How to Build US Credit as a Foreigner from Chile

Chilean founders entering the US market frequently face the invisible-credit problem, wherein an established domestic financial track record does not cross international borders. In Chile, financial reputation and credit histories are tracked primarily through bureaus such as Equifax Chile, which aggregates commercial and individual debt performance [1]. Without an active credit footprint in the United States, founders struggle to secure corporate leases, business credit cards, or unsecured financing without personal guarantees from US citizens or permanent residents.

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

For founders who do not qualify for the Amex Global Transfer program or require a broader foundation across multiple financial institutions, obtaining an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) is the standard foundational step.

1. Form W-7 Preparation: Complete IRS Form W-7, Application for IRS Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, ensuring all foreign status declarations are accurate.
2. Certified Documentation: Gather a valid Chilean passport certified by the issuing agency or notarized according to IRS guidelines to prove identity and foreign status.
3. Federal Tax Return or Exception: Attach a US federal tax return or qualify under an applicable tax treaty exception, such as reporting income from a US LLC or C-Corp entity.
4. Submission to the IRS: Submit the completed W-7 package, identification documents, and tax filings to the Internal Revenue Service via mail or through an IRS-authorized Certifying Acceptance Agent (CAA).
5. ITIN Issuance: Receive the assigned nine-digit ITIN, which permits the opening of US bank accounts and the application for secured credit cards and taxpayer identification-based credit reporting lines.

Nova Credit

Nova Credit serves as a cross-border credit bureau infrastructure provider that allows foreign nationals to share their home country credit bureau data with US financial institutions [4]. While Nova Credit maintains extensive global partnerships across Latin America and international markets—such as Brazil, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, and Mexico [4]—its direct integration varies by institution and specific bureau coverage. Chilean founders should verify whether their Equifax Chile history can be directly translated via Nova Credit partners when applying for partner financial products, or consult Nova Credit's current country list during onboarding [4].

Business credit: the faster lane

Building commercial credit provides an efficient parallel track that shields personal credit profiles from early-stage entrepreneurial borrowing. By establishing a US entity with an Employer Identification Number (EIN), founders can build corporate trade lines independently.

The standard benchmark for business credit is the Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) Paydex score, which ranges from 0 to 100. To build Paydex and broader commercial credit:

• Obtain an EIN for your US corporation or LLC.
• Open a dedicated US business bank account.
• Establish trade credit accounts with vendor suppliers (such as office supply or software providers) that report payment history to commercial credit bureaus like Dun & Bradstreet, Experian Business, and Equifax Business.
• Ensure all invoices are paid on time or ahead of schedule to achieve a favorable Paydex rating.

Recommended sequence

1. Form US Entity: Establish a US C-Corp or LLC and obtain an official Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS.
2. Leverage Amex Global Transfer: If you hold an eligible Chilean American Express card, apply for a US Amex card using the Global Transfer protocol.
3. Secure an ITIN: File IRS Form W-7 to obtain an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number for banking and credit reporting compliance.
4. Open US Banking and Secured Cards: Open a US business and personal bank account using your EIN and ITIN, funding a secured credit card to report positive monthly payment history.
5. Establish Trade Credit: Register your business with Dun & Bradstreet and open reporting vendor accounts to build corporate credit scores.

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.

References

[1] Equifax Chile, "Informes Comerciales y Personales," Equifax Soluciones. https://soluciones.equifax.cl/ [2] American Express, "Global Card Relationship and Moving Abroad," American Express US. https://www.americanexpress.com/en-us/company/about-us/moving-abroad/ [3] American Express, "International Contact Page - Global Card Transfer," American Express Support. https://www.americanexpress.com/en-us/support/global-card-relationship/other-countries/ [4] Nova Credit, "Partnerships and Supported Country Coverage," Nova Credit. https://www.novacredit.com/partnerships

This guide is for informational purposes only and is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Consult a qualified adviser for your specific situation.