How International Student-Athletes Can Get a Copy of Their US Credit Report
Credit Reports for International Students:
Can You Get a Copy of Your U.S. Credit Report?
Not every international student has a U.S. credit report. This guide will help you determine whether you have one and, if so, how to obtain it.
Step 1: Do You Have a U.S. Credit History?
Ask yourself:
Have I ever had a U.S. credit card?
Have I ever had a car loan?
Have I ever had another loan that reports to the U.S. credit bureaus?
If you answered "No" to all of these questions, you probably do not have a U.S. credit report yet.
Step 2: Determine Which Identification Number You Have
You will generally need one of these:
Social Security Number (SSN)
OR
Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN)
If you have neither, you most likely do not have a U.S. credit report.
Step 3: Go to the Official Website
Visit: https://www.annualcreditreport.com
This is the only federally authorized website for obtaining your free credit reports from:
Experian
Equifax
TransUnion
Step 4: Complete the Identity Verification Process
Enter your personal information exactly as it appears on your financial accounts.
You may be asked for:
Your name
Date of birth
Current address
Previous address
SSN or ITIN
The credit bureau will also ask security questions to verify your identity.
Step 5: View or Download Your Credit Report
If your identity is successfully verified, you can view and save your credit report.
Review it for:
Your personal information is correct.
All of your accounts belong to you.
Payments are reported accurately.
There are no accounts you don't recognize.
If the Website Cannot Verify Your Identity
Don't panic.
This is common for international students who have recently begun building credit.
Try these steps:
Visit each credit bureau's website and request your report directly::
Experian: https://www.experian.com
Equifax: https://www.equifax.com
TransUnion: https://www.transunion.com
Contact your bank or credit card company and ask:
Which credit bureau(s) do you report my account to?
Has my account been reported yet?
If your account is very new, it may take one to three months before it appears on your credit report.
If you still cannot obtain your report, contact the credit bureau directly. They may ask for additional documents to verify your identity.
If You Receive a Message Saying No Credit Report Was Found
This usually means one of the following:
You have never opened a credit account in the United States.
Your lender has not yet reported your account.
Your information could not be matched.
Having an SSN or ITIN does not automatically create a credit report.
You must first establish credit with a lender that reports your payment history to the credit bureaus.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
Yes.
Many international students build credit using an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN).
-
No.
An ITIN is simply an identification number for tax purposes.
You must still open credit accounts that report to the credit bureaus before a credit history can be created.
-
Start building one.
Many banks offer credit cards or secured credit cards for international students. Make your payments on time every month and your credit history will begin to grow.
