Credit Card for people with only ITIN and no SSN
Jan 20, 2014, 9:54 pm
#31
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 158
Citi allows ITIN on online apps. I know a few banks you need to go in branch (Bofa and Chase), amex will build a cc story even without ITIN! Meaning passport/international driving license. You need to have a family member with Amex though, meaning if you have a cc with amex and not just a 5 K credit line, your girl will get her own cc. They are not just doing it for everyone
My wife got a few dollars in cc line with no income- perhaps due to living in TX where spouse is responsible for debt..?
My wife got a few dollars in cc line with no income- perhaps due to living in TX where spouse is responsible for debt..?
Also, CapOne accepted her ITIN on a secured card application a couple of years ago. Since then, I can specifically remember offers from AmEx (usually Gold card), Discover for the It card, and CapOne offering to upgrade her to an unsecured credit line sans annual fee.
We aren't picking up any more credit for her until she has her SSN.
Jun 22, 2014, 3:54 pm
#32
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 91
Bluebird with itin?
I had a pretty crazy experience and I find this hard to explain. My wife doesn't have SSN and she recently got a BoA card with ITIN using household income. Last week, she got a pre-approved offer in the mail for Amex Gold 25k points. I thought I'd try and I was surprised to see an approval using ITIN. We don't even have Amex CCs, only prepaid cards (bluebird and target). I don't know how she got targeted. So she is now building history with Amex and I'm hoping she gets approved for other cards in a year or so. I don't know how this happened. I am going to try and see if I can get a a basic or secured card approved with all major issuers (chase, citi, barclays, us bank).
I got through to someone in India who didn't seem to have any idea about an itin.when the supervisor came on line he insisted that without ssn one couldn't apply for bluebird.i find this strange as itin enables us to apply for credit cards,so bluebird ought to be simpler to get.
Jun 23, 2014, 9:14 pm
#33
Join Date: Apr 2012
Programs: 25 million points to burn!
Posts: 1,522
Did you get a bluebird using itin?we have been trying to apply but the online form will not accept an itin in place of an ssn.when I called cc
I got through to someone in India who didn't seem to have any idea about an itin.when the supervisor came on line he insisted that without ssn one couldn't apply for bluebird.i find this strange as itin enables us to apply for credit cards,so bluebird ought to be simpler to get.
I got through to someone in India who didn't seem to have any idea about an itin.when the supervisor came on line he insisted that without ssn one couldn't apply for bluebird.i find this strange as itin enables us to apply for credit cards,so bluebird ought to be simpler to get.
Nov 6, 2014, 3:01 pm
#35
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: FL
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Plat, IC Plat Amb, HH Diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 1,299
it is better to apply as a foreign person with no ITIN and get approved with banking relationship than with ITIN, When you do via ITIN you do it as a permanent resident and they see you have 0 credit history.
My advice is apply as a foreign person with banking relationship (chase, citi, bankofamerica) and then once approved call the credit department or go to branch and then add your ITIN to generate credit history.
My advice is apply as a foreign person with banking relationship (chase, citi, bankofamerica) and then once approved call the credit department or go to branch and then add your ITIN to generate credit history.
Jan 15, 2016, 1:34 pm
#37
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Portland, Oregon (PDX)
Programs: UA 2MM/*A Gold, Alaska MVP Gold, WN A-List, Hertz Platinum, IHG Platinum
Posts: 276
For most, you will need to apply for a fully secured credit card first and then use it for about a year. After the first year, you can request for them to graduate the card to an unsecured card and return your security deposit. People with no SSN/ITIN after the first year are not always graduated, especially if they haven't been using the card and demonstrating their creditworthiness. BofA is one of the best banks for establishing credit using secured/partially secured credit products.
YMMV. Good luck!
Jan 15, 2016, 1:37 pm
#38
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Portland, Oregon (PDX)
Programs: UA 2MM/*A Gold, Alaska MVP Gold, WN A-List, Hertz Platinum, IHG Platinum
Posts: 276
This would actually violate the FCRA (Fair Credit Reporting Act). No bank in the United States can deny an individual to apply for their credit products. They have to have a method of accepting applications for those without SSN/ITIN. It clearly violates FCRA. Hire a lawyer...
Jan 16, 2016, 7:11 am
#39
Join Date: Nov 2010
Programs: Enough
Posts: 961
In some cases, BofA extends people with excellent banking relationships but no SSN/ITIN credit card offers. If this was you, you'd know it already because the tellers, mobile app, and direct mail would be offering it to you perpetually.
For most, you will need to apply for a fully secured credit card first and then use it for about a year. After the first year, you can request for them to graduate the card to an unsecured card and return your security deposit. People with no SSN/ITIN after the first year are not always graduated, especially if they haven't been using the card and demonstrating their creditworthiness. BofA is one of the best banks for establishing credit using secured/partially secured credit products.
YMMV. Good luck!
For most, you will need to apply for a fully secured credit card first and then use it for about a year. After the first year, you can request for them to graduate the card to an unsecured card and return your security deposit. People with no SSN/ITIN after the first year are not always graduated, especially if they haven't been using the card and demonstrating their creditworthiness. BofA is one of the best banks for establishing credit using secured/partially secured credit products.
YMMV. Good luck!
Jan 17, 2016, 5:01 pm
#40
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: FL
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Plat, IC Plat Amb, HH Diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 1,299
I have close friends who have accounts with very low savings (arround $2,000) and its been in the bank for 3 years and they where given CC with $500 limits unsecured.
May 26, 2016, 11:14 pm
#41
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: United Kingdom
Programs: Amex Platinum, HH Gold, National Executive Elite, SPG Gold, Avis President's Club, Hertz Pres Cir
Posts: 33
I have no ITIN or SSN, and I'm non-resident. I opened a BoA checking and savings account today and was offered to apply for an unsecured and secured card in-branch.
The secured card wasn't outright approved (but it wasn't rejected immediately, either), so I'm considering that "referred" and unlikely to proceed. The secured card app ($300) missed the east coast cut-off time, so that will be looked at tomorrow... but the clerk said it was "promising". Apparently it's possible to get declined by that. I asked if it was possible to add more funds to the secured card at any time and increase the limit, and was told "of course!". Seems straightforward.
The clerk said BoA is the only bank that offers unsecured credit without ITIN and SSN. I'll report back the result.
Note that the US address I gave has ZERO history for me. I'm literally just a business tourist. Even getting a bank account and immediate (temporary) debit card is pretty amazing, at this point. In the UK, it's not possible to get even a simple checking account with many banks if you have zero/bad credit history.
Jun 1, 2016, 11:48 pm
#42
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: United Kingdom
Programs: Amex Platinum, HH Gold, National Executive Elite, SPG Gold, Avis President's Club, Hertz Pres Cir
Posts: 33
Update to last post...
I got accepted for a secured credit card ($300 limit). I can increase to $10K by depositing more at any time.
This was without an SSN or an ITIN. Just a passport.
I'm told they will review in 6-12 months. Subject to proper usage, balance in my savings account etc, they will likely return the deposit and give me a 'proper' card.
I'll probably need the ITIN to get a FICO score and build credit.
I got accepted for a secured credit card ($300 limit). I can increase to $10K by depositing more at any time.
This was without an SSN or an ITIN. Just a passport.
I'm told they will review in 6-12 months. Subject to proper usage, balance in my savings account etc, they will likely return the deposit and give me a 'proper' card.
I'll probably need the ITIN to get a FICO score and build credit.
Oct 1, 2016, 12:29 am
#43
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,059
So my folks are not US residents, they don't live here, but visit me every now and then thanks to my miles hobby.
I've gathered that BoA is good at opening secured cards for non US residents, and maybe we'll do it in Texas (for some reason lots of data points come from there).
That said, the bigger question is how do you get an ITIN if you have no business or income from the US? Is there any workarounds?
I've gathered that BoA is good at opening secured cards for non US residents, and maybe we'll do it in Texas (for some reason lots of data points come from there).
That said, the bigger question is how do you get an ITIN if you have no business or income from the US? Is there any workarounds?
Oct 1, 2016, 12:32 am
#44
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: United Kingdom
Programs: Amex Platinum, HH Gold, National Executive Elite, SPG Gold, Avis President's Club, Hertz Pres Cir
Posts: 33
You can probably speak to your bank and have them write a letter saying you need an ITIN for this reason.
Then apply using an Acceptance Agent who can help you file this exception.
I'm currently going through that same process. Unfortunately I chose the world's worst Acceptance Agent, and after 3 months into the process I'm still waiting for them to confirm whether or not it was filed.
I'll probably use one based in the UK next time. There are plenty.
Dec 28, 2016, 4:37 am
#45
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: United Kingdom
Programs: Amex Platinum, HH Gold, National Executive Elite, SPG Gold, Avis President's Club, Hertz Pres Cir
Posts: 33
Update:
I've applied for an ITIN using a UK-based CAA. Should get it in 6-8 weeks.
In the meantime, I've bumped my BoA secured card from $500 to $1K. The 'increase credit limit' option was made available on my BoA app (it's usually not there), and it accepted my increase request. The option has disappeared again now, so I guess they roll it out every few months or so?
And btw, without an ITIN, BoA will still report to your credit file because I've been receiving 'pre-selected' offers non-stop from Capital One. BoA is the only company I've given my US address to. The offers come with a code that can be entered online to expedite the process.
Unfortunately, since I don't yet have an ITIN, I can't enter anything into the SSN field. Even when I get it, I'm not sure it'll accept the number. But the fact they're sending pre-selected offers at all is probably a good sign.
Next time I'm in the US, I'll try applying for a non-secured card at a BoA branch.
I've applied for an ITIN using a UK-based CAA. Should get it in 6-8 weeks.
In the meantime, I've bumped my BoA secured card from $500 to $1K. The 'increase credit limit' option was made available on my BoA app (it's usually not there), and it accepted my increase request. The option has disappeared again now, so I guess they roll it out every few months or so?
And btw, without an ITIN, BoA will still report to your credit file because I've been receiving 'pre-selected' offers non-stop from Capital One. BoA is the only company I've given my US address to. The offers come with a code that can be entered online to expedite the process.
Unfortunately, since I don't yet have an ITIN, I can't enter anything into the SSN field. Even when I get it, I'm not sure it'll accept the number. But the fact they're sending pre-selected offers at all is probably a good sign.
Next time I'm in the US, I'll try applying for a non-secured card at a BoA branch.