ITIN & Personal Finance · 2026-04-13
Best US Credit Cards for ITIN Holders: Secured Cards, Store Cards, and First Approvals
A product-by-product guide to credit cards that accept ITIN holders. From secured cards with no credit check to store cards with easier approval thresholds, each card is evaluated on ITIN acceptance, deposit requirements, annual fees, rewards, and the path to graduating to better products.
The ITIN Credit Card Landscape
Not every US credit card issuer accepts ITIN holders. Some require an SSN with no exceptions. Others accept ITINs but bury the option in their application process. Knowing which issuers accept ITINs before you apply saves you from unnecessary hard inquiries that damage your credit score.
The cards in this guide are organized by stage: secured cards for building from zero, store cards for easier mid-stage approvals, and unsecured cards for when your score reaches 670+. Every card listed has confirmed ITIN acceptance as of 2026.
All credit card applications require a US physical address. This is non-negotiable across every issuer. The address must be a street address — not a PO Box — for most issuers. This address becomes part of your credit file and should remain consistent across all applications.
Tier 1: Secured Cards (No Credit History Required)
These cards are your entry point. They require a cash deposit that becomes your credit limit, eliminating the issuer's risk and making approval possible even with no US credit history.
Discover it Secured Card
ITIN accepted: Yes. Discover explicitly accepts ITIN on applications.
Deposit: $200 minimum, up to $2,500 maximum. Your deposit equals your credit limit.
Annual fee: $0
Rewards: 2% cash back at restaurants and gas stations (up to $1,000 in combined purchases per quarter), 1% on all other purchases. Discover matches all cash back earned in the first 12 months — effectively doubling your rewards.
Credit bureau reporting: All three (Experian, TransUnion, Equifax)
Graduation path: Discover automatically reviews your account for graduation to an unsecured card after 8 months of responsible use. If approved, your deposit is returned and your credit limit may increase.
Why it stands out: The first-year cash back match makes this the most rewarding secured card available. A non-resident who spends $300/month and earns $50 in cash back during year one would receive a $50 match — $100 total rewards from a secured card. No other secured card offers this.
Application note: Apply online at Discover's website. When the application asks for SSN/ITIN, enter your ITIN. If the online application does not have an ITIN field, call Discover's application line and apply by phone.
Capital One Platinum Secured Card
ITIN accepted: Yes. Capital One is one of the most ITIN-friendly issuers.
Deposit: Starts at $200. Capital One may require a smaller or larger deposit based on their assessment ($49, $99, or $200). Some applicants receive a partially secured offer where the credit limit exceeds the deposit.
Annual fee: $0
Rewards: None. This is a pure credit-building card.
Credit bureau reporting: All three
Graduation path: Capital One reviews accounts for graduation to unsecured status automatically. Typical graduation timeline is 6-12 months. Some cardholders report graduation in as few as 5 months with consistent on-time payments and low utilization.
Why it stands out: The potential for a lower deposit ($49 or $99 instead of $200) makes this accessible even for applicants with very limited funds. Capital One's automatic graduation review is also faster than most competitors.
OpenSky Secured Visa
ITIN accepted: Yes. OpenSky does not require an SSN at all.
Deposit: $200 minimum, $3,000 maximum
Annual fee: $35
Rewards: None
Credit bureau reporting: All three
Graduation path: OpenSky does not offer automatic graduation. You can close the card and receive your deposit back, then apply for an unsecured card elsewhere. Alternatively, you can request a product change, but OpenSky's options are limited.
Why it stands out: OpenSky performs no credit check — not even a soft inquiry. This is the absolute fallback option for anyone who cannot get approved for Discover or Capital One secured cards. The $35 annual fee is the trade-off for guaranteed approval.
Who should apply: Only apply for OpenSky if you are denied by Discover and Capital One. The annual fee and lack of rewards make it inferior to both, but its no-credit-check policy means it will approve virtually anyone with a valid ITIN and US address.
Chime Secured Credit Builder Visa
ITIN accepted: Yes, through the Chime banking app.
Deposit: No traditional deposit. Instead, you load money into a Credit Builder secured account, and that balance becomes your spending limit. You can start with as little as $1.
Annual fee: $0
Rewards: None
Credit bureau reporting: All three
Graduation path: Chime does not graduate to unsecured. The card always draws from your secured balance. However, it builds credit history that qualifies you for unsecured cards elsewhere.
Why it stands out: The flexible deposit structure (no minimum) makes this the lowest-barrier entry point. You can build credit with just $20-$50 loaded into the account. The card automatically pays itself from your secured balance, so there is no risk of missing a payment.
Tier 2: Store Cards (Easier Approval, 650+ Score)
After 6-12 months with a secured card, store cards offer a stepping stone to general-purpose unsecured cards. Store cards have lower approval thresholds because they can only be used at specific retailers, reducing the issuer's risk.
Amazon Store Card (Synchrony Bank)
ITIN accepted: Yes, through Synchrony Bank.
Minimum recommended score: 640-660
Annual fee: $0
Rewards: 5% cash back on Amazon.com purchases (with Prime membership), 3% without Prime. Special financing on larger purchases.
Credit bureau reporting: All three (Synchrony reports to all three)
Why it stands out: If you already shop on Amazon, this card effectively gives you a 5% discount on all purchases. The approval threshold is lower than general-purpose cards, making it an excellent second or third card for building credit.
Limitation: Can only be used on Amazon.com and at Whole Foods. Not useful for everyday spending outside Amazon's ecosystem.
Target RedCard (TD Bank)
ITIN accepted: Yes
Minimum recommended score: 640-660
Annual fee: $0
Rewards: 5% discount on all Target purchases (in-store and online). Free shipping on most Target.com orders.
Credit bureau reporting: All three
Why it stands out: The automatic 5% discount applies at checkout with no categories to track or activate. If Target is part of your regular shopping, this card pays for itself immediately.
Walmart Store Card (Capital One)
ITIN accepted: Yes (issued by Capital One, which accepts ITINs)
Minimum recommended score: 640-660
Annual fee: $0
Rewards: 5% back on Walmart.com, 2% on in-store purchases, 2% at restaurants and travel.
Credit bureau reporting: All three
Why it stands out: The combination of online and in-store rewards makes this more versatile than most store cards. If your score is not yet high enough for a general-purpose unsecured card, the Walmart card fills the gap.
Tier 3: First Unsecured Cards (670+ Score)
After 12+ months of credit history with on-time payments, your score should be in the 670-700 range, qualifying you for entry-level unsecured cards.
Capital One Quicksilver One
ITIN accepted: Yes
Minimum recommended score: 670
Annual fee: $39
Rewards: 1.5% unlimited cash back on every purchase
Credit bureau reporting: All three
Why it stands out: Simple, flat-rate rewards with no categories to manage. The $39 annual fee is offset if you spend more than $2,600/year on the card. This is often the first unsecured card ITIN holders qualify for after building credit with a secured card.
Discover it Cash Back
ITIN accepted: Yes
Minimum recommended score: 670-690
Annual fee: $0
Rewards: 5% cash back in rotating quarterly categories (up to $1,500 per quarter), 1% on everything else. First-year cash back match doubles all rewards.
Credit bureau reporting: All three
Why it stands out: The cash back match makes this extremely valuable in year one. If you already have the Discover it Secured and it graduated, you may be able to product-change to this card without a new application.
Apple Card (Goldman Sachs)
ITIN accepted: Reports vary. Apple Card has approved some ITIN holders, but the process is not as straightforward as Discover or Capital One. Worth attempting if you use Apple products.
Minimum recommended score: 680
Annual fee: $0
Rewards: 3% on Apple purchases and select merchants, 2% on Apple Pay transactions, 1% on everything else.
Credit bureau reporting: All three (via Goldman Sachs/TransUnion primarily)
Why it stands out: No annual fee, clean interface, and the 2% on Apple Pay transactions is effectively 2% on contactless payments everywhere Apple Pay is accepted. Daily Cash rewards are credited immediately, not monthly.
Application Strategy for ITIN Holders
Order of Applications
1. First card (Month 0): Discover it Secured or Capital One Platinum Secured. Apply for one, not both — each application is a hard inquiry.
2. Second card (Month 6-8): If your score is 650+, try a store card (Amazon or Target). If below 650, get a second secured card from the other issuer.
3. Third card (Month 12-14): Apply for your first unsecured card (Capital One Quicksilver One or Discover it Cash Back).
4. Fourth card (Month 18+): Upgrade to a mid-tier rewards card based on your spending patterns.
Spacing Applications
Wait at least 3-4 months between applications. Each hard inquiry temporarily reduces your score by 5-10 points. Clustering applications close together signals risk to issuers.
What to Do If Denied
**Wait 30 days** before reapplying to the same issuer
**Call the reconsideration line**: Many issuers have a phone number where you can ask a human to review your denied application. Provide additional context about your income and financial situation.
**Try a different issuer**: Denial by one issuer does not mean denial by all. Capital One and Discover have different underwriting criteria.
**Check your credit report**: Use AnnualCreditReport.com to pull your reports from all three bureaus. Look for errors, accounts you do not recognize, or negative items.
The Address Consistency Rule
Every card application asks for your address. Every card issuer reports your address to the credit bureaus. The credit bureaus use your address to maintain your credit file.
If you apply for Card A with Address X and Card B with Address Y, the bureaus may create two separate credit files — one at each address. This fragments your credit history and can result in a lower score than you deserve.
The rule is simple: use the same US physical address on every credit card application. If you move, update your address with all existing card issuers before applying for new cards. This keeps your credit file unified and your history intact.
This is one reason why having a stable, long-term US address is so valuable for credit building. It is not just about receiving mail — it is about maintaining a consistent identity in the credit bureau system.
Cards That Do NOT Accept ITIN
For reference, these issuers require an SSN and do not accept ITINs as of 2026:
**Chase**: Most Chase cards require SSN. Some reports of ITIN acceptance exist but are inconsistent.
**US Bank**: SSN required
**Wells Fargo**: SSN required
**Citi**: SSN required for most products
**Bank of America**: SSN required for most products
These issuers may change their policies over time, so check current requirements before applying.
For the complete credit-building timeline from zero to 750+, see How to Build US Credit as a Non-Resident: From Zero to 750+ Credit Score.
For ITIN-specific approval strategies with Capital One, Amex, and Discover, see Capital One, Amex, and Discover ITIN Approval Guide.