Best Credit Cards Without SSN Requirements

Most credit card companies let you add an authorized user without providing that individual's Social Security Number. You only need their name, birthday and address in most cases.

But requirements vary by credit card company, and not all of them will allow you to add an authorized user with no SSN. To give you a better sense of what, exactly, is required to add an authorized user, we looked into some of the most popular issuers' policies.

• Capital One – SSN, Birthday and Phone Number
• Discover – SSN, Birthday, Address and Phone Number
• Citi – Name and Address
• Chase – Name, Birthday and Address
• Barclaycard – Name, Birthday, Relationship to Primary Cardmember and Citizenship status

Before adding an authorized user, you should also make sure to weigh the benefits and potential drawbacks of doing so. On the one hand, it will help the authorized user build credit. And if you mess up, the authorized user can have the negative records removed from his or her credit report. On the other hand, you're the one who's responsible for paying the bill every month.

You can find more information in WalletHub's authorized user guide.

You can get business credit cards without a Social Security number, but it's not easy and will limit your options. Approval for nearly all business credit cards is heavily reliant on the state of a small business owner's personal finances, which is why your SSN is important for card approval. It's also important because you are personally liable for all business card balances. If you don't have a Social Security number and aren't able to get one, you could apply for a business credit card with an Employer Identification Number (EIN) instead of an SSN. But there are some steps you must take first.

First, if you don't already have an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), you must apply for one. You can then use your ITIN to apply for an EIN. Then, compare offers from credit card companies that will accept an EIN in place of a Social Security number. Some credit card issuers – like American Express, Bank of America, and Citibank – will accept ITINs, foreign passports, or other government-issued IDs in place of a Social Security number. Wells Fargo and U.S. Bank will allow you to apply with an ITIN in place of an SSN, but only for their secured cards.

Still, there are only certain cards you can apply for without an SSN, and issuers usually exclude business cards.

Easiest Business Credit Cards to Get Without a Social Security Number:

• Shell Small Business Credit Card: $0 annual fee. No rewards. Can apply with an EIN in place of an SSN.
• Office Depot Business Credit Card: $0 annual fee. $50 statement credit after making your first purchase of $150 within 60 days. 2% cash back on Office Depot purchases. Can apply with an EIN in place of an SSN.
• Sam's Club Business Credit Card: $0 annual fee. 5% cash back (up to $6,000 spent per year), 3% cash back on dining and travel expenses, and 1% cash back on all other purchases. Must be a Sam's Club member to apply. Can apply with an EIN in place of an SSN.

Finding a suitable business credit card that will let you apply with an EIN and not an SSN is difficult. This is largely because applying with an EIN means the issuer isn't able to run a personal credit check on you. For the best chances of approval without an SSN, you'll want your business finances to be in excellent shape and very established.

Another business credit card option that doesn't require an SSN is a corporate card. Corporate cards are business credit cards that are issued to a corporation as opposed to an individual. Corporations generally need at least $10 million in annual revenue to qualify for a corporate card, however. Issuers will review the company's financial track record and use company assets like CDs and bank accounts as collateral.

It is possible to get a Citibank credit card without SSN. For certain cards, Citi will accept a copy of one of the following: passport, national ID card or other valid government-issued ID. But it really depends on your specific situation. If you don't have an SSN, the only way to apply is in a branch. So, to find the nearest branch go to: https://online.citi.com/US/JRS/pands/detail.do?ID=FinancialCenters.

No, unfortunately you can't get a Discover credit card without an SSN. Discover requires a Social Security number as part of the application process for all of its cards. So you're left with two options – either obtain a SSN or apply for a credit card that doesn't require it. Let's look at the companies that will offer you a card without an SSN first. You'll still need identification, but you can often use an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) or even a passport.

Here's how to get a non-Discover credit card without an SSN:

• American Express: Apply with your ITIN or passport
• Bank of America: Apply with your ITIN or passport
• Capital One: Apply with your ITIN
• Citibank: Apply with your ITIN or passport (only certain cards)
• U.S. Bank: Apply with your ITIN (secured cards only)
• Wells Fargo: Apply with your ITIN (secured cards only)

If you'd like to obtain an SSN in order to have a wider range of credit card choices, that's pretty easy to do too. We'll walk you through the application process.

Here's how to get an SSN:

1. Get authorization to work in the United States, or have another valid reason to get an SSN like having U.S. investments or income (such as scholarship money).
2. Go to a Social Security Administration (SSA) office.
3. Provide the SSA with evidence of your work authorization, identity, and age (i.e. work papers, immigration documents, passport, birth certificate).
4. Fill out the application for a Social Security card (Form SS-5).
5. Wait for approval. Your Social Security card should arrive within 2 weeks after the SSA approves your application.

So there are quite a few options available, both if you get an SSN or if you just use your ITIN or passport. If you choose the latter option, you can learn more which cards are best for you in WalletHub's article on credit cards without SSN requirements.

To get a Bank of America credit card without an SSN, go to a Bank of America branch to apply in person or call 800-932-2775. Applicants with no Social Security number cannot apply for a BofA credit card account online, and they must have an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number when applying in person or by phone. In addition, the only cards you'll be able to apply for without an SSN are the Bank of America Cash Rewards and Travel Rewards cards.

You'll need to fulfill Bank of America's normal eligibility requirements to be approved for a credit card, too. Applicants must be at least 18 years old and must agree to a hard credit pull on their credit report. During the application process, you'll also be asked for your annual income, source of income, and date of birth. If you're opening the account in person, you'll have to bring two forms of ID as well, such as a passport and a driver's license.

You can apply for a business credit card with an EIN only, but it's very rare. Two of the only business credit cards you can get with just an EIN, and no SSN required, are the Office Depot and Shell Gas business cards. Most business credit cards require an EIN, or Employer Identification Number, which the IRS assigns every U.S.-based company that applies for one. But most business cards also require a Social Security number or an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number. 

The EIN shows that you're legitimately a business owner. The SSN, or ITIN, allows the credit card company to review your personal credit history when evaluating your application and hold you personally accountable for paying the bill if you're approved. Almost all business credit cards require personal liability. But there are a few exceptions.

Business credit cards you can apply for with EIN only:

• Office Depot Office Max Business Credit Card: You can apply with without an SSN if your company makes over $5 million per year and has been in business for at least three years. Or, if you are a government entity (including schools) or a nonprofit, you can apply without personal liability also. This card only works for OfficeMax and Office Depot purchases. This card requires good business or personal credit.
• Sam's Club Mastercard Business: You can apply without an SSN if your company makes $5+ million per year, is more than 2 years old and has more than 10 employees. You can only get this card if you're a Sam's Club member, and you need good business or personal credit to be approved. You can use the card anywhere that accepts Mastercard.
• SuperAmerica Fleet Credit Cards: You can apply for these cards without an SSN if you've been in business for at least three years. You can use it at all SuperAmerica gas stations and 45,000 partner stations nationwide. Both cards require good business or personal credit.
• Shell Small Business Card: You can get this card without any personal liability if you're applying on behalf of a government entity or non-profit, or if your business has been open for at least three years and does $1+ million in yearly sales. This card requires fair business or personal credit, and you can use it at any of the 14,000 Shell gas stations nationwide.

If you want to apply for a business card with only an EIN, the choices are slim. But your options become far greater when you consider the full range of cards that require personal liability. 

If you're worried that your personal credit isn't good enough to qualify for a business credit card, remember that you don't have to use a business card for business expenses. So consider personal options such as the Discover it Secured Card as well as the likes of the Wells Fargo Business Secured Card. Both are available to people with bad credit.

Unfortunately, you cannot get a Capital One credit card without an SSN.

With this said, Capital One will allow you to open a regular bank account with a debit card by using your ITIN.

If you're an international student, you'll be able to get the Deserve Edu Mastercard without an SSN. Otherwise, Bank of America offers two cards that accept applicants without an SSN and without credit history: Bank of America Cash Rewards and Bank of America Travel Rewards, but you must go to a local branch to apply.

You can't apply online for the Capital One QuicksilverOne with an ITIN. Apparently, they only allow applicants with SSNs to submit applications online. So you will have to fill out an application at a Capital One branch. Use this locator or the Capital One app to find the nearest branch.

Two of the Bank of America student credit cards accept applicants without an SSN or without credit history: Bank of America Cash Rewards for Students and Bank of America Travel Rewards for Students. But you must go to a local branch to apply. They will ask for your ITIN.