You can try American Express by phone and Bank of America in person with your ITIN, but I cannot verify an issuer that promises an ITIN-only sole-proprietor business card without a tax-return request and with instant approval.
“I have an established US credit history but only an ITIN, no SSN. Which issuers accept ITINs for business credit card applications as a sole proprietor without routinely requiring extensive business documentation like tax returns, and ideally offer instant approval?”
Summary
Your lack of an SSN does not make every inquiry pointless: there are phone and in-person business-card leads worth trying. The honest limit is that the published issuer pages do not verify the full combination you want—ITIN acceptance, no substantial document request, and instant approval.
The practical choice is between two conditional application leads and two popular online options whose own issuer guidance points to an SSN requirement.
A [business-card comparison guide](https://www.nerdwallet.com/business/credit-cards/learn/business-credit-card-without-ssn) identifies American Express as an ITIN-accepting issuer. [Amex](https://www.americanexpress.com/en-us/business/trends-and-insights/articles/is-a-business-credit-card-right-for-your-business) says a may qualify, and it offers a [small-business-card phone application](https://www.americanexpress.com/us/credit-cards/business/business-credit-cards/). This is your most direct route to request an application using your , **not** a verified promise that Amex will accept it in place of an SSN; Amex may request documents or issue a pending decision.
The [comparison guide](https://www.nerdwallet.com/business/credit-cards/learn/business-credit-card-without-ssn) lists Bank of America for ITIN business-card applicants but says they cannot apply online. [Bank of America’s own guide](https://business.bankofamerica.com/en/resources/how-do-i-get-a-business-credit-card) provides an in-person business-card application route. Treat the branch as a second place to request an ITIN-based application, not as confirmed approval or a paperwork waiver.
Despite its appearance on the comparison guide’s ITIN list, [Chase’s issuer guidance](https://www.chase.com/personal/credit-cards/education/basics/business-card-with-no-ssn) says Chase requires an in its application process. For your no-SSN profile, its published business-card route is not one to rely on.
[Capital One](https://www.capitalone.com/small-business/credit-cards/spark-cash) advertises a decision in seconds for Spark Cash but also instructs applicants to provide all business owners’ SSNs. Its [ITIN statement about personal secured cards](https://www.capitalone.com/learn-grow/money-management/credit-cards-for-immigrants) does not change the Spark business-card instructions.
An editorial ITIN-issuer list is a lead, not a promise that a particular issuer will accept your application or waive verification.
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Watch out for
Next steps
These steps let you pursue the two leads without mistaking a quick-decision advertisement for ITIN eligibility.
Before applying
Gather your personal and business details
Prepare truthful information about yourself and your sole-proprietor business. Amex says it may request business documents, including bank statements; neither issuer source establishes a routine tax-return requirement or a guaranteed exemption from one. Do not enter an ITIN into a field expressly requiring an SSN without the issuer confirming that its application accepts it.
Requirements
First lead
Call American Express about a business-card application
Call American Express Small Business Cards at 1-800-519-6736 and request a sole-proprietor business-card application using your ITIN rather than an SSN. Its [business-card guidance](https://www.americanexpress.com/en-us/business/trends-and-insights/articles/is-a-business-credit-card-right-for-your-business) says sole proprietors may qualify, but documents can be requested and a decision can remain pending; published guidance does not confirm that this phone channel will accept your ITIN.
Requirements
Second lead
Apply in person at Bank of America if needed
Find a Bank of America location at https://bankerlocator.bankofamerica.com/ and request an in-person sole-proprietor business-card application using your ITIN. [Bank of America](https://business.bankofamerica.com/en/resources/how-do-i-get-a-business-credit-card) describes in-person applications; the [ITIN comparison guide](https://www.nerdwallet.com/business/credit-cards/learn/business-credit-card-without-ssn) says its ITIN route cannot be completed online. Neither source guarantees acceptance, a documents waiver, or an instant decision.
Requirements
Legal sources
This answer uses the IRS and FinCEN’s rules, the issuers’ own application guidance, and a separately identified comparison guide for unconfirmed ITIN leads.
NerdWallet ITIN business-card guide
This secondary guide names American Express as an ITIN business-card lead; it does not override Amex’s application requirements.
American Express.
NerdWallet ITIN business-card guide
This secondary guide identifies Bank of America as an ITIN lead and says its ITIN route is not online.
Bank of America (cannot apply online).
American Express business-card application guidance
Amex does not require the applicant to have a corporation to potentially qualify for a business card.
You could also qualify for a business credit card if you’re operating as a sole proprietor.
American Express business-card application guidance
Amex describes business-document submission as something it may request, not a promise that documents will never be needed.
Be prepared to provide copies of certain business documents, if requested, such as your business license, formation documents, bank statements, etc.
American Express business-card application guidance
An Amex application can receive an instant decision or go into further review.
Depending on the issuer and your credentials, you may receive an instant decision or your application may go into pending status if the issuer requires further review.
American Express small-business-card application page
Amex offers a phone channel for small-business-card applications.
Apply for a Small Business Card today by phone.
Bank of America business-card application guide
Bank of America identifies an in-person route for completing a business-card application.
Then you’ll need to gather the information that the lender requests about your business and complete an application online or in person.
Chase business-card application guidance
Chase’s own guidance conflicts with the secondary list for an applicant who has no SSN.
For instance, Chase Bank requires applicants to provide an SSN during the application process.
Capital One Spark Cash application guidance
Spark Cash’s business-owner information requirement is a barrier for an ITIN-only owner.
You'll need to know legal names, addresses and SSNs for all business owners.
Capital One Spark Cash application guidance
Spark Cash’s advertised fast decision does not remove its separately stated owner-SSN requirement.
It takes about 10 minutes to apply and you'll get a decision in seconds.
Capital One credit-cards-for-immigrants guide
Capital One’s explicit ITIN statement concerns the two personal secured cards discussed on that page, not Spark Cash.
You can apply for both cards with an ITIN.
IRS Individual Taxpayer Identification Number guidance
The IRS defines the limited purpose of an ITIN.
An ITIN is issued by the IRS for federal tax purposes only.
IRS Individual Taxpayer Identification Number guidance
The IRS expressly excludes work authorization from what an ITIN provides.
Authorize you to work legally in the U.S.
FinCEN Customer Identification Program TIN Exemption Order
A federal identification-rule exemption allowing alternative TIN collection is optional for banks; it is not an applicant’s entitlement to a particular application route.
The use of this exemption by banks is optional; banks are not required to use an alternative collection method for TIN information.
American Express Instant Card Number guidance
An instant card number follows approval; it is not itself a promise of an instant credit decision.
Instant Card Number by American Express provides eligible Card Members access to their Card Number after approval for digital use prior to physical Card delivery.
These are the issuer and official rules as published on the cited dates; rules and application practices can change.
This is general information about official processes, not legal advice, and SettleKit is not a law firm.
Related answers
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