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If you are a recent immigrant to the U.S., an international student or another noncitizen and don't have a Social Security number (SSN), you may still be able to apply for a credit card with an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN). Many of the top credit card issuers have rewards credit cards you can apply for using an ITIN, including Chase, American Express and Capital One.
But if you're getting a credit card without an SSN, you'll still need to meet the card issuer's other application requirements. That means the lender may review your credit history, request alternative forms of identification, require a checking and/or savings account and factor your income into its decision.
The good news is, that regardless of the type of credit card rewards you want to earn and the state of your credit score, or lack thereof, there's a credit card without a Social Security number requirement for you.
Best credit cards without a Social Security number requirement
- Best for travel rewards: American Express® Gold Card
- Best for cash back: Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
- Best for no annual fee: Chase Freedom Unlimited® (See rates and fees)
- Best for small businesses: The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
- Best for building credit: Petal® 2 "Cash Back, No Fees" Visa® Credit Card
- Best for students: Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card
Best for travel rewards
The American Express Gold Card is great for earning valuable Membership Rewards® points at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets.
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you're approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you're approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You'll know upfront exactly how much you'll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
Foreign transaction fee
None
Who's this for? The American Express® Gold Card is an excellent option if you're interested in earning travel rewards. It earns Amex Membership Rewards points, which can be transferred to 21 airline and hotel rewards programs and you can apply online using your individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN).
Standout benefits: It's easy to quickly earn rewards with the American Express® Gold Card as it offers generous returns on common spending categories, such as dining, groceries and airfare. It also comes with up to $120 in annual dining credit (up to $10 in statement credits monthly) when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. Enrollment required.
If you don't have an extensive credit history in the U.S., you may have an easier time getting approved for an American Express card because it can access credit history from a handful of other countries. Through a partnership with Nova Credit, American Express can review credit histories from Australia, Brazil, Canada, the Dominican Republic, India, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, the Philippines, South Korea, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
Find the best credit card for you by reviewing offers in our credit card marketplace or get personalized offers via CardMatch™.
Best for cash back
The Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card available to those with limited/fair credit, which makes it surprising that it features an elevated 1.5% cash back on all purchases.
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day
- No rotating categories or limits to how much you can earn, and cash back doesn't expire for the life of the account. It's that simple
- Be automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as 6 months
- Enjoy peace of mind with $0 Fraud Liability so that you won't be responsible for unauthorized charges
- Help strengthen your credit for the future with responsible card use
- Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- Monitor your credit score with CreditWise from Capital One. It's free for everyone
- Check out quickly and securely with a contactless card, without touching a terminal or handing your card to a cashier. Just hover your card over a contactless reader, wait for the confirmation, and you're all set
- Top rated mobile app
Balance transfer fee
- $0 at the Transfer APR, 4% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer to you
Who's this for? The Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card is a solid cash-back card to consider if you have average credit or are building your credit history. You can apply for this card online using your ITIN number instead of a Social Security number.
Standout benefits: With this card, you'll earn a straightforward 1.5% cash back on every purchase. It also has no foreign transaction fees. However, its APR is on the higher side, so it's not a good choice if you think you may end up carrying a balance.
Best for no annual fee
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is a no-annual-fee card that earns generous cash-back on everyday purchases and a lucrative welcome bonus.
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
- Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase TravelSM, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases.
- No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can use points to redeem for cash through an account statement credit or an electronic deposit into an eligible Chase account located in the United States!
- Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 18.24% - 27.74%.
- No annual fee – You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited® card
- Keep tabs on your credit health, Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, alerts, and more.
- Member FDIC
Balance transfer fee
Intro fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater, in the first 60 days. After that, either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
Foreign transaction fee
3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars
Who's this for? The Chase Freedom Unlimited® (See rates and fees) is a top-rated cash-back card that has no annual fee. It's a good choice for anyone who prefers cash-back rewards but may be interested in a travel credit card in the future. If you pair this card with another Chase credit card, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (See rates and fees), you'll be able to transfer your cash-back rewards to Chase's dozen-plus airline and partners. You can use an ITIN to complete an online Chase credit card application.
Standout benefits: Cardholders can take advantage of a six-month free DoorDash DashPass membership and earn generous rewards on various everyday purchases (if activated on or after 2/1/25; must activate by 12/31/27 to be eligible). While we recommend paying off your credit card balance each month in full, new cardholders can take advantage of a competitive introductory APR offer.
Best for small businesses
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express is a great option if you're starting a business because it's affordable, earns flexible travel rewards and offers an intro-APR on purchases for a year.
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within your first 3 months of Card Membership.
- 0.0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months from the date of account opening, then a variable rate, 16.74% - 28.49%, based on your creditworthiness and other factors at account opening. APR will not exceed 29.99%
- Earn 2X points on everyday business purchases such as office supplies or client dinners. 2X applies to the first $50,000 in purchases per year, 1 point per dollar thereafter. Terms and limitations apply.
- You've got the power to spend above your credit limit* with Expanded Buying Power. *The amount you can spend above your credit limit is flexible, so it adapts with your use of the Card, your payment history, credit record, financial resources known to us, and other factors. Just remember, the amount you can spend with Expanded Buying Power is not unlimited.
- No Annual Fee
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
Balance transfer fee
N/A
Foreign transaction fee
2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars.
Who's this for? The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express is a simple, yet rewarding card that's ideal for anyone with a small business, side hustle or freelance gig. If you don't have a Social Security number, you'll need an Employer Identification Number (EIN) and an ITIN to apply online.
Standout benefits: The Blue Business Plus Card keeps things simple by offering a flat 2X points on up to $50,000 in eligible purchases each calendar year, then 1X points. There's no annual fee (see rates and fees).
If you prefer to earn cash back for your business expenses, the American Express Blue Business Cash™ Card may be a better fit for you. It's similar to the Amex Blue Business Plus card, except you'll earn cash-back rewards instead of Membership Rewards® points. It earns 2% cash back on up to $50,000 in eligible purchases per calendar year (then 1%) and has no annual fee (see rates and fees). Terms apply.
Best for building credit
Petal® 2 "Cash Back, No Fees" Visa® Credit Card
Rewards
1% cash back on eligible purchases right away and up to 1.5% cash back on eligible purchases after making 12 on-time monthly payments; 2% to 10% cash back at select merchants
Welcome bonus
None
Annual fee
$0
Intro APR
None
Regular APR
28.24% - 30.24% variable
Balance transfer fee
N/A
Foreign transaction fee
None
Credit needed
Fair, Good, No Credit
Terms apply.
Pros
- No credit history required (if you do have a credit history, that does factor into the credit decision)
- No fees
- Generous cash-back rewards of up to 1.5% cash back on eligible purchases after making 12 on-time monthly payments
Cons
- No special financing offers
- No welcome bonus
Who's this for? You can be approved for the Petal® 2 "Cash Back, No Fees" Visa® Credit Card even if you have no credit history. It has no fees to worry about and earns cash-back rewards, which is rare for a credit card you can get with no credit history. You can also apply online for the Petal 2 Visa Card using an ITIN.
Standout benefits: What makes this card special is what you don't have to worry about — credit card fees. The Petal 2 Visa Card has no late payment fee, no foreign transaction fee, no annual fee and no returned payment fee. Plus you'll earn cash back on every purchase.
The cash-back rewards structure is a bit more complicated than what you find with other cards. You earn 1% back on all eligible purchases and up to 1.5% back after making 12 monthly payments on time, plus 2% to 10% back at select merchants.
Best for students
The Capital One Quicksilver Student Credit Card earns a generous 1.5% cash back on every purchase, which makes it one of the most rewarding credit cards that's available to students.
Highlights
Highlights shown here are provided by the issuer and have not been reviewed by CNBC Select's editorial staff.
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day
- Early Spend Bonus: Earn $50 when you spend $100 in the first three months
- Enjoy peace of mind with $0 Fraud Liability so that you won't be responsible for unauthorized charges
- Enjoy no annual fee, foreign transaction fees, or hidden fees
- Lock your card in the Capital One Mobile app if it's misplaced, lost or stolen
- Earn up to $500 a year by referring friends and family when they're approved for a Capital One credit card
- Build your credit with responsible card use
- Whether you're at a 4-year university, community college or other higher education institution, this card might be an option for you
- Top rated mobile app
Balance transfer fee
- $0 at the Transfer APR, 4% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer to you
Who's this for? The Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card is a good fit for college students without an extensive credit history because you'll typically only need fair credit to be eligible for this card. Plus, you can apply online using an ITIN in place of an SSN.
Standout benefits: As with the Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card, the student card earns an unlimited 1.5% back on all purchases.
How to get a credit card without a Social Security number
To get a credit card without a Social Security number you'll need to verify your identity another way, which is typical with an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN). A number of major credit card issuers allow you to apply for cards online using an ITIN as a replacement for an SSN. However, other card issuers may require you to apply in person or over the phone if you don't have an SSN.
Keep in mind, an SSN or ITIN isn't the only requirement you'll need to meet to be approved for a credit card. Card issuers can consider income, credit history, employment status and whether or not you have a checking account or savings account in their decisions. There can also be application requirements based on the lender and even the specific card you are applying for.
FAQs
Why do most card issuers require Social Security numbers?
Banks and other credit card issuers typically require a Social Security number (SSN) as part of the application as a fraud and identity theft prevention measure. By providing a Social Security number on your card application, the lender can easily verify your identity and review your credit history.
What is an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number or ITIN?
An Individual Taxpayer Identification Number is the number the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) gives to anyone who is required to pay U.S. taxes but doesn't have a Social Security number or who isn't eligible to receive a Social Security number. An ITIN can be used as a substitute for a Social Security number with many (but not all) credit card issuers. If you require an ITIN, you can apply by completing a W-7 form and submitting it to the IRS.
How long does it take to get a credit score?
If you're starting from scratch, it will generally take between two to six months of credit activity to establish a credit score. However, it may take a bit longer to actually achieve a good credit score.
Bottom line
There is no shortage of credit cards you can qualify for even if you don't have a Social Security number. Many card issuers allow applicants to use an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number as a substitute. And with an ITIN you'll still be able to apply for various types of credit cards you'd like, be it a travel rewards credit card, cash-back card or small business card.
That said, the best rewards credit cards often require an excellent credit score, even if you don't need an SSN to apply. So if you've just started building your credit history, you'll want to apply for a credit card with less strict requirements, like a secured credit card.
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Why trust CNBC Select?
At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every credit card review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of credit card products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics. See our methodology for more information on how we choose the best credit cards without a Social Security number requirement.
Our methodology
To determine the best credit cards without a Social Security number requirement, CNBC Select analyzed over 230 of the most popular credit cards available in the U.S. We compared each card on a range of features, including: rewards, welcome bonus, introductory and standard APR, balance transfer fee and foreign transaction fees, as well as factors such as required credit and customer reviews when available. We also considered additional perks, the application process and how easy it is for the consumer to redeem points.
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Read more
For rates and fees of the American Express Blue Business Plus, click here.
For rates and fees of the American Express Blue Business Cash Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, click here.
