How to Build US Credit as a Foreigner from Peru

Peruvian founders expanding to the United States often face the "invisible-credit" problem. When you land in the US ecosystem, your robust financial history in Peru—tracked meticulously by credit bureaus such as Experian Perú (Sentinel) and the Superintendencia de Banca, Seguros y AFP (SBS)—does not automatically transfer across borders [1] [2]. Without a domestic US credit score, founders struggle to secure business credit cards, lease commercial office space, or obtain favorable vendor terms without personal guarantees or heavy cash collateral.

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 the Amex Global Transfer program, obtaining an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is the next vital step. An ITIN allows foreign founders living outside or inside the US to open US bank accounts, file taxes, and apply for financial products that require a taxpayer identification number.

1. Form W-7 Application: Complete IRS Form W-7 alongside your US federal income tax return or qualify under an applicable exception.
2. Certified Documentation: Gather original identification documents or certified copies from the issuing agency in Peru, such as your Peruvian passport (Pasaporte).
3. Acceptance Agent Assistance: Utilize a Certified Acceptance Agent (CAA) authorized by the IRS in Peru or online to verify your documents without mailing your original passport to the US.
4. Submission: Submit your Form W-7 application package to the IRS ITIN Operation Center.
5. Issuance and Activation: Receive your nine-digit ITIN letter from the IRS, which you can then use to apply for secured credit cards and financial accounts reporting to US credit bureaus.

Nova Credit

Nova Credit acts as a cross-border credit bureau bridge that allows immigrants and foreign nationals from supported countries to share their home-country credit history with US financial institutions [4]. While Nova Credit has established significant cross-border corridors across Latin America and global markets—enabling partners like American Express and various lenders to pull international credit reports—Peruvian credit bureau integration can vary depending on current institutional partnerships [4]. Founders should check Nova Credit's live coverage directory to see if direct bureau pull is available during their application process, or rely on ITIN-based secured credit building if direct bureau translation is temporarily unavailable.

Business credit: the faster lane

Building commercial credit through your US entity provides a powerful alternative that isolates your personal identity from corporate liabilities. By obtaining an Employer Identification Number (EIN) for your US LLC or C-Corp and registering with Dun & Bradstreet (D&B), you can establish a D&B Paydex Score. To build business credit rapidly:

• Open a dedicated US business bank account using your EIN and company formation documents.
• Apply for Tier-1 vendor accounts (such as office suppliers or software providers) that report payment histories to commercial credit bureaus like Dun & Bradstreet, Experian Business, and Equifax Business.
• Ensure all business invoices are paid early or on time, as the Paydex score rewards prompt payments with a scale ranging from 1 to 100.

Recommended sequence

1. Incorporate your US Entity: Form your Delaware C-Corp or LLC and obtain your federal EIN from the IRS.
2. Leverage Existing Amex Cards: Check eligibility for the Amex Global Transfer program using your Peruvian Amex history [3].
3. Apply for an ITIN: Submit IRS Form W-7 with the assistance of a Certified Acceptance Agent to secure your US taxpayer identification number.
4. Open US Business Banking: Establish a business bank account and set up vendor credit lines that report to Dun & Bradstreet to build your Paydex score.
5. Obtain Secured Credit: Use your ITIN and business banking history to apply for secured US credit cards that report to major consumer credit bureaus.

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.