ITIN
An ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) is a tax-processing number the IRS issues to people who need a US taxpayer identification number for federal tax purposes but are not eligible for a Social Security number; you apply with IRS Form W-7 (irs.gov/itin, updated October 28, 2025). Some lenders accept it in place of an SSN on a credit application.
Why it matters
It lets people without an SSN apply for credit and build a US credit file, since some issuers accept an ITIN — though acceptance varies by lender, so confirming the current policy before applying matters.
Example
A newcomer with no SSN uses their ITIN to apply for a Capital One secured card (Capital One’s ITIN page, dated April 30, 2026, lists its secured cards among cards you may be able to get with an ITIN). Some credit unions take an ITIN too, with conditions: Latino Community Credit Union lists an SSN or ITIN for membership, but its cards also ask for proof of income, at least one year of credit history and North Carolina residence (its membership and credit-card pages, read October 14, 2026), and Self-Help Credit Union (its account agreement, rev. July 1, 2025, read October 11, 2026) accepts an ITIN as an alternative to an SSN.