lack of credit history.
  • Apply by phone instead of online. This follows on from the above, but it’s sometimes easier to get approved by phone rather than online, it’s more time consuming but it means that if there is an issue with your application you can discuss that issue immediately rather than having to call reconsideration.
  • Apply for a secured credit card. If you have no credit history, it’s often difficult to get approved. In cases such as these you should try to apply for a secured credit card first (preferably one that graduates to an unsecured card) and then you can apply for a regular card after you’ve built some positive history. You can view a list of the secured cards we recommend here.
  • Get added as an authorized user. Getting added as an authorized user to somebody else’s card can help you build credit history, click here to view how being added as an authorized user will effect your credit.

Final Thoughts

Hopefully people without an SSN find the above information helpful, if there is any information that you’d like to see added or corrected then please let me know in the comments below. Feel free to also ask any addition questions you might have as well.

 

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Destahungn
Destahungn (@guest_1174072)
April 9, 2021 15:27

How can I create?

JJ Lee
JJ Lee (@guest_963332)
April 23, 2020 19:26

Hello, it seems like this article haven’t been updated in a long time and I’m sure things have changed over time. As of now, which credit cards can be applied for with an ITIN?

I have years of credit history with an ITIN.

Thank you.

Leonard Camacho
Leonard Camacho (@guest_815265)
September 26, 2019 18:40

Hi, would it be possible to post a list of banks were you can apply for a credit card in US being a tourist? To inform I just opened my second credit card on Bank of America as a tourist by phone.

Suzanne S
Suzanne S (@guest_771255)
June 18, 2019 01:26

THEY ALL WANT A SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER AND WON’T MOVE PAST IT TILL I ENTER ONE. THIS IS A BOGUS ARTICLE. DO YOUR RESEARCH A BIT BETTER NEXT TIME.

K.O
K.O (@guest_763796)
May 27, 2019 20:47

my dad tracks his credit score through chase journey! I struggled so hard to find out his actual score but Chase was the only one that was able to “find it”

AJ
AJ (@guest_587858)
April 29, 2018 19:54

Datapoint: Spoke to 3 citi bank reps and all informed I cannot AU with ITIN. Capital one allowed me to use ITIN for AU.

TLDR:
CITI – ITIN not allowed
CAP1 – ITIN accepted

krishna
krishna (@guest_705218)
January 13, 2019 11:08

CITI- ITIN Allowed Approved for American Airlines Platinum Card for a week Ago.

Jimmy
Jimmy (@guest_773075)
June 21, 2019 14:28

Did you apply online, by phone, or in branch?

sdb4u99
sdb4u99 (@guest_795608)
August 8, 2019 15:15

can you please update how did you apply for this ? online, by phone, or in branch?

does they have credit history before ?

SRT
SRT (@guest_572744)
March 21, 2018 19:49

Another DP: Friend applied for the CSR with an ITIN. Got decision pending initially. Called Chase. Chase asked to fax copies of proof of address, ITIN copy and date of birth proof. Sent all the docs and got approved for the CSR.

Alma
Alma (@guest_572273)
March 20, 2018 14:46

TCF bank allows you to open up a checking and savings account with an ITIN. Apply inside a branch though. It doesn’t work on line. I am currently in the process of acquiring a credit card. I may have to go into a branch to apply for their secured credit card. I am currently having no luck with an on line application.
Will update soon.

Barn
Barn (@guest_494154)
October 15, 2017 00:12

I have an itin number and I opened an account in Mint.com and this site give me free every 30 days an Equifax credit report with a FAKO score, it’s a great website

Bogsy
Bogsy (@guest_484234)
September 28, 2017 18:32

I was able to apply for new credit cards with ITIN as I have it since 2005.

I have for years: CITI, AMEX, CAPITAL ONE, HOME DEPOT, PNC, BANK OF AMERICA, AMAZON, PAYPAL CREDIT.

TODAY APPLIED ONLINE AND APPROVED: santander, tjmaxx MasterCard, macys, citizens.

Also for my parents I was recently approved Bank of America BY MAIL. Never went to a branch. I just got paper application (pre-approved) for my uncle that has SSN, but filled out with my data and was approved and all is reporting to credit report. I know you can request BOA to mail you application and you can do ITIN.

Chase my mother got approved with ITIN inside Chase branch. No problem, just ID and tell ITIN and proof of address (bank statement is ok).