How to Build US Credit as a Foreigner from South Korea

South Korean founders expanding into the US market frequently encounter the invisible-credit problem. When arriving in the United States or establishing operations remotely, founders possess zero US credit history, making it difficult to secure business credit cards, office leases, or enterprise software financing without personal guarantees or large cash deposits. In South Korea, personal and financial credit history is tracked and managed by credit bureaus such as KCB (Korea Credit Bureau) and NICE Information Service, but these domestic histories do not automatically transfer to US credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion).

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 do not qualify for an SSN (Social Security Number), obtaining an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) from the IRS is a critical milestone.

The standard 5-step sequence for obtaining an ITIN and leveraging it for credit building includes:

1. Form a US entity (such as a Delaware C-Corp or LLC) and obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS.
2. Complete IRS Form W-7 (Application for IRS Individual Taxpayer Identification Number).
3. Gather certified copies of your South Korean passport and supporting identity documentation.
4. Submit Form W-7 along with your tax return or via an IRS-certified Acceptance Agent based in the US or South Korea.
5. Receive your ITIN, allowing you to open US business bank accounts, apply for ITIN-friendly secured credit cards, and build credit history.

Nova Credit

Nova Credit bridges international financial identity by allowing immigrants, expats, and foreign founders to share their home-country credit bureau data with US financial institutions.

Fortunately, Nova Credit officially covers South Korea. South Korean founders can authorize Nova Credit during credit card applications with partner institutions (such as American Express or HSBC) to translate and transmit their KCB or NICE credit history, enabling instant approval for US financial products without waiting years to build a score from scratch.

Business credit: the faster lane

Building commercial credit bypasses the need for an SSN or long-term personal credit history. By utilizing your US entity's EIN, you can establish business credit lines through the Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) network.

The standard sequence includes:

1. Register your US LLC or C-Corp and obtain an EIN.
2. Request a D-U-N-S Number from Dun & Bradstreet to officially register your business.
3. Open US business bank accounts and secure vendor accounts with suppliers that report payment history to D&B, Experian Business, and Equifax Business.
4. Pay invoices early or on time to build a strong D&B Paydex Score (targeting 80+), unlocking unsecured corporate credit cards and financing.

Recommended sequence

1. Establish your US legal entity (Delaware C-Corp or LLC) and obtain your EIN.
2. Apply for an ITIN using IRS Form W-7 to establish your official US tax identification profile.
3. Leverage the Amex Global Transfer program if you hold an existing South Korean American Express card, or use Nova Credit to share your South Korean credit history with US issuers.
4. Open a US business bank account and apply for secured business credit cards.
5. Build commercial business credit by establishing net-30 vendor accounts and maintaining prompt payment habits reported to Dun & Bradstreet.

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.