How to Build US Credit as a Foreigner from Bulgaria

Bulgarian founders face the invisible-credit problem when expanding or starting operations in the United States. Without an established credit footprint, securing business financing, corporate credit cards, or commercial leases requires personal guarantees backed by US collateral or substantial cash deposits. In Bulgaria, local credit activity is tracked by the Central Credit Register (CCR) maintained by the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB), alongside private credit bureaus like Creditreform and Experian Bulgaria. However, traditional Bulgarian credit scores do not transfer directly across the Atlantic, leaving founders starting from scratch in the US financial ecosystem.

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

Securing a US Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) is a foundational milestone for non-resident founders seeking to open US bank accounts, build credit, and maintain tax compliance. The standard five-step sequence proceeds as follows:

1. Form Form W-7 Completion: Complete IRS Form W-7 (Application for IRS Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) with accurate foreign status and identification details.
2. Entity Formation Support: Establish a US limited liability company or C-Corporation to attach federal tax obligations that justify the ITIN application under specific exception categories.
3. Certified Documentation: Gather a passport certified by the issuing government agency or Bulgarian notary public, ensuring validity and clear biographical data.
4. IRS Submission: Mail Form W-7, federal tax documentation or supporting entity statements, and certified identification documents to the Internal Revenue Service ITIN Operation in Austin, Texas, or submit via an IRS-authorized Certifying Acceptance Agent (CAA).
5. ITIN Issuance: Receive the assigned nine-digit ITIN via official IRS mail correspondence, enabling subsequent applications for US employer identification numbers (EIN), banking services, and credit reporting.

Nova Credit

Nova Credit bridges international credit bureaus with US financial institutions, allowing immigrants and foreign founders to share their domestic credit history with participating US lenders. Nova Credit currently covers major credit bureaus in countries such as Australia, Brazil, Canada, India, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and South Korea, among others. For Bulgaria, because direct bureau integration through Nova Credit is not currently active, Bulgarian founders must rely on alternative credit-building mechanisms such as secured credit cards, the Amex Global Transfer program, and commercial tradelines. Founders originating from supported jurisdictions can seamlessly transfer their home files, while Bulgarian nationals utilize foundational US credit-building products.

Business credit: the faster lane

Building corporate credit independently of personal history allows Bulgarian founders to insulate their personal assets while establishing institutional borrowing capacity. The primary mechanism involves registering the US entity with Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) to obtain a D-U-N-S number, followed by establishing commercial accounts with tier-one suppliers and vendors that report payment activity to business credit bureaus such as D&B, Experian Business, and Equifax Business. Maintaining strict adherence to net-30 or net-60 payment terms generates a favorable D&B Paydex score, signaling operational reliability and commercial creditworthiness to US financial institutions without requiring extensive personal credit tracking.

Recommended sequence

1. Incorporate the US Entity: Form a Delaware C-Corp or LLC and obtain an official Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS.
2. Secure an ITIN or Business EIN: Apply for an ITIN via Form W-7 or leverage corporate formation documents to establish business banking credentials.
3. Open a US Business Bank Account: Partner with fintech-friendly digital banking platforms or traditional institutions servicing international founders.
4. Leverage Amex Global Transfer: Utilize existing Bulgarian American Express history to apply for an unsecured US consumer or business credit card.
5. Establish Trade Credit: Open net-30 vendor accounts reported to Dun & Bradstreet to cultivate a robust corporate Paydex score.

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.