How to Build US Credit as a Foreigner from Ethiopia

Ethiopian founders expanding to the United States frequently encounter the "invisible-credit" problem. When arriving in the US or launching a Delaware corporation, founders have an established credit history in Ethiopia—tracked locally by institutions like the National Bank of Ethiopia's credit reference bureau framework—which does not transfer automatically to major US credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion). Building US credit is essential for securing business loans, leasing office space, obtaining corporate credit cards without personal guarantees, and establishing commercial credibility.

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

If you do not qualify for an Amex Global Transfer, obtaining an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) is your foundational step to entering the US financial system.

1. Form W-7 Application: Complete IRS Form W-7 along with your federal tax return or qualifying exception documentation.
2. Certified Documentation: Obtain certified copies of your Ethiopian passport and official identification documents authenticated by authorized certifying acceptance agents or Ethiopian consular offices.
3. Submission to the IRS: Mail your application package to the Internal Revenue Service ITIN Operation in Austin, Texas, or submit it through an authorized Certifying Acceptance Agent (CAA).
4. Receipt of ITIN: Receive your 9-digit ITIN, which replaces a Social Security Number (SSN) for banking and credit-building purposes.
5. Open US Bank Accounts and Secured Cards: Use your ITIN to open accounts with remote-friendly US banks (such as Mercury, Relay, or Silicon Valley Bank partners) and apply for secured credit cards that report to major US credit bureaus.

Nova Credit

Nova Credit is a cross-border credit bureau reporting agency that allows immigrants and international founders to share their home-country credit history with US financial institutions.

• Coverage Status: Nova Credit currently partners with bureaus across numerous global jurisdictions (including Australia, Brazil, Canada, India, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, the UK, and others).
• Action for Ethiopian Founders: Because Ethiopia's domestic credit reference infrastructure is still developing its direct cross-border integrations, Ethiopian credit bureau data is typically not yet natively supported by Nova Credit. Founders should check Nova Credit's live country list or rely on the ITIN and secured card sequence.

Business credit: the faster lane

Building personal US credit takes 12 to 24 months, but building business credit can be accelerated independently of your personal SSN or ITIN.

• EIN and D-U-N-S Number: Obtain your Employer Identification Number (EIN) for your US LLC or C-Corp, then register for a free Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) D-U-N-S number.
• Establish Trade Lines: Open vendor accounts with suppliers that report payment history to commercial credit bureaus (Dun & Bradstreet, Experian Business, and Equifax Business).
• D&B Paydex Score: Pay your vendor invoices early or on Net-30 terms to build a strong D&B Paydex score (ranging from 1 to 100), which allows your company to qualify for commercial credit lines without personal guarantees.

Recommended sequence

1. Incorporate your US Entity: Form your US LLC or C-Corp and obtain your official IRS EIN letter.
2. Apply for an ITIN: File Form W-7 with the IRS using certified passport copies to secure your individual tax identification number.
3. **Open a US Business Bank Account:** Set up a digital-forward business banking account using your EIN, formation documents, and ITIN.
4. Explore Amex Global Transfer: Check if your existing home-country Amex relationship qualifies you for a US card via Global Transfer.
5. Obtain a Secured Personal Credit Card: If Global Transfer is unavailable, secure a US credit card backed by a cash deposit reporting to US bureaus.
6. Build Commercial Trade Lines: Register for a D-U-N-S number and establish vendor accounts to build business credit independent of personal history.

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.