Before you start

Passport, with visa and I-94 if applicable
A Maryland residential address
An SSN or ITIN if you have one; a passport number if not
An opening deposit, which varies by institution

Step-by-step

1
Open a checking account in branch
Bring your passport, Maryland address and SSN or ITIN if issued. Federal Customer Identification Program rules explicitly permit a passport number and country of issuance instead of a taxpayer number for non-US persons.
In personWho: YouWeek 1
2
Mention a pending ITIN if you have no SSN
Banks may open accounts for people who have applied for but not yet received an ITIN. File IRS Form W-7 and keep the receipt.
In personWho: You
3
Consider a Maryland credit union or a community development lender
Maryland has a deep credit-union sector, several with roots in the federal workforce and the hospitals, plus certified community development financial institutions working specifically in Baltimore neighbourhoods. Both tend to be more flexible on thin credit files than national banks.
In personWho: You
4
Set up direct deposit
Give payroll your routing and account numbers. Direct deposit waives the monthly maintenance fee on most US checking accounts.
Via employerWho: You and your employer
5
Open a secured credit card in month one
Post a deposit, typically around $500, and get a card with a matching limit that reports to the credit bureaus. Age of history matters as much as behaviour, so the clock is the thing you are buying.
OnlineWho: YouMonth 1
6
If you are thinking of buying, ask about ground rent and vacancy before financing
A ground rent on the parcel changes what a lender will do, and a block with several vacant houses changes the appraisal. Search the property on SDAT's real property database, and talk to a Baltimore-based lender before a national mortgage site. Maryland and the city also run several first-time and city-employee purchase incentives that national brokers will not mention.
In personWho: You
7
Set up city water and rates billing deliberately
Baltimore City bills water itself and the bills are high relative to incomes; there is an income-based affordability programme for those who qualify. Confirm at lease signing whether water is in your name or the landlord's, and get the meter reading in writing on the day you move in.
OnlineWho: You

Documents you’ll need

Passport, with country of issuance serving as the identifying number if you have no SSN or ITIN
Visa and I-94, where applicable
SSN card or ITIN letter, if issued
Proof of a Maryland address
Employer offer letter, accepted by some institutions as supporting evidence

Things most newcomers don’t know

A ground rent is a financing question, not just a curiosity.

Maryland ground rent means the land under the house belongs to someone else on a long lease. It is common on Baltimore rowhouses, it must be registered with the state, and most leases are redeemable for a lump sum. Lenders and title companies handle it routinely here and badly everywhere else, which is one concrete reason to use a Baltimore-based lender rather than a national app.

Source: Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation — Ground Rent

Cheap Baltimore rowhouses are hard to mortgage conventionally.

When a house sells for less than it would cost to rebuild, an appraisal-driven mortgage struggles and national lenders decline. Local banks, credit unions and CDFIs run rehab and appraisal-gap products designed for exactly this stock. If a listing price looks impossibly low, the financing — not the house — is usually the reason.

Source: community-reported

Federal rules let a bank take your passport instead of an SSN.

The Customer Identification Program rule accepts a passport number and country of issuance for non-US persons. Branch staff often do not know this. Escalate politely, or try a credit union, before concluding you must wait for the SSN.

Source: FFIEC BSA/AML Examination Manual — Customer Identification Program

Carrying a balance builds interest, not credit.

Scores respond to on-time payment and low utilisation, not to interest paid. Paying in full each month builds history identically and saves a rate above 20% APR.

Source: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — credit cards

Common mistakes to avoid

Waiting for an SSN before trying to open an account, when a passport is often enough.
Using a national mortgage lender on a rowhouse with a ground rent and being told it cannot be financed.
Buying without searching the parcel on SDAT for a registered ground rent.
Delaying a secured card until credit is actually needed.
Paying an avoidable monthly maintenance fee by never setting up direct deposit.

Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.