How to Build US Credit as a Foreigner from Bangladesh

Bangladesh founders face the invisible-credit problem when expanding globally. In Bangladesh, credit worthiness and history are tracked by the Credit Information Bureau (CIB), operated by the Bangladesh Bank, alongside private credit rating agencies like the Credit Rating Agency of Bangladesh Ltd. (CRAB). However, this local credit history does not transfer to the United States financial system when you form a US Delaware C-Corp or LLC. Upon arrival, US financial institutions view you as a "ghost" with a thin or nonexistent credit file, making it exceedingly difficult to secure business loans, corporate credit cards, or software financing without personal guarantees or heavy cash collateral.

Why US credit matters

A US credit file changes what a US company can do. Without one, financing means cash collateral or a personal guarantee, corporate cards come with a deposit, and commercial leases ask for six months up front.

With one, the same company borrows at a normal rate. That is the whole difference, and it is why the sequence below is worth the months it takes.

No part of this is guaranteed. Credit decisions belong to lenders, and nobody — including us — can promise you a score or a limit.

The Amex Global Transfer route

American Express runs a programme — Global Transfer, sometimes called the Global Card Relationship — that lets an existing Amex cardholder apply for a US card using their established relationship with Amex rather than starting from nothing.

Your credit history does not transfer. This is the most common misunderstanding about the programme. What transfers is the relationship — Amex's own record of how you have handled your account with them. Your local bureau file, your repayment record with other lenders and your local credit score do not cross the border. Amex US underwrites you as a new customer who happens to be a known quantity to Amex.

That is still a considerable advantage over building a US file from zero. It is not the same as arriving with a credit history.

Four conditions apply, and all four must be met:

1. The card you already hold must be issued by American Express itself, not by a local bank operating under an American Express licence.
2. You must be the primary cardholder, not an additional or supplementary cardholder.
3. You must have held the card for at least three months.
4. The account must be open and in good standing when you apply.

Corporate cards are excluded separately from all four.

Condition one eliminates more applicants than the other three combined. In many markets American Express operates through Global Network Services, where a local bank licenses the Amex brand and issues its own cards under it. Those cards carry the Amex logo, but the account relationship belongs to the bank — so there is nothing to transfer. A local partnership is not an alternative route to eligibility; it is the thing that removes it.

How to check your own card: read the cardholder agreement, not the card. The agreement names the legal entity that issued it. If that name is a local bank, the card will not qualify. If it is an American Express entity, it may. If you cannot find the agreement, call the number on the back and ask which legal entity issued the card.

We maintain a country-by-country reference for this, including which markets are confirmed and which are not: Amex Global Transfer country eligibility [blocked]

Check before you rely on this: American Express sets these terms and can change them. Confirm current conditions with American Express directly.

The ITIN path

To build formal US credit and open robust banking accounts, founders need a US taxpayer identification number. Follow this standard 5-step sequence to obtain an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN):

1. Form a US Entity: Establish your US Delaware C-Corp or LLC to create a legitimate business necessity for US tax documentation.
2. Prepare Form W-7: Complete IRS Form W-7 (Application for IRS Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) alongside your federal tax filing or under a valid exception category.
3. Certify Identification Documents: Obtain certified copies of your Bangladeshi passport or have your documents notarized according to IRS standards.
4. Submit to the IRS: Mail your completed W-7 form, certified identification, and federal tax returns (or documentation) to the Internal Revenue Service ITIN operation center in Austin, Texas.
5. Receive ITIN and Open Accounts: Once your ITIN is issued, use it to open US business bank accounts and apply for secured or unsecured business credit cards.

Nova Credit

Nova Credit bridges international credit bureaus to the US financial ecosystem, allowing immigrants and foreign founders to share their home country credit history with US lenders. While Nova Credit covers major corridors including India, Canada, the UK, Brazil, Mexico, and South Korea, it currently does not seamlessly integrate with the Bangladesh Credit Information Bureau (CIB) or CRAB. Bangladeshi founders should check Nova Credit's current country list for updates or rely on alternative bootstrapping methods such as secured cards and business credit lines.

Business credit: the faster lane

Building business credit is often faster and less dependent on your personal US credit score than building personal credit.

1. Establish a D-U-N-S Number: Register your US entity with Dun & Bradstreet to obtain a free D-U-N-S number.
2. Open Vendor Tradelines: Set up accounts with Tier-1 vendor credit suppliers (such as office supply or software vendors) that report payment history to business credit bureaus like Dun & Bradstreet, Experian Business, and Equifax Business.
3. Build the Paydex Score: Pay your vendor invoices on time or early to build a strong D&B Paydex score (ranging from 0 to 100). A Paydex score of 80 indicates prompt payment and unlocks higher-tier corporate credit cards without personal guarantees.

Recommended sequence

1. Form your US entity (LLC or C-Corp) and obtain your EIN (Employer Identification Number).
2. Apply for an ITIN using IRS Form W-7 to establish your individual taxpayer identity in the US.
3. Explore Amex Global Transfer if you maintain an active American Express card relationship in Bangladesh through partner banks.
4. Open a US business bank account using your EIN, formation documents, and ITIN/passport.
5. Register for a D-U-N-S number and establish Tier-1 vendor tradelines to build corporate credit.
6. Apply for secured business credit cards and transition to unsecured corporate cards as your Paydex score and US banking history mature.

What Keystone Bridge does

We handle the US side for founders based outside the United States: entity formation, EIN, ITIN, US business banking access, and business credit.

The price of every stage is published on this site, so a first conversation is about whether we fit — not a pitch. If the answer is that you can do this yourself, we will tell you so. This guide is for informational purposes only and is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Consult a qualified adviser for your specific situation.