Nova Credit: Using Your Foreign Credit History for US Cards
If you are moving money and business into the US without a US credit history, you have probably heard of Nova Credit. Here is what it actually does, who accepts it, and where it fits alongside setting up your LLC, EIN, and business banking.
What Nova Credit actually does
Nova Credit is not a lender and it is not a credit score. It is a data bridge. It partners with credit bureaus in a handful of countries, pulls your credit history from your home country, and translates it into a format called a Credit Passport that a US lender can read during an application. The idea is simple: instead of showing up in the US with no credit file at all, which is the default for almost every non-US founder, you show up with a document a lender can actually evaluate.
This matters because the US credit system is closed. Your UK, German, or Dutch credit history does not automatically transfer, and the three main US bureaus, Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion, have no record of you until you start using US credit products. Nova Credit was built specifically to solve that gap for newcomers, whether they are relocating employees, international students, or founders opening a US presence.
Which countries are actually covered
This is the part that trips people up. Nova Credit does not cover every country, and coverage for personal European bureaus is thinner than people expect. Historically its strongest partnerships have been with bureaus in the United Kingdom, India, Australia, Mexico, Nigeria, Kenya, the Dominican Republic, and a small set of others, with coverage changing over time as new bureau partnerships are added.
If you are a UK-based founder, there is a reasonable chance a Nova Credit Passport is available to you through the Experian UK relationship. If you are based in Germany, France, the Netherlands, or most other EU countries, coverage has historically been limited or unavailable, so check current availability directly on Nova Credit's site before assuming this route is open to you.
Which US issuers actually use it
The best known use case is American Express, which has publicly used Nova Credit's Credit Passport to assess personal card applicants who do not yet have a US credit file, using foreign credit history as a substitute input during underwriting. Nova Credit's technology has also been used in adjacent areas such as apartment rental screening and by some mortgage and lending partners.
| Use case | Typical acceptance of foreign credit data |
|---|---|
| American Express personal cards | Has used Nova Credit for applicants without US credit history |
| Major US bank cards (Chase, Capital One, Citi) | Generally rely on SSN or ITIN plus a US credit file or manual review, not Nova Credit |
| Apartment rental and some lending partners | Some have integrated Nova Credit data as part of screening |
| Business credit cards tied to a US LLC | Usually assessed on business banking activity, cash balance, and EIN, not personal foreign credit |
That last row matters a lot for founders. If your goal is a card for your US LLC rather than a personal Amex, Nova Credit is not the main lever to pull.
Where this fits if you run a foreign-owned US LLC
Most non-US founders reading about Nova Credit are not trying to build a personal US life, they are trying to get their company operating with a US bank account and a card that works for subscriptions, ads, and vendors. For that, the more direct path usually looks like this:
- Form the LLC. Wyoming is the common low-cost default for non-residents because of its flat annual fees and no state income tax, though the right state depends on where you plan to operate.
- Get an EIN. Non-residents without an SSN apply via Form SS-4 by fax or mail, since the online EIN application requires an SSN or ITIN.
- Get an ITIN if you need one for personal tax filing purposes. An ITIN does not require a US visa, it exists specifically for people who need a US taxpayer number but are not eligible for a Social Security Number.
- Open a US business bank account remotely. Providers like Mercury, Wise, and Relay onboard non-resident founders without requiring you to fly to the US or hold a personal US credit history.
- Apply for a business card tied to that account. Many of these are charge-card style products underwritten against your business's cash balance rather than a personal credit score, which is exactly why they work for founders with no US credit file at all.
Nova Credit can still be useful here as a secondary move, particularly if you are eligible for a Credit Passport and want a personal US card like an Amex to build a personal file alongside your business banking. But it is not a prerequisite, and you should not delay setting up your LLC and business bank account while you wait to see if a Nova Credit route works out.
Do not skip the compliance side
A foreign-owned single-member LLC with no US employees still has an annual filing obligation even in a year with zero income: Form 5472 alongside a pro-forma Form 1120. Form 5472 is an information return, it reports transactions between the LLC and its foreign owner, it does not itself calculate any tax owed. Missing this filing carries a penalty of $25,000, so it is worth treating as a fixed annual task rather than an afterthought, regardless of which credit or banking route you take.
The order that actually works: LLC first, EIN second, bank account third, then cards. Personal credit tools like Nova Credit are worth exploring in parallel, not a gate you need to pass first.
This is the sequence Founders Credit handles end to end for non-US founders, forming the LLC, getting the EIN, obtaining an ITIN where needed, and setting up the US business bank account and cards, done for you and fully remote, so you are not stuck waiting on a credit bureau partnership that may not even apply to your home country.
Glossary
Nova Credit Passport: a report that translates your foreign credit bureau history into a format some US lenders can use in underwriting.
ITIN: Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, issued by the IRS to people who need to file US taxes but cannot get a Social Security Number. No US visa is required to obtain one.
EIN: Employer Identification Number, the tax ID for your LLC, obtained via Form SS-4, available to non-residents by fax or mail without an SSN.
Form 5472: an annual information return required for foreign-owned single-member LLCs, filed with a pro-forma Form 1120, required even with zero activity.
Credit file: the record a bureau holds on you; most non-US founders simply have no US file, which is a different problem from having bad credit.
Frequently asked questions
Does Nova Credit work for every European country?
No. Coverage depends on bureau partnerships that change over time, and historically it has been strongest for the UK through Experian, with limited or no coverage for many other EU countries. Check current country availability directly before relying on it.
Can I use Nova Credit to get a business credit card for my US LLC?
Not directly. Nova Credit is built around personal credit history and has mainly been used for personal card applications, most notably with American Express. Business cards tied to an LLC are usually underwritten against your business bank balance and EIN rather than personal foreign credit.
Do I need a Nova Credit Passport before I can open a US business bank account?
No. Providers like Mercury, Wise, and Relay onboard non-resident founders remotely using your LLC formation documents and EIN, without requiring a US personal credit history.
What happens if my foreign-owned LLC has no income but I skip the annual filing?
You still owe Form 5472 with a pro-forma Form 1120 every year the LLC exists, even with zero activity. Failing to file carries a penalty of $25,000, so it should be treated as a fixed compliance task.
Is an ITIN the same thing as US work authorization?
No. An ITIN is purely a tax identification number issued by the IRS for people who need to file US taxes but are not eligible for a Social Security Number. It does not require a visa and does not grant any right to work in the US.
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