Secured Cards to Start US Credit as a Foreigner
A US credit file does not exist until you build one. Here is how European founders use secured cards, an ITIN, and a bit of patience to create a real US credit history from zero.
Why your credit history does not transfer to the US
Credit scores are national systems. Your German Schufa record, your French banking history, your UK credit file, none of it crosses the Atlantic. When you apply for anything in the US that checks credit, a mortgage, a car lease, a business loan with a personal guarantee, an unsecured credit card, you show up as a blank file. Not bad credit. No credit. Lenders treat this almost the same as a thin or risky file, because they have no data to underwrite against.
The fix is not complicated, but it does take a few months of deliberate work. Secured cards are the standard, proven way to create that first data point.
Personal credit versus business credit
Founders often conflate the two, so it is worth separating them clearly.
- Personal credit is tied to you as an individual, identified by your Social Security Number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), and tracked by the three consumer bureaus, Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion.
- Business credit is tied to your US LLC, identified by its EIN, and tracked separately through agencies like Dun and Bradstreet. Cards like Brex or Ramp report primarily to business credit and often do not require a personal credit check at all, which is one reason they are popular with newly formed foreign-owned LLCs.
This article is about the personal side. If you also want a business card for the LLC, that is a separate track, and it is usually the easier one to start with once your entity is formed and funded.
What a secured card actually is
A secured credit card works like a normal credit card in every way that matters for reporting purposes, except you put down a refundable cash deposit that usually equals your credit limit. Deposit 300 dollars, get a 300 dollar limit. The bank holds the deposit as collateral, which is why it will approve people with no credit history and no US income.
Every month you use the card and pay it off, the issuer reports your activity to the credit bureaus. On-time payments and low utilization are exactly what build a score. The deposit is not a fee, it comes back to you when you close the account in good standing or when the card graduates to unsecured.
What you need before you apply
Requirements vary by issuer, but generally you will need some combination of:
- An ITIN, since you will not have an SSN as a non-resident. The ITIN is issued by the IRS specifically for people who need a US taxpayer number but are not eligible for an SSN, it has nothing to do with visa status or work authorization.
- A US mailing address. Many founders use the registered agent or virtual address that comes with their LLC formation for this, though check the issuer's fine print, some want a residential-style address rather than a commercial one.
- A US phone number, which you can get through a VoIP service.
- Sometimes a US bank account to fund the deposit, though some issuers accept an international card or wire.
Secured cards worth comparing
Terms change, so verify current deposit minimums and fees directly with each issuer before applying. As a starting point:
| Card | ITIN accepted | Typical deposit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Progress Platinum/Select Mastercard | Yes, no SSN required | 200 to 2,000 dollars | No credit check, widely used by non-residents, has an annual fee |
| Capital One Platinum Secured Mastercard | Sometimes, policy varies | As low as 49 to 200 dollars for a 200 dollar limit | Can qualify for a higher limit without extra deposit after on-time payments |
| Chime Credit Builder Visa | Often accepted with a linked Chime account | No traditional deposit, funded via your own transfers | No annual fee, but requires opening a Chime checking-style account first |
| Self Visa (via Credit Builder Account) | Requires SSN or ITIN plus a US address | Builds gradually through a savings-style plan | Combines a small loan product with an eventual secured card |
None of these require you to already have a US Social Security based credit score, which is exactly the point.
How deposits and limits actually work
The deposit is refundable, not a fee, though most secured cards do charge a separate small annual fee on top. Your credit limit is almost always equal to the deposit, so a larger deposit gives you more room to keep utilization low, which matters because utilization (how much of your limit you use) is one of the biggest factors in your score after payment history.
A simple rule that works well for a first card: put down more than the minimum if you can, use the card for one or two small recurring bills, and pay the full statement balance every month. You never need to carry a balance to build credit, that is a myth. Paying in full on time is exactly what the bureaus want to see.
The graduation timeline
Most issuers review secured accounts for graduation after 6 to 12 months of on-time payments and reasonable utilization. Graduation means the deposit is returned and the card converts to a normal unsecured card, sometimes automatically, sometimes only if you call and ask. At that point you typically have enough of a file, usually 3 to 6 months of reported history, to apply for a second card with a real approval chance, and within a year or two a mainstream unsecured card or even a mortgage pre-approval becomes realistic.
The timeline is not instant, and no service can promise a specific approval, but the mechanics are well understood and predictable if you follow them.
Quick glossary
- ITIN: Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, issued by the IRS to people who need a US tax ID but cannot get an SSN.
- EIN: Employer Identification Number, the tax ID for your US business entity, obtained via IRS Form SS-4.
- Secured card: a credit card backed by a refundable cash deposit that usually sets your credit limit.
- FICO score: the most widely used personal credit score in the US, built mainly from payment history and utilization.
- Utilization ratio: the percentage of your credit limit you are using at any given time, lower is better.
- Credit bureau: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion, the three companies that compile personal credit files in the US.
- Graduation: when a secured card converts to unsecured and the deposit is refunded.
Where this fits with your US company
Founders coming to the US market usually need several pieces in place at once: the LLC itself, an EIN, an ITIN, a US business bank account, and eventually business credit cards. Founders Credit handles that whole stack done-for-you and fully remote, so by the time you are ready to think about personal secured cards, your ITIN and US address are already sorted rather than something you are figuring out from scratch alongside the card application.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an SSN, or is an ITIN enough for a secured card?
An ITIN is enough for several major secured card issuers, including options like First Progress. Some issuers still prefer or require an SSN, so it is worth checking each card's current policy rather than assuming, but you do not need to be a US resident or visa holder to get an ITIN in the first place.
How much of a deposit do I actually need?
Most secured cards accept deposits starting around 200 dollars, with limits set to match. There is no fixed minimum that works for everyone, but a slightly higher deposit gives you more breathing room to keep utilization low, which helps your score build faster.
How long until I can get an unsecured card?
Many issuers review accounts for graduation to unsecured after 6 to 12 months of on-time payments and low utilization. Some do this automatically, others require you to call and ask. No issuer can guarantee a timeline or approval, it depends on your full payment record.
Can I build credit through my US LLC instead of a personal secured card?
Business credit and personal credit are tracked separately. An LLC with an EIN can build a business credit profile with providers like Dun and Bradstreet, and business cards such as Brex or Ramp often skip a personal credit check entirely. That helps your company, but it does not create a personal FICO file, which you still need for things like a future personal loan or mortgage.
Will opening a US secured card affect my credit score back home?
No. Credit bureaus are national systems and do not share data across borders, so a US secured card has no effect on your Schufa, your UK credit file, or any other home country score. It only builds a separate US credit history from zero.
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