How to start your U.S. credit history without an SSN

In the U.S., your credit history affects almost everything: whether you get an apartment, what you pay for some insurance and the terms of any loan. When you arrive, you usually have none, and without a Social Security number it seems impossible to start. It isn't. Here is how the system works, what you can do from your first month and the mistakes to avoid, based on official agency guidance.

What a credit history is

It's the record of how you use credit: which cards and loans you have, how much you owe and whether you pay on time. It is kept by three private bureaus, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, based on what banks and lenders report to them. That data produces a credit score, the best known being FICO, which landlords and lenders use to decide.

According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), millions of people in the U.S. don't have enough history to generate a score: a so-called "thin" file or no file at all. That's exactly where newcomers start.

Can you have one without an SSN?

Yes. Experian, one of the three bureaus, explains that it's possible to have a credit report and score without a Social Security number: it identifies each person using all the information the lender sends, such as name, recent addresses and date of birth.

Two important caveats:

• An ITIN is not an SSN. According to Experian, if an ITIN appears in place of an SSN, it is recognized as an invalid Social Security number. Still, some lenders accept an ITIN to give you a card or loan, and what they report afterward builds your history. If you don't have one yet, see our ITIN guide.
• Consistent details matter. Always use the same name, with your surnames in the same order, and keep your address up to date with every lender. That makes it easier for everything to land on your file.

How your score is calculated

A FICO score is based on five factors, weighted as follows according to FICO itself:

The good news for beginners: the two factors that weigh most, paying on time and owing little, are fully in your hands from month one.

Four ways to start

1. A secured credit card. You put down a deposit, which usually becomes your limit, and use it like a normal card. It's one of the routes the CFPB points to for people starting out. Before applying, check that it reports to all three bureaus and doesn't carry high fees.
2. A credit builder loan. The loan money is held in an account while you make the payments, and you receive it at the end. Every on-time payment is reported to the bureaus. Some credit unions and specialized lenders offer them.
3. Becoming an authorized user on the card of a relative or trusted person with good credit. Some issuers report that card on your file too. It only makes sense if that person always pays on time: their late payments would affect you as well.
4. Using your foreign credit history, where possible. See the next section.

Does your credit history from home count?

Generally not: your credit history in your home country doesn't appear with U.S. bureaus. But there are limited exceptions. Nova Credit, a company that translates foreign credit histories, works with people from countries such as Mexico, Brazil, the Dominican Republic and Spain, among others. Companies using its data include American Express, for applications for some of its personal cards from newcomers from certain countries, including Mexico, and Verizon.

If you come from one of those countries and have a good history, ask when applying for a card whether they can take it into account. If not, start from scratch with the options above: that's the usual path.

The habits that build it

The CFPB sums up what works in a few rules:

• Pay on time, always. Turn on autopay or reminders.
• Use little credit. The experts the CFPB cites advise staying under 30% of your total limit. Paying the full balance each month also saves you interest.
• Don't apply for a lot of credit at once. Several applications in a short time can lower your score.
• Be patient. Age counts: you usually need several months of reported payments before you have a score.
• Check your reports for errors and dispute any you find.

How to check your report

The only website authorized to order your free reports is AnnualCreditReport.com, where you can check each bureau's report once a week. Checking your own report doesn't lower your score.

The catch without an SSN is that the site asks for one to verify your identity. In that case you can request it by mail from each bureau. Experian, for example, asks for a letter with a copy of your government ID showing your current address, a recent utility bill or statement, your full name, date of birth and addresses for the past two years.

Common mistakes

1. Waiting for your SSN to start. A secured card can start building your history sooner.
2. Using the card close to its limit. Even if you pay, high utilization counts against you.
3. Paying only the minimum. You carry a high balance, which weighs on your score, and pay interest.
4. Applying for several cards at once to see which one approves you.
5. Closing your first card as soon as you get a better one: you'd lose history length.
6. Using different names or addresses with each lender.

Frequently asked questions

Next step

Credit starts with a bank account: if you don't have one yet, read how to open an account without an SSN and our bank comparison. And if you've just arrived, our moving to Miami guide covers the rest of your first 90 days.