Can international students or immigrants get a U.S. credit card without an SSN?

Yes. Major U.S. card issuers provide sanctioned pathways for foreign nationals, international students (F-1/J-1 visas), and new immigrants: (1) An Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN): Banks like Capital One, Citi, and American Express accept an ITIN in place of an SSN. (2) Passport & Visa Verification: Capital One and Discover allow international students to apply with an active foreign passport and I-20 documentation. (3) International Credit History Transfer: American Express partners with Nova Credit to import your foreign credit history from countries like Canada, the UK, India, Mexico, and Australia to approve you for a U.S. card on day one without prior U.S. credit. (4) Secured Credit Builders: Secured cards like OpenSky Plus require no credit check and no SSN.