US banking, credit, companies and residency, explained for non-US residents

Clear, practical answers for non-US residents building access to American banking, credit, and structures. Where you would rather have the work done for you than do it yourself, the services behind these guides are on the main site.

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What are you trying to do?

Pick the outcome you are after. Each one opens the guides mapped in the order to read them, and ends at the call.

Get a US tax number (ITIN)You need an ITIN to file, to open accounts, or to run a US business as a non-resident.Build US credit as a non-residentYou want US credit cards and a US credit file without a Social Security Number.Set up a companyYou want limited liability, privacy, or a base to invoice and bank from.Open bank accountsYou want a US account behind your business, or a bank outside your home country.Lower my tax, legallyYou want a residency that changes where and how much you are taxed.Get a second passportYou want a second citizenship, through ancestry if your line allows, or through residency.
Most asked

Start with the question you came with

  1. US Credit Cards With an ITINReal US credit cards on an ITIN, no Social Security Number: which banks work, how the first card opens in person, and what the file does after.
  2. Which Banks Accept an ITIN for a Credit CardWhich card issuers publish that an ITIN can be used to apply, quoted from their own pages, and why none of them publish who gets approved.
  3. ITIN for a US Bank AccountHow non-US residents use an ITIN for American banking: the in-person route at the major banks, the US LLC online route, and the credit that follows.
  4. How Long an ITIN Really TakesHonest ITIN timelines: 45 to 60 days done-for-you, the IRS's own 7 to 11 week clock for direct filers, and client results as fast as 37 days.
  5. ITIN for Mexican CitizensHow Mexican citizens get an ITIN: the passport-scan route, the Mexico-specific eases in the IRS rules, and the Spanish-speaking team behind it.

Reading is the map. The call is the route, drawn for your situation.

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Tools

  1. Find Your RouteTell the tool what you are trying to do, a US tax number, credit, a company, banking or residency, and it maps the guides to read in order.
  2. ITIN Document Checklist: What the IRS Accepts for Form W-7The documents the IRS accepts for Form W-7, what each one proves, and the single document that replaces all the others. Two questions, your own list.
  3. What It Costs: Prices and Timelines by ServiceWhat each First Class Citizen service costs and how long it takes, from their own published pages. Pick your pieces and see the total before the call.
  4. The US Credit Calculator: What Your Spend ReturnsWhat US credit cards return on your spend at the rates their issuers publish today, and what that number is without a US credit file: zero.

ITIN Guides

  1. The Complete ITIN Guide for Non-US ResidentsWhat an ITIN is, what it unlocks, and how to get one without traveling to the US: requirements, timelines, and the team that has processed hundreds.
  2. Get an ITIN Without an SSNYou do not need a Social Security Number to get an ITIN; it exists for people not eligible for one. What you need, and how to apply from abroad.
  3. Best ITIN Services Compared: Done-For-You vs DIYDIY with the IRS, an acceptance agent, or done-for-you: an honest comparison of the three ITIN routes, and how to choose in five questions.
  4. How Long an ITIN Really TakesHonest ITIN timelines: 45 to 60 days done-for-you, the IRS's own 7 to 11 week clock for direct filers, and client results as fast as 37 days.
  5. ITIN for a US Bank AccountHow non-US residents use an ITIN for American banking: the in-person route at the major banks, the US LLC online route, and the credit that follows.
  6. ITIN Without Traveling to the USYou never need to enter the United States to get an ITIN: the official from-abroad routes, and what keeps your passport out of the mail.
  7. ITIN Rejected: How to Fix ItITIN rejected? What the CP567 and CP566 notices mean, why applications bounce, and how to make the second attempt the last one.
  8. ITIN for Your US LLCYour US LLC runs on an EIN; the foreign owner needs an ITIN for a personal return, treaty benefits, or personal banking and credit. Which does what.
  9. ITIN vs EIN vs SSNThree American tax numbers, three jobs: SSN for US persons, ITIN when you are not SSN-eligible, EIN for the business. Which you need, by situation.
  10. ITIN Renewal
  11. ITIN Form W-7: What It Is and What Goes With ItWhat the W-7 application actually is, the three things you hand over, the published 45 to 60 day clock, and four things applicants get wrong before they pay.
  12. What Banks Accept an ITIN?Which US banks work for a non-resident on an ITIN: the four named on First Class Citizen's own page, the four they work with, and how the account opens.

ITIN for a Specific Situation

  1. ITIN for Amazon SellersSelling on Amazon from abroad: which US tax number you need. W-8BEN and the foreign TIN, when the ITIN becomes yours, and where the EIN fits.
  2. ITIN for CanadiansHow Canadians get an ITIN: the cross-border cases that trigger it, the casino-withholding refund path, and the Canada-specific eases in the W-7.
  3. ITIN for Mexican CitizensHow Mexican citizens get an ITIN: the passport-scan route, the Mexico-specific eases in the IRS rules, and the Spanish-speaking team behind it.
  4. ITIN for ColombiansAn ITIN from Colombia: the seven agents the IRS lists here, what the asterisk beside one of them decides, and the routes that keep your passport.
  5. ITIN for VenezuelansAn ITIN from Venezuela: the IRS lists no agent in the country, so this is what it rules out, what it does not, and the three routes that still work.

US Credit

  1. US Credit From ScratchHow a non-US resident builds a US credit score from zero: how a file starts, which banks work with an ITIN, and the path to 720 in four to six months.
  2. US Credit Cards With an ITINReal US credit cards on an ITIN, no Social Security Number: which banks work, how the first card opens in person, and what the file does after.
  3. A US Credit Card Without an SSN or an ITINWhat is really available without either number, in an issuer's own published words, and the route the IRS built for people who cannot get an SSN.
  4. What a US Credit Score Is, and What Moves ItWhat a US credit score measures, what the published client evidence shows moved it, and why a non-resident starts from no file rather than from a low number.
  5. Secured Credit Cards With an ITIN NumberWhat a security deposit actually buys on a US card, what the issuers publish about it, and what has really opened on an ITIN file.
  6. Bank of America With an ITINWhat Bank of America publishes about its secured card, what it does not publish about an ITIN, and what the client record actually shows.
  7. Chase With an ITINThe one major issuer that publishes the ITIN answer in writing, what it does not publish, and what has actually opened at Chase on an ITIN file.
  8. How Fast US Credit Can Really Be BuiltHow fast a US credit score can honestly be built from zero: the part the bureaus fix, the part sequencing controls, and the four to six month reality.
  9. The Ways to Build US Credit, ComparedStarter products, a repair company, or a structured programme: an honest comparison for a non-US citizen building US credit from zero.
  10. From a First US Card to Travel PointsPremium US travel cards are what a real score unlocks, not the start: from a first card on an ITIN to the tier that earns, in the order that works.
  11. US Credit for US LLC Owners Living AbroadYour LLC has an EIN and its own file; your personal US score is separate, and issuers still check it. How a non-resident owner builds both in order.

Structures, Banking and Residency

  1. The US LLC, for Non-ResidentsHow a non-US resident forms and runs a US LLC: the 24 to 48 hour incorporation, the EIN that follows, Wyoming against Delaware, and the tax reality.
  2. The UK LLP, for Non-ResidentsHow a non-UK resident uses a UK LLP: a pass-through formed in 24 to 48 hours, the two partner rule, which banks work, and when no UK tax arises.
  3. A Panama Bank Account, Opened RemotelyA crypto-friendly Panama bank account opened remotely in three to five business days: who qualifies, the fifty dollar deposit, and where the limits are.
  4. Paraguay Tax ResidencyHow Paraguay tax residency works: zero on foreign income, a flat ten percent local, one to three days in Asunción, and one day a year to keep it.
  5. Mexican Residency, and the Passport Behind ItMexican residency for foreigners: the four year temporary route, permanent residency that never expires, and the passport two years after permanent.
  6. UAE Residency, Through a Dubai CompanyUAE residency through a Dubai free zone company: the company in three days, biometrics in ninety minutes, and the ninety day rule that decides the tax.
  1. What US Credit Approvals Actually Look LikeWhat US credit approvals actually look like: a realistic first card, secured turning unsecured, and one limit moved from 2,000 to 7,000 dollars by phone.
  2. ITIN for Spanish CitizensWhat their published ITIN terms say for an applicant in Spain: any non-US address, a passport scan, no US travel, euro accepted, and what is not published.
  3. ITIN for a Spouse or DependentsWhat First Class Citizen publishes about an ITIN for a spouse or dependents, what their pages leave blank, and the household questions to settle on the call.
  4. Citizenship by Descent, and How Far Back Your Line ReachesCitizenship by descent through European ancestry: which countries open through parents or grandparents, real timelines and costs, and the free check.
  5. US LLC, ITIN and Paraguay Residency, in the Right OrderA US LLC, an ITIN and Paraguay residency are one structure, not three purchases: run in parallel it takes weeks, in series it takes months.
  6. What ITIN Approvals Actually Look LikeWhat ITIN approvals actually look like: a 37-day fastest case, the team's own 47-day average, the ten-week slow end, and the real IRS CP565 letter.
  7. What US LLC Formations Actually Look LikeWhat US LLC formations actually look like: Wyoming approved within days, EINs issued in 4 to 12 days in the record, and the IRS letters that arrive.
  8. What US Bank Account Openings Actually Look LikeReal US bank account openings: several in three days in Miami, six across Chase, Bank of America and Citibank in one week, and the deposit explained.
  9. Paraguay's Territorial Tax: What Changes, and What Does NotWhat Paraguay's territorial tax changes and what it does not: zero on foreign income once the RUC runs, ten percent local, and what stays behind.
  10. Keeping Your Paraguay Residency AliveKeeping Paraguay residency alive: one day a year in the country, the annual renewal, and the RUC declarations an accountant files.
  11. Banking a US LLC as a Non-ResidentHow a US LLC gets banked from abroad: the EIN gate, Mercury and Wise opening within days, Stripe for payments, and the in-person route for chartered banks.
  12. How US Credit Limits Actually MoveHow US credit limits move for non-residents: five of five app increases approved, a call that turned 2,000 dollars into 7,000, and the denials left in.
  13. What an ITIN Actually CostsWhat an ITIN costs in 2026: no IRS filing fee for Form W-7, services from 160 to 497 dollars, and the 1,000 dollar done-for-you rate. What the gap buys.
  14. How to Vet an International Structuring FirmSeven questions to ask an international structuring firm before you pay: who does the work, what happens if it is refused, and what the second year costs.
  15. Spanish Tax Residency, as the Law Writes ItWhat Spanish law actually says about tax residency: the 183 day count, sporadic absences, the economic interests test, and the family presumption.
  16. The Filing a Foreign-Owned US LLC Still OwesThe filing a foreign-owned US LLC owes even with no US tax: the pro forma 1120, Form 5472, and the twenty five thousand dollar penalty for missing it.
  17. Getting an EIN With No SSN and No ITINHow a non-resident with no SSN and no ITIN applies for an EIN: what the IRS instructs for line 7b, why the online tool is closed, and the routes that are open.
  18. What Citi Publishes About Applying With an ITINWhat Citi publishes about applying with an ITIN, in its own words, including the secured card it names and the disclaimer it attaches to the page.
  19. Can You Get a Credit Score Without an SSN?Whether a credit score exists without an SSN, and the route the federally mandated site publishes for an ITIN. The three bureaus answer it three different ways.
  20. Your ITIN Arrived. What Happens NextThe ITIN letter arrived. What the number does, what it explicitly does not do, and why it creates no credit file on its own.
  21. Which Banks Accept an ITIN for a Credit CardWhich card issuers publish that an ITIN can be used to apply, quoted from their own pages, and why none of them publish who gets approved.
  22. Capital One With an ITINWhat Capital One actually publishes about the ITIN, why it describes the market rather than itself, and what that hedge is worth to an applicant.
  23. How to Start a US LLC as a Non-ResidentThe order the steps actually go in to form a US LLC from outside the country, and the four points where the standard instructions stop applying to you.
  24. The Panama Account: What It Is For, and What It TakesWhat the Panama account is for, what the bank asks you for, and how the remote opening differs from opening it in person at the branch in Panama City.
  25. ITIN for German CitizensWhat changes when you apply for an ITIN from Germany and what does not: the documents, the timeline, the banking step, and the questions nobody publishes.
  26. Wyoming or Delaware, for a Non-Resident LLCWyoming or Delaware for a non-resident LLC, on their published reasoning: an operating business, a company built to raise, and what stays a residency question.
  27. The Registered Agent and the Address That Comes With ItThe registered agent and virtual address that come with a non-resident US LLC: what each one is for, where the post goes, and what their pages leave open.
  28. Which Structure Do I Need?Company, tax number, bank account or residency: four different problems with four different answers. Which one solves yours, on their published terms.
  29. Armenian Permanent Residency, Obtained Without TravellingArmenian permanent residency, approved within thirty days of document submission, without travelling. What it gives, what it costs, why it is not a passport.
  30. Armenia or Paraguay: One Costs You No Travel, One Costs You DaysArmenia publishes thirty days from document submission, remotely. Paraguay needs days on the ground. What their pages publish on time, cost and outcome.
  31. The Three UAE Residency Tiers, ComparedWhat the UAE Elite, Premium and Standard packages actually publish: inclusions, timelines, the one price on record, and the questions still unanswered.
  32. Mexico and Paraguay: Two Residencies Sold for Two Different ReasonsMexico sells permanence and a passport road. Paraguay sells a tax position. What their own pages actually publish on purpose, on time, and on price.
  33. Residency Without TravellingWhich residency can be obtained without flying anywhere: Armenia remotely on their published process, Paraguay only with days on the ground in Asunción.
  34. Paraguay, Panama, Georgia: Three Services, Two Different JobsParaguay is a tax residency. Panama and Georgia are bank accounts. What each one is for, how long each takes, and which prices are published.
  35. Nonresident Alien: What the Term Actually MeansWhat the IRS means by nonresident alien: the default status, the green card test, the substantial presence test and its weighted day count, quoted at source.
  36. Form W-8BEN: The Form That Establishes Foreign StatusForm W-8BEN is how a nonresident alien shows foreign status to a payer: who gives it, how long it lasts, what happens if it is missing, treaty or no treaty.
  37. Form 8832: The Form That Changes What Your Company Is, For TaxForm 8832 is how an eligible entity elects its federal tax classification: the default without it, foreign entities, and the 75-day and 12-month window.
  38. The Wyoming LLC, on Wyoming's Own Published TermsWhat Wyoming itself publishes for a non-resident LLC: the filing fee, the annual license tax and its floor, the processing window, and the agent it requires.
  39. The Delaware LLC, and the Number Delaware Publishes TwiceWhat Delaware publishes for a non-resident LLC: the formation fee, no annual report, the June 1 date, the penalty, and the figure its sources disagree on.
  40. US Bank, the ITIN, and the Secured CardWhat US Bank publishes about an ITIN and its secured card: the upgrade answer naming the ITIN, the deposit range, the refund on denial, and the apply-flow gap.
  41. How the US Actually Taxes a Nonresident AlienHow the US taxes a nonresident alien: the two-bucket split, 30 percent or a lower treaty rate on the gross, and the exclusions Publication 519 prints first.
  42. ITIN Acceptance Agents: The Application Route the IRS PublishesWhat an IRS acceptance agent does to a Form W-7 ITIN application, the passport and certified-copy rules, published timelines, and where the IRS lists agents.
  43. How every fact on these guides is checked: 205 sourced quotes, the build that refuses contested claims, and what this method still cannot do.
  44. What an ITIN Is, and the Four Things the IRS Says It Does Not DoWhat an ITIN is in the IRS's own words: what ITIN stands for, what the number is used for, what the IRS says it does not do, and who is eligible.
  45. How to Get an ITIN: the Five Questions That Decide Your RouteHow to apply for an ITIN: eligibility, whether a tax return is attached, whether your passport travels, and which of the four IRS routes returns it.