Before you start

Passport, with visa and I-94 if applicable
A Texas 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, Texas 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 credit union or Frost rather than a national bank
San Antonio has an unusually deep credit-union sector — several are military-affiliated and open to a broader membership than people expect — plus Frost, one of the last big independent Texas banks. Both tend to be more flexible with thin credit files and price car loans better.
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
Budget the car loan, the insurance and the covered parking together
San Antonio is car-dependent, comprehensive cover matters here because of hail, and a newcomer with no credit file will be quoted a punitive finance rate. Model the loan payment, the premium and whether the flat has covered parking as one decision rather than three.
In personWho: You
7
Set up CPS Energy and SAWS, and expect a deposit
CPS Energy supplies both gas and electricity and SAWS supplies water; both are municipally owned. Without a US credit file expect a security deposit on the utility account, refundable after a period of on-time payment. Ask about it up front rather than discovering it on connection day.
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 Texas address
Employer offer letter, accepted by some institutions as supporting evidence

Things most newcomers don’t know

The utility deposit is the first bill nobody warned you about.

CPS Energy and SAWS both assess a deposit where there is no credit history, and it lands in the same fortnight as the rental deposit and the car. It is refundable, but it is real money at the worst possible moment. Ask both utilities what the deposit will be before you sign a lease, and factor it into the move-in total.

Source: CPS Energy / San Antonio Water System

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

The military credit unions are more open than the name suggests.

Several of San Antonio's largest credit unions grew out of the base community, and their membership rules have broadened well beyond serving members — often through employer, county-of-residence or association routes. They are frequently the cheapest car finance available to someone with no credit file, which in a car-dependent metro is the loan that matters.

Source: National Credit Union Administration

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.
Being surprised by utility deposits in the same week as the rental deposit.
Financing a car in month one with no credit file at a punitive rate.
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.

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