How EU Entrepreneurs Get US Business Credit Cards: The Complete Step-by-Step Guide

If you are a European entrepreneur trying to get a US business credit card, you have already discovered the problem: US banks do not care about your European credit history. It does not matter if you have a perfect payment record in Germany, a thriving business in the Netherlands, or ten years of credit card history in France. When you apply for a US business credit card, the issuer checks your US credit file. If that file does not exist, the answer is no.

This is not a dead end. It is a sequence. Thousands of European founders have successfully built US credit profiles from scratch and now hold premium US business credit cards with six figure credit limits, sign-up bonuses worth thousands in travel, and rewards programs that make European card offerings look like an afterthought. The process is not instant, but every step is clearly defined, and the entire thing can be done remotely from Europe.

This guide walks you through the complete path from zero US presence to your first premium business credit card in approximately 12 months.

Why EU Entrepreneurs Want US Business Credit Cards

The gap between US and European credit card rewards is not a small difference. It is a different universe. A premium European business card might offer 1 point per euro spent, limited transfer partners, and a sign-up bonus of 10,000 to 20,000 points if one exists at all. A comparable US business card offers 2x to 5x points per dollar on business categories, sign-up bonuses of 75,000 to 150,000 points, and transfer partnerships with every major airline alliance and hotel chain globally.

The math is straightforward. A European founder spending 50,000 euros per year on a European business card earns roughly 50,000 points worth maybe 500 euros in travel. That same spending on a US business card with a 3x multiplier earns 150,000 points worth $2,000 to $4,500 in travel when transferred to the right airline partners. The difference comes from US interchange fees being substantially higher than in Europe, where EU regulations cap interchange at 0.3% for credit cards. US issuers collect 2% to 3% per transaction and share a portion of that with cardholders through rewards. European issuers simply do not have the revenue to fund comparable programs.

Beyond rewards, US business credit cards give European founders access to transfer partners that include airlines they already fly. Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer to United (Star Alliance, which includes Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian, SAS), British Airways, Air France/KLM, and Singapore Airlines. Amex Membership Rewards transfer to Delta (SkyTeam, which includes KLM, Air France, Alitalia), ANA, Cathay Pacific, and Emirates. These are not US domestic airlines only. They are global alliance partners that cover routes between any two points on earth.

There is also a strategic business reason. Holding US business credit cards establishes a US financial identity for your company. When you later need US business financing, a line of credit, or want to work with US vendors who check creditworthiness, that history matters. The credit card is not just a rewards tool. It is a building block for your company's US financial infrastructure.

Step 1: Form a US LLC

Everything starts with a legal US business entity. Without an LLC (or corporation), you cannot get an EIN, open a business bank account, or apply for business credit cards. The LLC is the foundation that makes everything else possible.

Three states dominate for non-resident founders: Wyoming, Florida, and Delaware. Wyoming charges the lowest annual fees ($60 per year), has no state income tax, and offers strong privacy protections. Florida charges $138.75 per year and is the best choice if you plan to do business with Florida-based partners or clients. Delaware is the traditional choice for venture backed startups but costs more and makes less sense for founders who are not raising institutional capital.

The entire formation process can be done remotely. You choose a registered agent in your state of formation (required for all LLCs), file the Articles of Organization, and receive your formation documents. Cost ranges from $100 to $500 depending on the state and whether you use a formation service. The process takes 1 to 5 business days in most states.

You do not need to travel to the United States. You do not need a US address (your registered agent provides one for legal filings). You do not need a Social Security Number. The LLC is a business entity, and non-US citizens form them routinely.

Step 2: Get Your EIN

An EIN (Employer Identification Number) is your business's tax identification number, issued by the IRS. Think of it as the US equivalent of a VAT number for your business. You need it to open a bank account, file US tax returns, and apply for business credit cards.

If you have a Social Security Number (SSN), you can apply for an EIN online at irs.gov and receive it immediately. Most European founders do not have an SSN, which means you need to apply by fax or mail using Form SS-4. The processing time for fax applications is typically 4 to 6 weeks. Mail applications can take 8 to 12 weeks.

The EIN application is free. There is no cost from the IRS. Some formation services include EIN application as part of their package, which can be convenient but is not necessary since you can do it yourself. Once you receive your EIN, store it securely. You will need it for every financial application going forward.

Step 3: Open a US Business Bank Account

A US business bank account is the operational center of your US financial presence. It is where business revenue flows in, where you pay business expenses from, and what credit card issuers look at when they evaluate your application. Without a bank account showing real activity, your LLC is a shell that banks will not extend credit to.

The good news is that several US banks now support remote account opening for international founders. Mercury is the most popular choice among European entrepreneurs because they accept non-US residents, the application is entirely online, and there are no monthly fees or minimum balance requirements. Relay is another strong option with similar terms. Brex also offers banking services bundled with their credit card product.

Some traditional banks still require an in-person visit to open an account. If you plan to visit the US at any point in the first few months, opening an account at a physical bank like Chase or Bank of America gives you access to a wider range of financial products later. But this is optional, not required. Mercury or Relay will serve you well for the entire process described in this guide.

Once your account is open, deposit funds and start running business transactions through it. Credit card issuers and lenders want to see activity: regular deposits, payments to vendors, payroll if applicable. A dormant account with a single deposit is less convincing than an account with 6 months of consistent business activity.

Step 4: Apply for an ITIN

An ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) is a personal tax ID for individuals who do not have and are not eligible for a Social Security Number. As a European citizen running a US LLC, you need an ITIN to file your US tax returns and, crucially, to build a personal credit history in the United States.

You apply for an ITIN using IRS Form W-7. The form can be submitted by mail to the IRS, through a Certified Acceptance Agent (CAA), or at an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center if you visit the US. Most European founders use a CAA, which is a tax professional authorized by the IRS to verify your identity documents without you mailing your original passport to the IRS.

Processing time is currently 7 to 11 weeks. During peak tax season (January through April), it can take longer. Plan accordingly. The ITIN itself is free from the IRS, though using a Certified Acceptance Agent typically costs $100 to $300 for their service.

Your ITIN is the key that unlocks personal credit building. Without it, you cannot open a personal credit card, and without personal credit history, you cannot qualify for premium business credit cards that require a personal guarantee. This is the step most European founders underestimate in terms of importance and timing. Apply as early as possible in the process.

Step 5: Start Building Personal Credit with a Secured Card

With your ITIN in hand, you can now create a US credit file. The fastest and most reliable way to do this is with a secured credit card. A secured card requires a refundable cash deposit that serves as your credit limit. Deposit $500, get a $500 credit limit. The card works exactly like a regular credit card, and the issuer reports your payment activity to all three US credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion).

Use the secured card for small, recurring charges: a subscription service, a monthly software fee, anything that generates a consistent balance. Then pay the full balance every month, on time, without exception. The two factors that matter most for building credit are payment history (35% of your FICO score) and utilization (30% of your score). Paying in full and keeping your balance below 10% of your limit optimizes both.

After 6 months of perfect payments, you will have a credit score. It will likely be in the 650 to 680 range. After 12 months, with continued perfect payments, most founders reach 680 to 720. This is the score range where premium business credit cards become accessible.

Step 6: Your First Business Card (Month 6)

While your personal credit is still building, you do not have to wait 12 months to get any business card. Brex and Ramp both offer business credit cards that do not require a personal credit check. Instead, they evaluate your business based on revenue, bank balance, and business activity.

Brex is the more popular choice for international founders. They require a minimum bank balance (typically $50,000 in a US business bank account or demonstrable monthly revenue). The card has no annual fee, earns up to 8x points on select categories, and does not appear on your personal credit report at all. Ramp is similar but focuses more on expense management tools and offers 1.5% cash back on all spending.

These cards serve two purposes. First, they give you a functioning US business credit card immediately, which you can use for business expenses, subscriptions, and vendor payments. Second, some of these products report to business credit bureaus (Dun & Bradstreet, Experian Business), which builds your business credit profile separately from your personal credit. By the time you are ready to apply for premium personal guarantee cards at month 12, you have both a personal credit history and a business credit history working in your favor.

The key requirement for Brex and Ramp is demonstrable business activity. A newly formed LLC with $500 in a bank account will not qualify. You need either a healthy bank balance or several months of revenue flowing through your business account. This is why opening your bank account early and running real business transactions through it matters.

Step 7: Your First Premium Business Credit Card (Month 12+)

This is the milestone that most European founders are working toward. After approximately 12 months of building personal credit with a secured card and running your business through a US bank account, you are positioned to apply for premium business credit cards from the major issuers: Chase, American Express, and Capital One.

At 12 months with perfect payment history, your FICO score should be in the 680 to 720 range. This qualifies you for most business credit cards including the Chase Ink Business Preferred (100,000 point sign-up bonus), the Amex Business Gold (70,000 point sign-up bonus), and the Capital One Spark Miles (50,000 miles sign-up bonus). These cards require a personal guarantee, which is why your personal credit score needs to be at the qualifying threshold.

Your first premium card application is the most important one. Choose the card that aligns best with your spending patterns and travel goals. If you fly Star Alliance airlines (Lufthansa, United, Swiss, Austrian), the Chase Ink Business Preferred is the strongest choice because Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer to United. If you fly SkyTeam (KLM, Air France, Delta), the Amex Business Gold makes more sense because Amex Membership Rewards transfer to those carriers. If you want simplicity and flexibility, the Capital One Spark Miles card transfers to all three major alliances.

Once you are approved for your first premium card, the ecosystem opens up. You can apply for additional cards over time, each with its own sign-up bonus and category multipliers. Within 18 to 24 months of starting the process, many European founders hold 2 to 3 premium US business cards and earn enough points annually to cover most of their business travel. See our guide on travel hacking with business credit cards for strategies on maximizing those rewards.

Realistic Timeline and Costs

Here is what the full process looks like from start to finish, with realistic timelines and costs at each stage:

Timeline	Action	Cost
Month 1	Form US LLC (Wyoming or Florida)	$100 to $300 (state fees + registered agent)
Month 1	Apply for EIN (IRS Form SS-4 by fax)	Free
Month 1 to 2	Receive EIN (4 to 6 weeks processing)	n/a
Month 2	Open US business bank account (Mercury or Relay)	Free
Month 2	Apply for ITIN (Form W-7 via CAA)	$100 to $300 (CAA fee)
Month 3 to 4	Receive ITIN (7 to 11 weeks processing)	n/a
Month 4	Open secured personal credit card	$200 to $500 (refundable deposit)
Month 6	Apply for Brex or Ramp (no personal credit check)	Free
Month 6 to 12	Build credit history (perfect payments, low utilization)	n/a
Month 12+	Apply for premium business credit card (Chase, Amex, or Capital One)	$0 to $150 (annual fee)

Total out of pocket cost for the entire process: approximately $400 to $1,100, not counting the refundable secured card deposit. The secured card deposit is returned to you after you upgrade to an unsecured card, typically at the 12 month mark. Ongoing costs after the first year are limited to your LLC annual fee ($60 in Wyoming, $138.75 in Florida) and any credit card annual fees you choose to pay.

Some founders complete this process faster by combining steps. If you already have a US LLC or if you obtain an SSN through other means, you can skip the ITIN step entirely and start building credit immediately. Others take longer because of processing delays at the IRS or because they wait to accumulate business bank account activity before applying for cards. Twelve months is the realistic median for going from zero US presence to your first premium business credit card.