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How do I get my first credit card?

Short answer

Your first credit card usually comes from your bank or credit union, or as a secured card backed by a refundable deposit. Apply with your SSN or ITIN, a US address and your income. Under 21, you need your own income or a co-signer. Pay on time and your credit history builds from there.

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By · Founder of ITIN Club

Updated

Starter options

With no US credit history, start with a product built for new borrowers. The CFPB suggests asking your bank or credit union first.

OptionHow it works
Secured cardYou put down cash and can spend up to that amount. Capital One Platinum Secured, for example, asks for a $49, $99 or $200 refundable deposit for a credit line of at least $200
Store cardShops and gas stations often approve new borrowers with a low credit limit
Credit builder loanNot a card: the bank holds the money as savings while you repay it, usually over six to 24 months

Debit cards and prepaid cards don't build credit. Their payments aren't reported to the credit bureaus.

Apply, step by step

  1. 1

    Gather what the issuer asks for

    Capital One lists your full name, date of birth, a physical address (no P.O. boxes), your yearly income, and your checking or savings account details.

  2. 2

    Use your ITIN if you don't have an SSN

    American Express says many issuers accept an ITIN in place of an SSN. You still have to meet the rest of the issuer's requirements.

  3. 3

    Pay the deposit

    For Capital One's secured card, the deposit is due within 35 days of approval, by transfer from a bank account. The card ships once it's paid in full.

After you're approved

Pay on time, every time: the CFPB calls payment history the main factor in most scores. Keep your balance under 30 percent of your limit, and you don't need to carry a balance to build a good score. Don't apply for lots of new cards at once.

Free tool

Credit

Credit utilization calculator

See your credit utilization, how much to pay down to hit 30% or 10%, and what balance fits a given limit. Free, for ITIN credit builders.

$500 limit → 36% used

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Credit

How long does it take to build credit?

Enter the date your first card or loan opened and see when you can get a FICO Score, when secured cards often graduate, and when your first inquiry stops counting.

First score after 6 months

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Cards

Chase 5/24 calculator

List the cards you've opened and see your 5/24 count, which cards still count, and the date you drop back under Chase's unofficial limit.

You're at 4/24

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Cards

Credit card points value calculator

Enter the points and the cash price of a booking to see cents per point, and compare it with the cash-out value for Amex, Chase and Capital One.

1.49¢ per point

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Cards

Credit card payoff calculator

Enter your balance, APR and monthly payment to see how many months it takes to pay off your credit card, the total interest, and what it takes to finish in 12, 24 or 36 months.

36 months at $200/mo

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Credit

When to pay your credit card

Enter your statement closing date and balance to see when to pay so a low balance gets reported, and the earliest your due date can be.

Pay by Nov 17

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Cards

Credit card application rules checker

List your recent card approvals and see which issuer rules you'd hit: Amex 1/5 and 2/90, Chase 2/30, Citi 1/8 and 2/65, Capital One 1/6, Bank of America 2/3/4.

11 rules across 5 banks

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Cards

Is the annual fee worth it?

Compare a rewards card with an annual fee against a no-fee cash back card: your spending, earn rate, point value and credits, and the spend where the fee pays off.

Breaks even at $9,000/yr

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Want the full picture?

Cards

US credit card for non-residents: how to get one with an ITIN

Which issuers take an ITIN instead of an SSN, the secured cards that approve you with no US history, and the two ways to bring your credit history from home.

Updated 6 min read

Read guide →

Related questions

Sources

  1. Ways to start or rebuild a good credit history — CFPBconsumerfinance.gov
  2. Can a credit card company consider my age? — CFPBconsumerfinance.gov
  3. How do I get and keep a good credit score? — CFPBconsumerfinance.gov
  4. Capital One: Platinum Secured cardcapitalone.com
  5. Capital One: credit card FAQcapitalone.com
  6. American Express: getting a credit card without an SSNamericanexpress.com

Join ITIN Club — it's free

Ask members who've already done it, follow the first-year course step by step, and message other members directly. No SSN needed.

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