Before you start

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

Step-by-step

1
Open a checking account in branch
Bring your passport, Pennsylvania address and SSN or ITIN if issued. Federal Customer Identification Program rules explicitly allow 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
Ask your university or hospital about a banking partner
Penn, Drexel, Temple and the hospital systems bring in large numbers of international staff and students, and several banks and credit unions run programmes with them that underwrite on enrolment or employment rather than credit history.
Via employerWho: 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 $500, and get a card with a matching limit that reports to the credit bureaus. Age of history matters as much as behaviour.
OnlineWho: YouMonth 1
6
Pay in full every month and keep utilisation low
Autopay the statement balance and keep the balance below about 30% of the limit. Carrying a balance builds interest, not credit.
Mobile appWho: 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 Pennsylvania address
University enrolment or employer offer letter, widely accepted here as supporting evidence

Things most newcomers don’t know

Low rents make a thin credit file much less painful here.

The consequences of arriving with no US credit history scale with what you need to finance. In Philadelphia the rent is roughly half New York's, transit is good enough to skip a car, and the deposits landlords ask for are smaller in absolute terms. Six months of secured-card history passes far more comfortably here than in Miami or Austin.

Source: community-reported

The universities and hospitals are the fastest route past a thin file.

With Penn, Drexel, Temple and several major hospital systems importing international staff every year, banks and credit unions in University City run programmes that underwrite on enrolment or employment. The international students office knows which ones.

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 or try a branch near a university campus.

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 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.
Skipping the university or hospital banking partner, which is the fastest route past a thin file here.
Delaying a secured card until credit is needed.
Carrying a balance in the belief it helps your score.
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.

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