How to Build US Credit as a Foreigner from North Macedonia

North Macedonia founders face the invisible-credit problem when expanding or incorporating in the United States. Without an existing U.S. credit history, traditional lending institutions, landlords, and service providers view founders as financial unknowns. In North Macedonia, the primary credit reporting authority is the Macedonian Credit Bureau (MKB) (Makedonskoe Kreditno Biroo), which tracks local credit performance. However, because North Macedonia credit files do not cross borders automatically, establishing a U.S. financial identity from scratch is a critical milestone for any cross-border entrepreneur.

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

Because a Social Security Number (SSN) is generally unavailable to non-resident foreign founders, obtaining an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) from the IRS is the standard foundation for building personal and business financial standing in the U.S.

1. Form W-7 Application: Complete IRS Form W-7 to request an ITIN for tax processing and identification purposes.
2. Entity Formation Support: Form your U.S. LLC or C-Corp to establish a valid business reason (such as effectively connected income or reporting requirements) for your ITIN application.
3. Certified Documentation: Gather your valid Macedonian passport and supporting official documents certified by authorized certifying acceptance agents or U.S. consulates.
4. Submission to the IRS: Mail your W-7 application package along with your tax return or acceptable exemption documentation to the IRS ITIN Operation division.
5. Receive ITIN and Open Accounts: Once issued, use your ITIN to apply for secured credit cards, open business bank accounts, and report financial activity to major U.S. credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion).

Nova Credit

Nova Credit acts as a cross-border credit bureau bridge that allows immigrants and international founders to share their home country's credit history with U.S. financial institutions.

• Supported Countries: Nova Credit currently integrates bureaus from countries such as Australia, Brazil, Canada, Dominican Republic, India, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, Philippines, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and Vietnam.
• Application for North Macedonia: Because North Macedonia's MKB bureau is not natively integrated into the standard Nova Credit consumer network, founders from North Macedonia should check Nova Credit's current country list updates or rely primarily on secured credit card pathways and the ITIN sequence.

Business credit: the faster lane

For incorporated startups, building corporate credit offers a faster lane that bypasses personal credit limitations. By obtaining an Employer Identification Number (EIN) and registering with Dun & Bradstreet (D&B), your business can build its own commercial credit file.

• D&B Paydex Score: Establish trade lines with vendors and suppliers who report payment performance to Dun & Bradstreet. Consistently paying invoices on or ahead of terms generates a strong Paydex score (ranging from 0 to 100).
• Corporate Vendor Accounts: Utilize Tier-1 business accounts (such as office supply and logistics providers) that extend net-30 terms to newly formed LLCs and C-Corps with an EIN and a professional business address.

Recommended sequence

1. Form the U.S. Entity: Establish your U.S. LLC or C-Corp and obtain your official federal EIN from the IRS.
2. Obtain an ITIN: File IRS Form W-7 to secure your individual tax identification number for financial compliance and banking.
3. Open a U.S. Business Bank Account: Partner with fintech-friendly digital banks or traditional institutions that accept foreign founders using an EIN and ITIN/passport.
4. Secure a Credit Builder Card: Deposit funds into a secured U.S. credit card account to establish a positive tradeline reporting to Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
5. Establish Business Trade Lines: Open vendor accounts that report to Dun & Bradstreet and Experian Business to build independent corporate 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. This guide is for informational purposes only and is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Consult a qualified adviser for your specific situation.