How to Build US Credit as a Foreigner from Thailand

Thai founders launching US-based startups frequently encounter the "invisible-credit" problem. When entering the US market, founders from Thailand possess robust financial profiles domestically, managed through Thailand's central credit registry, the National Credit Bureau (NCB). However, US financial institutions, credit card issuers, and lenders cannot access foreign credit files. Consequently, Thai entrepreneurs are treated as having no credit history (thin files), presenting a significant hurdle when attempting to secure corporate financing, personal credit cards, or operational leases without personal guarantees.

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 utilize the Amex shortcut or require a formal US taxpayer identification number for banking and tax compliance, obtaining an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) is the standard operational milestone. Follow this 5-step sequence to secure your ITIN:

1. Form Your US Entity: Establish your US LLC or C-Corp, ensuring you have an Employer Identification Number (EIN) issued by the IRS.
2. Prepare Form W-7: Complete IRS Form W-7 (Application for IRS Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) indicating the appropriate tax reason code.
3. Certify Identification Documents: Gather your original Thai passport or obtain certified copies issued directly by the issuing agency or a certifying acceptance agent.
4. Submit Application Package: Mail your completed Form W-7, federal tax return or supporting documentation, and certified identification papers to the IRS ITIN Operation in Austin, Texas, or submit via an authorized IRS Certifying Acceptance Agent (CAA) in Thailand or the US.
5. Receive ITIN and Open Bank Accounts: Once issued, use your ITIN to apply for secured US credit cards and open business bank accounts that report to commercial and consumer credit agencies.

Nova Credit

Nova Credit is a cross-border credit bureau reporting translation service that allows immigrants and international founders to share their home-country credit history with US financial institutions. While Nova Credit natively integrates with major bureaus across Australia, Brazil, Canada, the Dominican Republic, India, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, the Philippines, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and Vietnam, it does not currently provide direct bureau-to-bureau translation for Thailand's NCB. Therefore, Thai founders must rely on alternative foundational steps like the Amex Global Transfer or secured cards rather than direct Nova Credit pulling. Always check Nova Credit's current country expansion list for updates regarding Southeast Asian credit bureau integrations.

Business credit: the faster lane

Building corporate credit independently from your personal score is a vital strategy for Thai founders. You can establish business credit by obtaining an EIN, opening a US business bank account, and registering with business credit reporting agencies such as Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) to establish a Paydex score. By working with US vendors and suppliers that report payment terms (such as Net-30 accounts with office supply companies, software vendors, or logistics providers), your company builds a standalone commercial credit profile. This enables your US entity to secure vendor financing and corporate credit lines based entirely on corporate performance rather than personal history.

Recommended sequence

1. Incorporate your US Entity: Form your Delaware C-Corp or LLC and obtain your federal EIN from the IRS.
2. Leverage Amex Global Transfer: If you hold a qualifying Amex card in Thailand, apply for a US Amex card using your foreign credit history.
3. Obtain an ITIN: File IRS Form W-7 to secure your individual taxpayer identification number for broader banking and credit access.
4. Open a US Bank Account: Utilize your EIN, formation documents, and ITIN/passport to establish a US digital business bank account.
5. Establish Secured Credit & Trade Lines: Open secured US credit cards and establish Net-30 vendor accounts to generate consistent, positive reporting with US 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.