r/ITIN

Data point: AmEx Business Platinum approved with ITIN as a non-resident.

This is my third American Express card using an ITIN, but my first AmEx business charge card.

I am not a US resident, I have never stepped foot in the US, and I do not have an American Express card in any other country. So this was not Global Transfer or anything like that.

The application did not get instantly approved. It went pending first. AmEx asked me to submit my ITIN letter, then I had a quick phone call with them. After that, I was approved while still on the call.

The public offer I applied through was 300,000 Membership Rewards points after $20,000 spend.

The annual fee is $895, so this is obviously not a beginner card. But the welcome offer alone is strong. At a basic 1 cent per point valuation, 300,000 points is around $3,000 in value, which can cover more than three years of the annual fee on paper. If transferred correctly, the value can be much higher for serious long-haul business class redemptions.

The card also has real benefits like the $600 hotel credit, $300 ChatGPT Business credit, lounge access, Priority Pass Select, Centurion Lounge access, and other business/travel credits.

Reality check: if you do not live in the US and have never been there, you probably will not maximize every single benefit. Some credits are clearly easier to use if you are actually in the US.

That is the main reason I am sharing this as a data point.

Almost two years ago, I was starting with a secured credit card and a limit of $199. Now the same ITIN profile has multiple AmEx cards, Chase Sapphire Preferred and Ink Business Unlimited, Capital One and now AmEx Business Platinum.

Non-resident. ITIN only. No SSN. Never visited the US. No foreign AmEx relationship. Still approved.

For context, I was also approved for the Apple Card with a $9,000 limit 72 hours ago.

Next card I am aiming for is probably Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business.

This is why building US credit as a non-resident is a no-brainer if you can do it properly. The benefits, limits, travel perks, welcome offers, and credit access are just not on the same level in most countries.

Most people are told this is impossible if they do not live in the US. That is because their mind cannot process the setup.

You do not need to live in the US to start. You do not need US income to start. You do not even need income in your own country to start. You can be a broke 18-year-old student with a valid passport and still get in.

The starting point is simple: valid passport from your home country, and patience.

That is it.

Easy opening of the ChexSystems account with ITIN.

The do ask some verification questions but they don't ask for an ID. Well, they do but it's optional.

I have 4 years with a bank account so the report might not generate if it's a recent ITIN

Data point: Apple Card approved with ITIN as a non-resident, and I have never stepped foot in the US.

I have been trying to apply for the Apple Card for around 2 years. Most attempts ended with a denial email and adverse action letter.

Exactly 4 months ago, Apple offered me the Path to Apple Card program. The reason was high utilization. They asked me to bring my utilization below $1,500 and keep it there.

I kept utilization low for the full 4 months. Today I received the email saying I completed Path to Apple Card and could apply again.

I applied while connected to Red Pocket roaming data and got instantly approved for a $9,000 limit.

No US ID was asked.

Profile:

Non-resident
ITIN starts with 999
Credit history 2 years
FICO in the 760s
Existing total personal credit limits: $9,350

I am not accepting the card right now because I have other priorities. This was mainly a test to see if Path to Apple Card actually works for an ITIN/non-resident profile.

From my data point, if Apple offers Path to Apple Card and you complete the exact requirements, the approval seems very strong.

Also worth noting: Apple Card currently does not accept newer ITINs starting with 90, My ITIN starts with 999.

Hey!

I got my ITIN in April and applied for a Capital One VentureOne that was approved with a $1k limit. I also had an Amex personal card ($17k limit) that I got using Global Transfer 1y9m ago and I got that linked to my ITIN.

I just checked my free credit score on equifax and I have a 730 score (I’m assuming because of my good amex history). I want to apply for the CSP as the 100k offer is too good to pass but I’m unsure if I’ll get approved. I’m a bit reluctant to get a refusal. I don’t have any banking history with Chase and I’m way under 5/24.

What do you guys think? Have any of you got approved in a similar situation? Thank you!

Follow-up for anyone building US credit with an ITIN, because this keeps coming up.

OpenSky is one of the easiest secured cards to get approved for with an ITIN. It is a good backup if you are starting from zero on a fresh ITIN, got hit in the recent Capital One shutdown, or already did Amex Global Transfer and want a cheap secured card that keeps reporting while you build.

Quick DP:

I helped both of my siblings apply this month.

Both were instantly approved. No proof of address requested. No documents requested. Both got $300 secured limits.

One of them was shut down in the recent C1 wave and used OpenSky to restart. The other had just opened a Capital One card and grabbed OpenSky as a backup.

I also funded both deposits using my own debit card, so you do not necessarily need your own US debit card. A family member or friend's debit card can work. That is exactly how I did it for them.

Why OpenSky is easy:

There is no credit check and no hard pull. Your deposit is the collateral, so there is nothing for them to really underwrite the same way a normal unsecured card would.

They accept ITINs, no SSN needed.

They report to all 3 bureaus every month:

Experian, Equifax, TransUnion

That monthly reporting is the whole point. You are not getting this card for any perks. You are getting it to create clean payment history and build credit.

How to apply:

Go here: https://www.openskycc.com/plus-secured-visa

You will see 3 card options. Pick the Plus Secured Visa.

That is the one with:

$300 minimum deposit No annual fee No monthly fee.

It is the only one with no annual or monthly fee, so that is the one I would choose.

Your deposit becomes your credit limit.

Minimum deposit: $300 Maximum deposit: $3,000

Debit card funding is instant. There is also a limited-time promo right now where same-day funding gets you:

$30 cashback when funding $500
$70 cashback when funding $1,000

What you need:

• A US address
• A US phone number
• Your ITIN
• A debit card to fund the deposit

For the phone number, use a real non-VOIP number. Something like a US Mobile, Tello. I would avoid Google Voice or other VoIP numbers because banks will reject those during verification later on.

Apply from a US connection.

The OpenSky site will not work outside the US, so use a US VPN or a US SIM on roaming.

If you have zero credit history, they may ask for proof of address.

If you already have some kind of file, like if you were shut down by Capital One, you may have a better chance of instant approval with no documents. That is what happened with my siblings.

After approval:

The card usually arrives in about 10 days.

Activate it, use it, and pay it on time. Keep it boring. The goal is clean reporting, not carrying a balance.

Down the road, OpenSky reports monthly, may allow limit increases, and can graduate to an unsecured OpenSky card by invitation after around 6 months of on-time payments. Not guaranteed, but it does happen.

Your deposit is refundable when you close the card in good standing or graduate. They will mail it back by check.

That is it.

If you get approved, drop your DP in the comments so the next person searching this can find it.

And if you get stuck or just want to see how other ITIN holders pulled it off, there are already a dozen plus OpenSky DPs from members inside our ITIN community: https://www.skool.com/itin