rumboj

You’re allowed to work on-campus up to 20 hours per week and up to 40 hours per week during breaks and holidays. Off-campus employment can be permitted in very limited circumstances.

SDQBound

You would be surprised actually. Not that difficult.

You can definitely build credit with a ITIN number.

This is very accurate.

You need to have a job offer in order to get a SSN although this can be easily done through a college job board, for on-campus employment.

J is also for students with the condition that they need to go back to their home country for 2 years before they can have another status (except B1/B2 or diplomatic) in the US. I did both my Bachelors and Graduate degrees with a J-1.

garykung

It does, but very restrictive.

A student visa holder can work on-campus without USCIS's additional approval, providing the student complies all requirements. The holder can also request work authorization but it is rarely granted.

In addition, a student visa holder can obtain CPT/OPT for up to 1 year.

First - while HRR is a thing, HRR is not imposed to most J visa holders, like exchange students (on their own dime).

Second - are your visit sponsored (i.e. paid by someone else)? Are you sure you were having DS-2019 but not I-20?

Sounds like a visa abuse to me (although at no fault to you) if a J-1 holder can complete the entire higher education and more in the U.S.

mrahul

Student visa holders can work on campus without any additional authorization. They are allowed to work 20 hours weekly during regular semester time and 40 hours a week during breaks. However, if they want to work off campus, that is allowed in limited circumstances. They could get CPT during their course and work off campus too. In the OP's case, it would probably be during his second year of study when he might be trying to do an internship in a company.

SDQBound

No visa abuse, a J-1 can complete the entire higher education. When the cost of the studies are sponsored by a government, J-1 is the type of visa used for this. Similar for Fullbright scholars. I did have many DS-2019s that needed to be duly signed before I was able to leave the country and re-enter. The day of my graduation, I got a nice email reminding me that I needed to leave the US in 30 days and could only come back on a tourist or official visa.

garykung

This is the key, although it does not have to be a government.

JB OmahAA

Yes, the ITIN is supposed to be used for the purpose of collecting your payroll taxes and enable you to file your tax report with the American IRS; I have seen many cases where an ITIN becomes the SSN-type number that the three major credit bureaus have on your file with them as an identifier in addition to your name & address. Some businesses where you might apply for some type of credit (such as a cell phone provider) could be the ones using an ITIN to check your credit and thus it becomes or might even create a file on you with that number. These places should not use the ITIN for credit-checking purposes. The ITIN will typically start with the number 9; Try your hardest to create a credit bureau file that the credit card issuers will use to report your account and your payment history and status with them. Once you get your first credit card it's off to the races!

Geordie405

I would definitely recommend the Amex Global Transfer. I used that when I moved to the US on an L-1 visa. It made things so much easier both in terms of getting a US credit card but also in terms of immediately being able to build my credit score. Opening a bank account was somewhat less straightforward. Chase were hopeless. Citibank very helpful. YMMV of course.

mvtm

Yup, you can do it. I did it without an ITIN or SSN. My first credit card in the USA was an AAdvantage Platinum card with a 10K limit. Now after a bit more than a year i have this card at 30K.

Prior this i had a 10 year old checking account with Citibank that used to be Citigold, until they changed the requirements. Someday, randomly i received a mailer for this card, you know the time that comes with your name and a code. I had never gotten one these before for any card and thought it was strange. I started to thinking that maybe this was on AA’s behalf because i have had status with them for 8 years and perhaps that factor? Anyways i went with the paper to the bank and spoke with my personal banker.

He indicated to me that should i want to apply for the card i should come next time with my passport and a proof of Income/employment. I hesitated and told him that my employment was outside the US and he told me that it didn’t matter.

Finally i went to the branch again with the documents - proof of income and passport. In that moment i wanted to apply to the Executive Platinum. He stopped me and told me it was better to apply for the AAdvantage Platinum as i could have better chances to be approved. Weeks passed, i never heard of anything until i received a email that i was approved for 10K. I couldn’t believe it, i didn’t expect it as i knew for sure that i didn’t even have an ITIN. He then mentioned me something of a Global Client program.

Then after a year of having the AA Plat i applied to other citi cards as the Prestige and got approved. The Prestige is also at 30K. Then I wanted to get an Amex, so i went to apply online and checked the do you have history with Amex in Australia,Mexico or something else. I clicked yes, but i actually didn’t have so it was a shot. My application went pending to call a number, i called Amex. They told me that they would need to do a 3-way call with my bank. I told them that yes and after the call with Citi, i was approved for a 10K Hilton card. They only told me they wanted to verify how long i had my Citi account and my home address. Shortly after or before i was approved my brother received a call from Amex. Yes! I never gave Amex the name or number of my brother. They asked my brother what was the nature of the relationship with him and provided him a code which i ended up using. Amex sent me my card abroad as i was not in the USA when my Amex application. The card is now at 30K after requesting an increase after 3 months.

SDQBound

You are very lucky! I have several friends who are foreign but with very good income/low income-debt ratio and needed to build credit score through credit union credit cards first before getting an approval from CITI for an AAdvantage card, even if they had a CITI gold account.