How to Build US Credit as a Foreigner from Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabian founders face the invisible-credit problem when expanding or incorporating in the United States. Without an existing US credit history, founders cannot secure business credit cards, personal loans, or favorable lease agreements without a hefty personal guarantee or cash collateral. In Saudi Arabia, your credit score and financial track record are managed by the Saudi Credit Bureau (SIMAH), which tracks consumer and commercial credit facilities, payment histories, and loan defaults [1]. However, SIMAH records do not automatically cross borders into the US financial ecosystem.

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 non-US residents without a Social Security Number (SSN), obtaining an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) is the foundational step for US financial integration.

1. Form W-7 Application: Complete IRS Form W-7 (Application for IRS Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) alongside your US federal tax return or an eligible exception document.
2. Certified Documentation: Gather a certified copy of your Saudi national passport or official national identification documents verified by an IRS Certifying Acceptance Agent (CAA) or a US embassy/consulate.
3. Submit to the IRS: Mail or submit the completed W-7 package through an authorized Certifying Acceptance Agent based in Riyadh, Jeddah, or online.
4. Receive ITIN Assignment: Once processed, the IRS issues an ITIN notification letter containing your nine-digit tax identification number.
5. Open Secured Accounts: Use your newly acquired ITIN to apply for secured credit cards and bank accounts with forward-thinking financial institutions that accept ITINs in lieu of an SSN.

Nova Credit

Nova Credit bridges international credit bureaus with US financial institutions, allowing immigrants and foreign founders to share their home country credit history with US lenders. While Nova Credit supports major credit corridors—including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Dominican Republic, India, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, Philippines, South Korea, the UK, and Vietnam—it does not currently integrate directly with Saudi Arabia's SIMAH bureau [2]. Saudi founders should check Nova Credit's expanding country list periodically for future integration updates.

Business credit: the faster lane

Building corporate credit independently of your personal SSN or ITIN is an efficient strategy for Saudi founders. Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) issues a D-U-N-S Number for your US C-Corp or LLC, which serves as the foundation for your corporate credit file.

1. Incorporate your US Entity: Form your Delaware C-Corp or Wyoming LLC with an EIN (Employer Identification Number).
2. Obtain a D-U-N-S Number: Register your business with Dun & Bradstreet to activate your corporate file.
3. Establish Trade Lines: Open accounts with tier-1 vendors and suppliers that report payment terms (Net-30, Net-60) to commercial credit bureaus like Dun & Bradstreet, Experian Business, and Equifax Business.
4. Monitor Paydex Scores: Maintain consistent early payments to build a D&B Paydex score of 80 or higher, unlocking unsecured business financing without personal guarantees.

Recommended sequence

1. Incorporate US Entity: Establish your US C-Corp or LLC and obtain your federal EIN from the IRS.
2. Secure an ITIN: Apply for an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number via an authorized IRS Certifying Acceptance Agent.
3. Open US Business Bank Account: Partner with digital-first fintech platforms or traditional banks that welcome international founders using an EIN and ITIN.
4. Obtain Secured Credit Cards: Deposit funds into a secured business or personal credit card account to establish initial positive payment reporting to US credit bureaus.
5. Establish Trade Credit: Register for a D-U-N-S number and utilize Net-30 vendor accounts to build corporate credit 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.

References

[1] Saudi Credit Bureau (SIMAH). SIMAH Consumer and Commercial Credit Reporting Services. https://www.simah.com/ [2] Nova Credit. Supported Credit Bureaus and Global Coverage. 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.