How to Build US Credit as a Foreigner from Mexico

Mexican founders often encounter the "invisible-credit" problem when expanding their business footprint into the United States. Without an existing US credit history, obtaining business credit cards, office leases, or operational financing becomes a major bottleneck. In Mexico, credit histories are tracked primarily by national bureaus such as Buró de Crédito (Sociedad Crediticia) and Círculo de Crédito, but these domestic records do not automatically transfer across the border to US credit bureaus like Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion [1].

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 cannot use the Amex Global Transfer program or require broader banking and credit relationships beyond American Express, obtaining an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is the standard foundational step. The standard 5-step sequence to establish credit via an ITIN involves:

1. Forming a US Entity: Establish a US LLC or C-Corp (often accompanied by an EIN from the IRS).
2. Applying for an ITIN: Submit Form W-7 along with certified identification documents (such as your Mexican passport) through a Certifying Acceptance Agent (CAA) or directly to the IRS.
3. Opening a US Business Bank Account: Use your EIN and ITIN to open a US digital business bank account (such as Mercury, Relay, or Wise Business).
4. Securing a Secured Credit Card: Apply for a secured business or personal credit card that accepts an ITIN instead of an SSN (e.g., specific offerings from Wells Fargo, Capital One, or fintech platforms tailored for international founders).
5. Maintaining Responsible Utilization: Keep credit utilization below 30%, make timely payments, and monitor your credit reports regularly via Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion.

Nova Credit

Nova Credit is a cross-border credit bureau reporting agency that enables immigrants and international founders to share their home-country credit history with participating US financial institutions [3]. For founders from Mexico, Nova Credit translates your credit history from Buró de Crédito into a format that US lenders like American Express and various fintech issuers can evaluate [3]. When applying for certain US credit products, you can explicitly opt-in to share your Mexican credit report during the application flow, allowing lenders to approve you based on your established international credit track record rather than treating you as a "thin file" [3].

Business credit: the faster lane

Building business credit independent of your personal or ITIN credit score is an efficient strategy for Mexican founders. By establishing a US LLC with an EIN, you can build a commercial credit profile with major business credit reporting agencies, including Dun & Bradstreet (D&B), Experian Business, and Equifax Business. To build business credit rapidly:

• Register your LLC with Dun & Bradstreet to obtain a D-U-N-S Number.
• Open vendor accounts with suppliers that report payment terms (Net-30 terms) to business credit bureaus (such as Uline, Quill, or strategic software vendors).
• Pay your invoices early or on time to build a strong D&B Paydex Score (aiming for a score of 80 or higher).
• Apply for commercial fleet cards or business credit lines that report exclusively to business credit bureaus rather than personal credit reports.

Recommended sequence

To systematically establish and scale your US credit profile from Mexico, follow this sequential roadmap:

1. Establish Your US Entity: Form a US LLC or C-Corp and obtain your Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS.
2. Leverage Amex Global Transfer: If you hold an eligible personal or business American Express card in Mexico, apply for a US Amex card using the Global Transfer program [2].
3. Obtain an ITIN: File Form W-7 with the IRS via a Certifying Acceptance Agent to secure your tax identification number for broader financial applications.
4. Open US Business Banking: Open a US business bank account using your EIN, foreign passport, and ITIN.
5. Build Business Credit: Establish Net-30 vendor accounts and register for a D-U-N-S number to build commercial credit history separate from individual credit.

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] Buró de Crédito México. "Consultas y Servicios." https://www.burodecreditomexico.com.mx/ [2] American Express. "Global Card Relationship / Global Transfer." https://www.americanexpress.com/ [3] Nova Credit. "Cross-Border Credit Bureau Partners." https://www.novacredit.com/

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