New to the US? Our top 3 tips to boost your score
Starting a credit file from zero feels unfair, and everyone who moves here goes through it. Here is what works, in the order it works.
Get the steps for your situation
Pick the line below that sounds like you. Answer two or three questions, and we show you the steps that fit where you are right now.
What's a credit score anyway?
Official definition
"A prediction of your credit behavior, such as how likely you are to pay a loan back on time, based on information from your credit reports."
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, consumerfinance.gov1
Good vs bad scores
Credit scores go from 300 to 850. If you are new to the US, those numbers mean nothing yet. Here is who sits in each range.
| Range | Who is in this range |
|---|---|
| 300–579 (Poor) | People with missed payments, an account sent to collections, or a bankruptcy on file. Most lenders say no, or ask for a large deposit. |
| 580–669 (Fair) | Americans with a few late payments or cards near their limit. Most lenders will still approve you, but at higher rates and with bigger deposits. |
| 670–739 (Good) | The US average FICO Score was 713 at the end of 2025, so this band is the middle of the country.2 Enough for most cards and a mortgage, though not at the best rates. |
| 740–799 (Very Good)You after 6 months, but with good habits | Where financially successful Americans regularly land. This is where the best rates, no deposits, and the easiest approvals begin. |
| 800–850 (Exceptional) | The smallest group of Americans sits here. Getting to this band takes years of on-time payments and low balances. There is no shortcut into it.3 |
To get a score, you need to thicken your credit file
Banks and landlords can still refuse to give you a score even after your first credit card. They look at how many credit accounts you have and how long you have had them. A newcomer counts as a “thin file”, and a thin file gets no score.
No US-wide rule says how thin a thin file is, which leads to a strange split. Credit apps like Credit Karma are more relaxed and will already show you a score. Landlords, leasing companies and lenders often want around six months of history first, and until then they will tell you that you have no credit score.4
No official body counts the accounts for you. FICO does publish the one hard rule it uses, and that is the best reference you have:
Thin file
- No account open for six months yet1
- Nothing reported to that bureau in the last six months2
Thick file
- An account open for six months or longer1
- Activity reported to that bureau in the last six months2
WHERE TO NEXT
Build a thicker credit file.
Answer a few questions and get a plan for opening the right credit accounts for your situation.
What makes a good score?
The credit scoring system is confusing
There is no single official credit score. FICO and VantageScore each publish several versions, and the lender picks which one to use. So it helps to see the whole chain: who reports your credit data, and how it becomes a number.
We have broken it down in this walkthrough:
Five factors make up your credit score
Different scores weigh different data points differently. You will most often see the below split, based on the “FICO 8” score, one of the most important and representative scores. Other scores may weigh differently, but the basic principles are the same.1
Where to next
Now apply this to your own situation.
Answer a few questions and get a plan built for your situation. Or read about SettleKit first if you want to know who we are.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Probably not yet. FICO needs six months of US credit history before it will produce a score at all. If you have not opened a US credit account, there is nothing on file to score. See the three options at the top to get started.
No. Having an SSN doesn't create a credit file. You only get a score once an institution (usually your first credit card issuer) reports your activity to the credit bureaus.
Yes. A card opened with an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) builds a real credit file. Pull your free annual report at AnnualCreditReport.com to see what's on it.
It's the difference between FICO and VantageScore. FICO needs about 6 months of credit history before it can generate a score. VantageScore can produce one almost immediately. Different apps use different scoring models.
Use the free annual report from each of the three credit bureaus at AnnualCreditReport.com. It shows exactly what's on file. Then match what you see to the three situation cards at the top.
No. Your home-country credit history doesn't transfer. Your US credit file starts from zero. (See the three options at the top for one workaround.)
This guide is based on publicly available research and is intended for general informational purposes only. It is not financial or legal advice. Credit scoring practices, eligibility, and program terms vary by lender and can change over time. For free help from a nonprofit credit counselor, start with the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) at nfcc.org.
Sources used in this guide: