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Banking & credit
Open a bank account (with or without an SSN), get your first credit card, and start building a U.S. credit history.
Open a U.S. bank account
What documents a bank actually requires, how to open an account without a Social Security number, and which fees to avoid.
Build a U.S. credit history from zero
Why your credit history does not travel with you, and the fastest honest way to build one in the first year.
Scams that target new immigrants
The five approaches that account for most losses, the rules that make all of them easy to spot, and what to do in the first hour after paying.
Official links · Banking & credit
Select a state to see the offices and websites that apply to you.
- Find an FDIC-insured bankbanks.data.fdic.govNationwideChecked Aug 14, 2026
- Find a credit union you can joinmapping.ncua.govNationwideChecked Aug 14, 2026
- Get your free credit reportannualcreditreport.comNationwideChecked Aug 14, 2026
- File a complaint against a bank (CFPB)consumerfinance.govNationwideChecked Aug 14, 2026
- How car loans work, and what to watch forconsumerfinance.govNationwideChecked Aug 14, 2026