How to Build US Credit as a Foreigner from Ukraine

Ukrainian founders building global technology companies often face the invisible-credit problem when expanding into the United States. While you may have an established credit history with the Ukrainian Bureau of Credit Histories (UBKI — Українське бюро кредитних історій) [1] or the International Bureau of Credit Histories (IBCH), traditional US financial institutions cannot access or evaluate foreign credit files. Consequently, you arrive in the US credit ecosystem as a "ghost," making it difficult to secure apartment leases, personal credit cards, auto loans, or founders' lines of credit without substantial friction or 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

For founders who do not qualify for the Amex Global Transfer program or who require a foundational US tax identifier, obtaining an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) is the standard 5-step sequence:

1. Form a US Entity or Prepare Tax Documentation: Establish your Delaware C-Corp or US LLC, or determine your eligibility to file US tax documents (such as Form W-7).
2. Complete IRS Form W-7: Fill out the Application for IRS Individual Taxpayer Identification Number with accurate personal identification details.
3. Assemble Supporting Documents: Gather a valid passport (certified by the issuing agency or notarized) and supporting identity documentation.
4. Submit via Certified Acceptance Agent (CAA) or Mail: Work with an IRS-authorized Certified Acceptance Agent or mail your application package directly to the Internal Revenue Service ITIN Operation in Austin, Texas.
5. Receive Your ITIN: Once processed, use your assigned ITIN to open US bank accounts, apply for secured credit cards, and build credit history without needing an immediate Social Security Number (SSN).

Nova Credit

Nova Credit is a cross-border credit bureau that bridges international credit data with US credit bureaus like Experian. However, Nova Credit's coverage depends entirely on bilateral data-sharing partnerships between home country credit bureaus and US bureaus.

As of current cross-border frameworks, Nova Credit actively supports credit bureau translation for countries such as Australia, Brazil, Canada, Dominican Republic, India, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, Philippines, South Korea, the UK, and Vietnam. For Ukrainian founders, because direct bureau integration between UBKI and US bureaus is not natively supported through Nova Credit's standard consumer portal, founders should check Nova Credit's current country list for updates or rely on alternative bootstrapping methods such as secured cards or ITIN-backed credit building [2].

Business credit: the faster lane

While personal credit building requires time and patience, establishing business credit is the faster lane for Ukrainian founders operating US corporations. Business credit is tied to your US Employer Identification Number (EIN) rather than your personal SSN or ITIN.

To build business credit rapidly, founders should follow a structured progression:

• Incorporate and Secure an EIN: Form your US C-Corp or LLC and obtain your official EIN from the IRS.
• Open a US Business Bank Account: Establish a business checking account with fintech providers like Mercury, Relay Financial, or traditional banks that support non-resident founders.
• Establish Trade Lines with Vendor Suppliers: Open accounts with B2B vendors that report payment history to major commercial credit bureaus (Dun & Bradstreet, Experian Business, and Equifax Business).
• Monitor Your D&B Paydex Score: Ensure your business establishes a Dun & Bradstreet D-U-N-S number and achieves a strong Paydex score by paying supplier invoices on time or early (e.g., Net-30 terms paid within 10 days).

Recommended sequence

To systematically establish US credit from Ukraine, execute the following numbered sequence:

1. Incorporate your US entity (such as a Delaware C-Corp) and obtain your federal EIN.
2. Open a US business bank account using remote fintech onboarding platforms.
3. Check American Express eligibility for a Global Transfer if you hold an existing qualifying Amex card.
4. Apply for an ITIN via IRS Form W-7 if you intend to build personal credit lines independently of an SSN.
5. Obtain a secured US credit card backed by a cash deposit if alternative credit lines are unavailable.
6. Establish trade credit for your US business using Net-30 vendor accounts and monitor your Dun & Bradstreet D&B Paydex score.

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] Ukrainian Bureau of Credit Histories (UBKI). UBKI — the largest bureau of credit histories in Ukraine. https://www.ubki.ua/en/ [Accessed August 6, 2026]

[2] Nova Credit. Supported Countries for Cross-Border Credit Bureau Data. https://www.novacredit.com/ [Accessed August 6, 2026]

This guide is for informational purposes only and is not financial, tax, or legal advice. Consult a qualified adviser for your specific situation.