Getting a US Credit Card With Just an ITIN and Passport

An ITIN and a passport will not get you a traditional US credit card on their own, but they will get you something better suited to a growing business. Here is exactly what's possible and how the path actually works.

The short answer

If you are picturing a Chase Sapphire or an Amex Platinum landing in your mailbox based on your ITIN and passport alone, that is not how it usually works. Most consumer credit cards from major US banks are underwritten against a personal credit history built through an SSN, and an ITIN does not create that history. What does work, and works well for non-US founders, is getting a US business entity in place and using that entity to qualify for business charge cards and banking products that were built specifically for people without an SSN or US credit file.

This article breaks down why the traditional route is hard, what actually gets approved, and the realistic sequence of steps to get a working US card in your hands.

Why ITIN plus passport rarely unlocks a personal credit card

An ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) is issued by the IRS to people who need to file US taxes but are not eligible for a Social Security Number. You do not need a US visa to get one, and it is purely a tax processing number, not an immigration status and not a credit identifier.

The three big US credit bureaus, Experian, Equifax and TransUnion, build credit files primarily around SSNs. Most mainstream card issuers query these bureaus as part of underwriting. Without an SSN and a US credit history, their scoring models often cannot evaluate you at all, so many applications get an automatic decline regardless of your income or credit history in your home country.

There are occasional exceptions, small community banks or credit unions that issue secured cards to ITIN holders against a cash deposit, and a small number of larger issuers that will consider ITIN applicants if you already have an existing relationship with them internationally. But these are the exception, not a reliable plan, and most require a US residential address and in-person account opening, which defeats the purpose for a remote founder.

What actually works: business charge cards tied to your LLC

The path that consistently works for non-US founders is different: form a US LLC, get an EIN for it, open a US business bank account remotely, and get a business charge card issued against that account rather than against your personal credit file.

How these cards sidestep the SSN problem

Fintech-forward business banking platforms such as Mercury, Wise Business and Relay do not run a personal credit check to issue their charge or debit cards. Instead, they look at your business's cash balance and banking activity. Because the card is a charge card tied to available funds rather than a revolving line of credit, there is no need to pull a personal credit score, and no SSN is required to apply. Your ITIN or even just your passport and business documents are usually enough for identity verification.

The realistic path, step by step

• Form a US LLC. Wyoming is the common default for non-residents because of its low annual fees and straightforward, privacy-friendly filing, though other states work too depending on your situation.
• Apply for an EIN for the LLC using Form SS-4. As a non-resident without an SSN, you apply by fax or mail rather than the instant online system, and the IRS issues the EIN without ever requiring you to have an SSN yourself.
• Apply for your ITIN, typically alongside your first US tax filing obligation, using Form W-7 and your passport as the identity document.
• Open a US business bank account remotely with a provider that accepts foreign-owned LLCs, using your EIN, formation documents and passport.
• Apply for the business charge card that comes with that banking platform once your account is active and funded.

This is the exact sequence Founders Credit handles end to end for founders, so you are not stuck figuring out fax numbers for the IRS or which bank will actually onboard a foreign-owned single-member LLC.

What to expect once you have the card

Business charge cards issued this way generally do not report to your personal credit bureaus, since they are business products tied to your entity, not consumer revolving credit. That means they solve the immediate problem, having a working US card for tools, ad platforms and suppliers, but they will not by themselves build a personal US credit score. If personal credit history matters to you long term, that typically comes later, once you have an SSN or ITIN paired with sustained US financial activity and, eventually, a consumer credit product.

Do not forget the compliance side either. A foreign-owned single-member LLC must file Form 5472 together with a pro forma Form 1120 every year, even if the company had no income or activity. This is an information return, it does not calculate or owe tax by itself, but skipping it carries a penalty of 25,000 dollars, so it is worth treating as a fixed annual task rather than an afterthought.

Common mistakes founders make here

• Applying to big-name consumer card issuers first and getting discouraged by declines that were never really about you personally.
• Assuming a business charge card will build personal credit history the way a consumer card would.
• Skipping the annual Form 5472 filing because the LLC had no income that year.
• Choosing a bank that technically allows foreign-owned LLCs but is not actually built for remote onboarding, leading to long delays.

Glossary

ITIN: An Individual Taxpayer Identification Number issued by the IRS for tax filing purposes to people who are not eligible for a Social Security Number. No US visa is required to obtain one.

EIN: An Employer Identification Number, the tax ID for a business entity. Non-residents apply via Form SS-4 by fax or mail and do not need an SSN to get one.

Form 5472: An annual information return required for foreign-owned single-member LLCs, filed together with a pro forma Form 1120, even when the LLC had no income. Missing this filing carries a 25,000 dollar penalty.

Charge card: A card where the balance is typically paid in full each period and underwriting is based on available funds or business activity rather than a revolving personal credit line.

Registered agent: A person or company with a physical address in the LLC's formation state, required to receive legal and state correspondence on the LLC's behalf.

How Founders Credit fits in

Founders Credit exists because most of this friction is procedural, not personal. We form the LLC, get the EIN, help with the ITIN where relevant, open the US business bank account, and get a business card issued, all done remotely and without you needing to fly to the US or already hold an SSN.

Frequently asked questions