{"id":86611,"date":"2024-05-01T14:45:05","date_gmt":"2024-05-01T18:45:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/?post_type=rbc_my_money_matter&#038;p=86611"},"modified":"2025-10-17T15:43:53","modified_gmt":"2025-10-17T19:43:53","slug":"how-to-build-credit-in-the-u-s","status":"publish","type":"rbc_my_money_matter","link":"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/my-money-matters\/money-academy\/credit-and-borrowing\/understanding-credit-cards\/how-to-build-credit-in-the-u-s\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Build Credit in the U.S. \u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-rbc-single-article-header\">\n\t<section class=\"section-grey cover pad-t-hlf\">\n\t\t<div class=\"section-inner w-half w-mob-full centered-margin cover section-grey pad-tb-0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"inline-block pill-container pill-taxonomies\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"mar-b-hlf mob-mar-b snipe pill is-style-blue-pill\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"primary-taxonomy\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/my-money-matters\/topic\/credit-and-debt\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Credit and Debt<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<h1 class=\"mar-b-hlf mar-t-0 mob-pad-lr-hlf h2 has-black-color\">How to Build Credit in the U.S. \u00a0<\/h1><p class=\"mar-b-0 mob-pad-lr-hlf author-text\">By Royal Bank of Canada<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"featured-image-wrapper pos-rel\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"695\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2024\/05\/iStock-1416048929.jpg?quality=80\" class=\" cover-image  wp-post-image\" alt=\"Woman on a laptop\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2024\/05\/iStock-1416048929.jpg 2102w, https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2024\/05\/iStock-1416048929.jpg?resize=300,204 300w, https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2024\/05\/iStock-1416048929.jpg?resize=768,521 768w, https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2024\/05\/iStock-1416048929.jpg?resize=1024,695 1024w, https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2024\/05\/iStock-1416048929.jpg?resize=1536,1042 1536w, https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2024\/05\/iStock-1416048929.jpg?resize=2048,1389 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/section>\n\t<div class=\"article mar-t-dbl\">\n\t\t\t\t<section>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"section-inner socials-section\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"top-socials-bar mob-mar-b-hlf\">    <div class=\"social-links mob-mar-b-hlf mob-mar-t-hlf\">\n            <a class=\"social-button-wrapper sharing-custom sharing-email\" href=\"mailto:?subject=How to Build Credit in the U.S. \u00a0 &#038;body=Hi, I thought you might be interested in this article from RBC My Money Matters: https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/my-money-matters\/money-academy\/credit-and-borrowing\/understanding-credit-cards\/how-to-build-credit-in-the-u-s\/\">\n        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/plugins\/rbc-blocks\/assets\/img\/icons\/icon-email.svg\"\n          alt=\"envelope icon\">\n        <span>\n          Email        <\/span>\n      <\/a>\n      <div class=\"social-button-wrapper sharing-copy-wrapper\">\n        <button class=\"sharing-custom sharing-copy\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/my-money-matters\/money-academy\/credit-and-borrowing\/understanding-credit-cards\/how-to-build-credit-in-the-u-s\/\">\n          <img decoding=\"async\"\n            src=\"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/plugins\/rbc-blocks\/assets\/img\/icons\/icon-related.svg\"\n            alt=\"copy icon\">\n          <span id=\"sharing-copyUrl-Label\">\n            Copy URL          <\/span>\n        <\/button>\n        <input type=\"text\" class=\"sharing-copy-text\" aria-labelledby=\"sharing-copyUrl-Label\">\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"section-inner w-half w-mob-full centered-margin pad-tb-0 mob-mar-t-hlf mob-mar-b\">\n\t\t\t\t<p class=\"cover-pub-line text-xs mar-b-hlf\">Published May 1, 2024 \u2022 6 Min Read<\/p>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-rbc-section-block  pos-rel\" style=\"border-radius:0px\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-rbc-section-inner-block  section-inner w-half w-mob-full\" style=\"border-radius:0x\">\n<p>If you\u2019re a Canadian looking to spend time in the U.S. \u2013 either part-time, full-time or even temporarily \u2013 it\u2019s a good idea to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/my-money-matters\/goals-aspirations\/travel-and-cross-border\/buying-or-refinancing-a-us-property\/how-to-start-building-your-u-s-credit-as-a-canadian\/\" data-dig-id=\"LP-86611-4596e768\" data-dig-category=\"LP\" data-dig-action=\"link click\" data-dig-label=\"build a credit history\" class=\"rbc-link-format\">build a credit history<\/a> south of the border. Here\u2019s why it\u2019s important and how to get started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-why-build-credit-in-the-u-s\">Why build credit in the U.S.? &nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In the United States, as in Canada, a strong credit rating is a crucial element of your financial picture. While good credit can help you save money on everyday essentials such as insurance and a cell phone plan, the main advantage is that it makes it easier to borrow money. This is because a strong credit score signals to lenders that you are a trustworthy borrower and likely to pay money back on time.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, if you\u2019re looking to buy U.S. property down the road, qualifying for a mortgage becomes easier with a U.S. credit history. While some lenders will take your Canadian credit score into consideration when <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rbcbank.com\/cross-border\/us-mortgages.html?promo_name=ENT_Cross-Border_DNL&amp;promo_id=205185&amp;promo_position=body&amp;promo_creative=Why%20Canadians%20Should%20Consider%20Building%20a%20U.S.%20Credit%20History&amp;_gl=1*czwhm0*_ga*MTM4MTE5NDU0LjE2OTI4MjE2NTI.*_ga_89NPCTDXQR*MTY5NTI5OTI0OC40MzIuMS4xNjk1Mjk5NDE3LjUzLjAuMA..\" data-dig-id=\"LP-86611-f17a29a8\" data-dig-category=\"LP\" data-dig-action=\"link click\" data-dig-label=\"qualifying you for a mortgage\" class=\"rbc-link-format\">qualifying you for a mortgage<\/a>, a strong U.S. credit history may help make the mortgage application process smoother and might make it easier to qualify for a lower interest rate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-to-build-credit-in-the-u-s-in-5-steps\">How to build credit in the U.S. in 5 steps<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>So, how to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/my-money-matters\/goals-aspirations\/travel-and-cross-border\/buying-or-refinancing-a-us-property\/how-to-start-building-your-u-s-credit-as-a-canadian\/\" data-dig-id=\"LP-86611-d04bf78e\" data-dig-category=\"LP\" data-dig-action=\"link click\" data-dig-label=\"build credit in the U.S.\" class=\"rbc-link-format\">build credit in the U.S.<\/a>? Establishing a U.S. credit rating isn\u2019t difficult, but it does involve a few steps. As there are several different credit scoring models, or ways of calculating credit scores, it\u2019s wise to demonstrate solid money management in more than one way. Here are five steps you can take to build credit in the U.S. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-apply-for-a-social-security-number-ssn\">1. Apply for a Social Security Number (SSN)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You can apply for credit without an SSN. However, you\u2019ll need one to ensure your credit file is complete and reported accurately to the various credit bureaus in the U.S., which is what will ultimately enable you to build your credit history. For information on how to get your SSN, please visit the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ssa.gov\/forms\/\" target=\"_blank\" data-dig-id=\"LP-86611-e125f6da\" data-dig-category=\"LP\" data-dig-action=\"link click\" data-dig-label=\"Social Security Administration\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"rbc-link-format\">Social Security Administration<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re a not a U.S. citizen, you must be authorized to work in the U.S. to qualify for an SSN.&nbsp; If you\u2019re unable to get an SSN, you can apply for an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usa.gov\/itin\" target=\"_blank\" data-dig-id=\"LP-86611-08e9858a\" data-dig-category=\"LP\" data-dig-action=\"link click\" data-dig-label=\"Individual Taxpayer Identification Number\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"rbc-link-format\">Individual Taxpayer Identification Number<\/a> (ITIN), which is issued by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to non-U.S. citizens who do not have or are not eligible for a Social Security number. &nbsp;While credit bureaus don\u2019t use your ITIN as an identifier, you may be able to use it to apply for a line of credit, which can help get you on your way to building a credit history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-open-a-bank-account-in-the-u-s\">2. Open a bank account in the U.S. &nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Having a U.S. bank account may not directly affect your credit score but establishing a relationship with a U.S. bank can demonstrate financial responsibility and lead to an opportunity to apply for a U.S. credit card or line of credit.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re an RBC Royal Bank customer, this is easy to do, as you don\u2019t need to be a resident of the U.S. or have a U.S. address or Social Security number to open an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rbcbank.com\/cross-border\/us-bank-accounts.html\" data-dig-id=\"LP-86611-cb6e0b07\" data-dig-category=\"LP\" data-dig-action=\"link click\" data-dig-label=\"RBC Bank U.S. account\" class=\"rbc-link-format\">RBC Bank U.S. account<\/a> as a Canadian. To sign up for an account, you simply need to be 18 years or older, live in Canada or the U.S. and have a Social Insurance Number and government ID.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-apply-for-a-credit-card\">3. Apply for a credit card &nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A U.S. credit card is another great starting point on your path to establishing credit south of the border. As a Canadian, you can apply for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rbcbank.com\/cross-border\/us-credit-cards.html\" data-dig-id=\"LP-86611-b3e0e0ef\" data-dig-category=\"LP\" data-dig-action=\"link click\" data-dig-label=\"some U.S. credit cards\" class=\"rbc-link-format\">some U.S. credit cards<\/a> without a U.S. credit history, as your Canadian credit history can be used to qualify you.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another option is to get a secured credit card, where you provide a certain amount of money as a security deposit. The amount of your deposit is equal to your credit limit \u2013 so if you deposit $500, your limit is $500. Secured credit cards are typically easier to obtain than unsecured cards. Over time and after a pattern of solid repayment history, it\u2019s typical to be upgraded to an unsecured card.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-4-pay-your-credit-card-bill-on-time\">4. Pay your credit card bill on time<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The way in which a credit card can really help you build credit in the U.S. is by using it and making regular, on-time payments. Payment history is a key factor of your credit score, so as you make your payments on time, you\u2019ll build a positive credit history and open the door to qualifying for more credit \u2013 such as in the form of a loan or mortgage. If you miss a few payments, however, this behaviour will also be recorded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s also important to avoid letting debt accumulate, as one of the inputs in your credit score is your credit utilization ratio. This is the percentage of available credit you&#8217;re using on your credit cards and other lines of credit. It is used by lenders to help determine how well you&#8217;re managing your current debt. Maintaining a low credit utilization ratio can lead to a better credit score. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-5-pay-your-other-bills-on-time\">5. Pay your other bills on time &nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>While credit scores are largely based on how well you have handled debt like loans and credit cards, paying your other bills \u2013 such as your rent, utilities, internet and phone \u2013 is also a factor.&nbsp; Credit bureaus will see a consistent pattern of paying these bills, which can positively affect your credit history in the U.S. Don\u2019t have a U.S. phone or address? Consider getting a store or gas card to give yourself additional opportunities to prove your good credit behaviour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-to-check-your-u-s-credit-rating\">How to check your U.S. credit rating<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When your credit rating is established, you can request a free copy of your credit report from all three major credit reporting agencies in the U.S.: Equifax,<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> Experian,<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> and TransUnion.<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> You can also easily request your report online at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.annualcreditreport.com\/index.action\" target=\"_blank\" data-dig-id=\"LP-86611-1999a533\" data-dig-category=\"LP\" data-dig-action=\"link click\" data-dig-label=\"AnnualCreditReport.com\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"rbc-link-format\">AnnualCreditReport.com<\/a> or by calling 1-877-322-8228.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your credit rating affects many aspects of your life in the U.S. Building credit and maintaining a good rating can help you enjoy your U.S. lifestyle and provide homebuying and other opportunities (that require some borrowed funds) into the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns has-border-color has-grey-border-color is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\" style=\"border-width:1px\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"616\" height=\"411\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2023\/11\/1671819117114.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-79552\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2023\/11\/1671819117114.jpeg 616w, https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2023\/11\/1671819117114.jpeg?resize=300,200 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 616px) 100vw, 616px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading mar-l-hlf mar-t-hlf\" id=\"h-want-to-build-credit-in-the-u-s\">Want to build credit in the U.S.?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"mar-l-hlf\">Having three U.S. loan accounts is one requirement of building U.S. credit \u2013 a cross-border credit card counts as one.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons mar-b-hlf is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\"><div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-primary primary btn before mar-l-hlf\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rbcbank.com\/dms\/cross-border\/index-i-or.html?utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=organic&amp;utm_campaign=MMM\" data-dig-id=\"LP-86611-34c2ecc8\" data-dig-category=\"LP\" data-dig-action=\"button click\" data-dig-label=\"Learn More-https:\/\/www.rbcbank.com\/dms\/cross-border\/index-i-or.html?utm_source=Blog&amp;utm_medium=organic&amp;utm_campaign=MMM \">Learn More<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-rbc-rbc-default-collapsible\"><p><button class=\"collapse-toggle collapsed\" data-target=\"#collapse834a1009\" data-toggle=\"collapse\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"collapse834a1009\" data-dig-id=\"LP-57738-834a1009\" data-dig-category=\"LP\" data-dig-action=\"accordion closed\" action-closed=\"accordion closed\" action-opened=\"accordion open\" data-dig-label=\"Things our lawyers want you to know\"><span>Things our lawyers want you to know<\/span><span>Things our lawyers want you to know<\/span><\/button><\/p><div class=\"collapse-content collapse\" id=\"collapse834a1009\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-rbc-collapsible-inner-block collapse-inner\">\n<p>This article is intended as general information only and is not to be relied upon as constituting legal, financial or other professional advice. A professional advisor should be consulted regarding your specific situation. Information presented is believed to be factual and up-to-date but we do not guarantee its accuracy and it should not be regarded as a complete analysis of the subjects discussed. All expressions of opinion reflect the judgment of the authors as of the date of publication and are subject to change. No endorsement of any third parties or their advice, opinions, information, products or services is expressly given or implied by Royal Bank of Canada or any of its affiliates.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-tk-spacer id-f8e5790e-8d39-414c-a87b-599b4f9f3180\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/div>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center h5 mar-b\"><strong>Share This Article<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\t\t<div class=\"socials-block\">\n\t\t\t    <div class=\"social-links mob-mar-b-hlf mob-mar-t-hlf\">\n            <a class=\"social-button-wrapper sharing-custom sharing-email\" href=\"mailto:?subject=How to Build Credit in the U.S. \u00a0 &#038;body=Hi, I thought you might be interested in this article from RBC My Money Matters: https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/my-money-matters\/money-academy\/credit-and-borrowing\/understanding-credit-cards\/how-to-build-credit-in-the-u-s\/\">\n        <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/plugins\/rbc-blocks\/assets\/img\/icons\/icon-email.svg\"\n          alt=\"envelope icon\">\n        <span>\n          Email        <\/span>\n      <\/a>\n      <div class=\"social-button-wrapper sharing-copy-wrapper\">\n        <button class=\"sharing-custom sharing-copy\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/my-money-matters\/money-academy\/credit-and-borrowing\/understanding-credit-cards\/how-to-build-credit-in-the-u-s\/\">\n          <img decoding=\"async\"\n            src=\"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/plugins\/rbc-blocks\/assets\/img\/icons\/icon-related.svg\"\n            alt=\"copy icon\">\n          <span id=\"sharing-copyUrl-Label\">\n            Copy URL          <\/span>\n        <\/button>\n        <input type=\"text\" class=\"sharing-copy-text\" aria-labelledby=\"sharing-copyUrl-Label\">\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  \t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-block-tk-spacer id-7f484fef-4aab-458e-8109-db3c3d71f7f9\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/div>\n\t\n\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-rbc-single-post-topics related-topics-links\">\n\t\t\t\t<p class=\"h5 mar-r-hlf\">Topics:<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/my-money-matters\/topic\/credit-and-debt\/\" class=\"btn topic mar-t-0 mar-r-qtr mar-b-hlf\">Credit and Debt<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/my-money-matters\/topic\/cross-border\/\" class=\"btn topic mar-t-0 mar-r-qtr mar-b-hlf\">Cross-Border<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-rbc-section-block  pos-rel mob-pad-t-dbl\" style=\"border-radius:0px\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-rbc-section-inner-block  section-inner\" style=\"border-radius:0x\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading mar-b mob-mar-b-dbl mar-t-0\" id=\"h-read-this-next\">Read This Next<\/h2>\n\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"related-posts-type-2\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"related-post-list\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"grid-wpr eh-wpr\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class= 'grid-one-third grid-tb-full grid-mob-full mar-b'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<article class=\"col-wpr mar-b-0 mar-r-0 mar-l-0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"postcard-img-ctr post-card-image col-md-12 col-xs-6 mob-mar-b-0 pad-l-0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/11\/iStock-1057767656.jpg?quality=80&amp;w=1024\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/11\/iStock-1057767656.jpg 2121w, https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/11\/iStock-1057767656.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/11\/iStock-1057767656.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/11\/iStock-1057767656.jpg?resize=1024,683 1024w, https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/11\/iStock-1057767656.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/11\/iStock-1057767656.jpg?resize=2048,1365 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-details mob-mar-b-0 mob-mar-t-0 pad-r-0 col-md-12 col-xs-6\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"primary-taxonomy primary-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/my-money-matters\/money-academy\/credit-and-borrowing\/understanding-credit-cards\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tUnderstanding Credit Cards\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/my-money-matters\/money-academy\/credit-and-borrowing\/understanding-credit-cards\/should-you-increase-your-credit-card-limit\/\" class=\"card-title h4 mar-t-0\">Should You Increase Your Credit Card Limit?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class= 'grid-one-third grid-tb-full grid-mob-full mar-b'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<article class=\"col-wpr mar-b-0 mar-r-0 mar-l-0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"postcard-img-ctr post-card-image col-md-12 col-xs-6 mob-mar-b-0 pad-l-0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/04\/shutterstock_722608003_understanding-credit-card-balances.jpg?quality=80&amp;w=1024\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"women on mobile phone reviewing paper work to understand credit card balance transfers\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/04\/shutterstock_722608003_understanding-credit-card-balances.jpg 4901w, https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/04\/shutterstock_722608003_understanding-credit-card-balances.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/04\/shutterstock_722608003_understanding-credit-card-balances.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/04\/shutterstock_722608003_understanding-credit-card-balances.jpg?resize=1024,683 1024w, https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/04\/shutterstock_722608003_understanding-credit-card-balances.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/04\/shutterstock_722608003_understanding-credit-card-balances.jpg?resize=2048,1365 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-details mob-mar-b-0 mob-mar-t-0 pad-r-0 col-md-12 col-xs-6\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"primary-taxonomy primary-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/my-money-matters\/money-academy\/credit-and-borrowing\/understanding-credit-cards\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tUnderstanding Credit Cards\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/my-money-matters\/money-academy\/credit-and-borrowing\/understanding-credit-cards\/understanding-your-credit-card-balance\/\" class=\"card-title h4 mar-t-0\">Understanding Your Credit Card Balance\u00a0<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class= 'grid-one-third grid-tb-full grid-mob-full mar-b'>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<article class=\"col-wpr mar-b-0 mar-r-0 mar-l-0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"postcard-img-ctr post-card-image col-md-12 col-xs-6 mob-mar-b-0 pad-l-0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/05\/shutterstock_2515434207_Adv-of-having-a-credit-card.jpg?quality=80&amp;w=1024\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"3 females enjoying a coffee at a coffee shop while paying using her credit card\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/05\/shutterstock_2515434207_Adv-of-having-a-credit-card.jpg 7008w, https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/05\/shutterstock_2515434207_Adv-of-having-a-credit-card.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/05\/shutterstock_2515434207_Adv-of-having-a-credit-card.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/05\/shutterstock_2515434207_Adv-of-having-a-credit-card.jpg?resize=1024,683 1024w, https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/05\/shutterstock_2515434207_Adv-of-having-a-credit-card.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2025\/05\/shutterstock_2515434207_Adv-of-having-a-credit-card.jpg?resize=2048,1365 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-details mob-mar-b-0 mob-mar-t-0 pad-r-0 col-md-12 col-xs-6\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"primary-taxonomy primary-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/my-money-matters\/money-academy\/credit-and-borrowing\/understanding-credit-cards\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tUnderstanding Credit Cards\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/my-money-matters\/money-academy\/credit-and-borrowing\/understanding-credit-cards\/the-advantages-of-having-a-credit-card\/\" class=\"card-title h4 mar-t-0\">The Advantages of Having a Credit Card\u00a0<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<style class=\"advgb-styles-renderer\">\n\t\t.wp-block-tk-spacer.id-f8e5790e-8d39-414c-a87b-599b4f9f3180 {\n\t\theight: 96px;\n\t}\n\n\t@media ( max-width: 480px ) {\n\t\t.wp-block-tk-spacer.id-f8e5790e-8d39-414c-a87b-599b4f9f3180 {\n\t\t\theight: 30px;\n\t\t}\n\t}\t\n\t\t.wp-block-tk-spacer.id-7f484fef-4aab-458e-8109-db3c3d71f7f9 {\n\t\theight: 60px;\n\t}\n\n\t@media ( max-width: 480px ) {\n\t\t.wp-block-tk-spacer.id-7f484fef-4aab-458e-8109-db3c3d71f7f9 {\n\t\t\theight: 30px;\n\t\t}\n\t}\t<\/style>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Looking to stay, study or work in the U.S.? See why it\u2019s a good idea to build a credit history and discover 5 steps to get started. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":80,"featured_media":86612,"parent":85747,"menu_order":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"advgb_blocks_editor_width":"","advgb_blocks_columns_visual_guide":"","footnotes":""},"tags":[510,528],"rbc_content_type":[31],"rbc_audience":[59,39,93,49,61],"rbc_lob_group":[122],"rbc_difficulty_level":[33],"rbc_mmm_category":[319,303,304,311,345,569],"class_list":["post-86611","rbc_my_money_matter","type-rbc_my_money_matter","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-credit-and-debt","tag-cross-border","rbc_content_type-article","rbc_audience-newcomer","rbc_audience-parents","rbc_audience-seniors","rbc_audience-students","rbc_audience-youth","rbc_lob_group-cross-border","rbc_difficulty_level-beginner","rbc_mmm_category-credit-and-borrowing","rbc_mmm_category-goals-aspirations","rbc_mmm_category-money-academy","rbc_mmm_category-travel-and-cross-border","rbc_mmm_category-travelling-and-shopping-in-the-us","rbc_mmm_category-understanding-credit-cards"],"acf":{"contently_publication_id":"","custom_author":"Royal Bank of Canada","rbc_video_header":"","rbc_media_duration":"","rbc_video_keywords":"","rbc_video_description":"","rbc_video_upload_date":"","rbc_toc_for_mmm_tag":"h2","rbc_toc_for_mmm_limit":6,"rbc_toc_for_mmm":null,"rbc_toc_for_mmm_action":"Generate Table Of Contents"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.4 (Yoast SEO v27.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Looking to stay, study or work in the U.S.? See why it\u2019s a good idea to build a credit history and discover 5 steps to get started.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/my-money-matters\/money-academy\/credit-and-borrowing\/understanding-credit-cards\/how-to-build-credit-in-the-u-s\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Looking to stay, study or work in the U.S.? See why it\u2019s a good idea to build a credit history and discover 5 steps to get started.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/my-money-matters\/money-academy\/credit-and-borrowing\/understanding-credit-cards\/how-to-build-credit-in-the-u-s\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"RBC Royal Bank\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-10-17T19:43:53+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2024\/05\/iStock-1416048929.jpg?quality=80\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2102\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1426\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\\\/en-ca\\\/my-money-matters\\\/money-academy\\\/credit-and-borrowing\\\/understanding-credit-cards\\\/how-to-build-credit-in-the-u-s\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\\\/en-ca\\\/my-money-matters\\\/money-academy\\\/credit-and-borrowing\\\/understanding-credit-cards\\\/how-to-build-credit-in-the-u-s\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"jacquelinewu\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\\\/en-ca\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/d055d46e444faf6863d781f24c107a5e\"},\"headline\":\"How to Build Credit in the U.S. \u00a0\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-05-01T18:45:05+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-10-17T19:43:53+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\\\/en-ca\\\/my-money-matters\\\/money-academy\\\/credit-and-borrowing\\\/understanding-credit-cards\\\/how-to-build-credit-in-the-u-s\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1098,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\\\/en-ca\\\/my-money-matters\\\/money-academy\\\/credit-and-borrowing\\\/understanding-credit-cards\\\/how-to-build-credit-in-the-u-s\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\\\/en-ca\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/12\\\/2024\\\/05\\\/iStock-1416048929.jpg?quality=80\",\"keywords\":[\"Credit and Debt\",\"Cross-Border\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\\\/en-ca\\\/my-money-matters\\\/money-academy\\\/credit-and-borrowing\\\/understanding-credit-cards\\\/how-to-build-credit-in-the-u-s\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\\\/en-ca\\\/my-money-matters\\\/money-academy\\\/credit-and-borrowing\\\/understanding-credit-cards\\\/how-to-build-credit-in-the-u-s\\\/\",\"name\":\"How to Build Credit in the U.S. \u2013 RBC Royal Bank\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\\\/en-ca\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\\\/en-ca\\\/my-money-matters\\\/money-academy\\\/credit-and-borrowing\\\/understanding-credit-cards\\\/how-to-build-credit-in-the-u-s\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\\\/en-ca\\\/my-money-matters\\\/money-academy\\\/credit-and-borrowing\\\/understanding-credit-cards\\\/how-to-build-credit-in-the-u-s\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\\\/en-ca\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/12\\\/2024\\\/05\\\/iStock-1416048929.jpg?quality=80\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-05-01T18:45:05+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-10-17T19:43:53+00:00\",\"description\":\"Looking to stay, study or work in the U.S.? See why it\u2019s a good idea to build a credit history and discover 5 steps to get started.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\\\/en-ca\\\/my-money-matters\\\/money-academy\\\/credit-and-borrowing\\\/understanding-credit-cards\\\/how-to-build-credit-in-the-u-s\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\\\/en-ca\\\/my-money-matters\\\/money-academy\\\/credit-and-borrowing\\\/understanding-credit-cards\\\/how-to-build-credit-in-the-u-s\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\\\/en-ca\\\/my-money-matters\\\/money-academy\\\/credit-and-borrowing\\\/understanding-credit-cards\\\/how-to-build-credit-in-the-u-s\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\\\/en-ca\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/12\\\/2024\\\/05\\\/iStock-1416048929.jpg?quality=80\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\\\/en-ca\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/12\\\/2024\\\/05\\\/iStock-1416048929.jpg?quality=80\",\"width\":2102,\"height\":1426,\"caption\":\"Woman working on laptop online, checking emails and planning on the internet while sitting in an office alone at work. Business woman, corporate professional or manager searching the internet\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\\\/en-ca\\\/my-money-matters\\\/money-academy\\\/credit-and-borrowing\\\/understanding-credit-cards\\\/how-to-build-credit-in-the-u-s\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"My Money Matters\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\\\/en-ca\\\/my-money-matters\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Money Academy\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\\\/en-ca\\\/my-money-matters\\\/money-academy\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Credit and Borrowing\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\\\/en-ca\\\/my-money-matters\\\/money-academy\\\/credit-and-borrowing\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":4,\"name\":\"Understanding Credit Cards\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\\\/en-ca\\\/my-money-matters\\\/money-academy\\\/credit-and-borrowing\\\/understanding-credit-cards\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":5,\"name\":\"How to Build Credit in the U.S. \u00a0\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\\\/en-ca\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\\\/en-ca\\\/\",\"name\":\"RBC Royal Bank\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\\\/en-ca\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\\\/en-ca\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/d055d46e444faf6863d781f24c107a5e\",\"name\":\"jacquelinewu\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/3321e8136810c69188cc4e33665518d781482ff9e3a346484c2892fdffef6ded?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/3321e8136810c69188cc4e33665518d781482ff9e3a346484c2892fdffef6ded?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/3321e8136810c69188cc4e33665518d781482ff9e3a346484c2892fdffef6ded?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"jacquelinewu\"}}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"description":"Looking to stay, study or work in the U.S.? See why it\u2019s a good idea to build a credit history and discover 5 steps to get started.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/my-money-matters\/money-academy\/credit-and-borrowing\/understanding-credit-cards\/how-to-build-credit-in-the-u-s\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_description":"Looking to stay, study or work in the U.S.? See why it\u2019s a good idea to build a credit history and discover 5 steps to get started.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/my-money-matters\/money-academy\/credit-and-borrowing\/understanding-credit-cards\/how-to-build-credit-in-the-u-s\/","og_site_name":"RBC Royal Bank","article_modified_time":"2025-10-17T19:43:53+00:00","og_image":[{"width":2102,"height":1426,"url":"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2024\/05\/iStock-1416048929.jpg?quality=80","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/my-money-matters\/money-academy\/credit-and-borrowing\/understanding-credit-cards\/how-to-build-credit-in-the-u-s\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/my-money-matters\/money-academy\/credit-and-borrowing\/understanding-credit-cards\/how-to-build-credit-in-the-u-s\/"},"author":{"name":"jacquelinewu","@id":"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/#\/schema\/person\/d055d46e444faf6863d781f24c107a5e"},"headline":"How to Build Credit in the U.S. \u00a0","datePublished":"2024-05-01T18:45:05+00:00","dateModified":"2025-10-17T19:43:53+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/my-money-matters\/money-academy\/credit-and-borrowing\/understanding-credit-cards\/how-to-build-credit-in-the-u-s\/"},"wordCount":1098,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/my-money-matters\/money-academy\/credit-and-borrowing\/understanding-credit-cards\/how-to-build-credit-in-the-u-s\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2024\/05\/iStock-1416048929.jpg?quality=80","keywords":["Credit and Debt","Cross-Border"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/my-money-matters\/money-academy\/credit-and-borrowing\/understanding-credit-cards\/how-to-build-credit-in-the-u-s\/","url":"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/my-money-matters\/money-academy\/credit-and-borrowing\/understanding-credit-cards\/how-to-build-credit-in-the-u-s\/","name":"How to Build Credit in the U.S. \u2013 RBC Royal Bank","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/my-money-matters\/money-academy\/credit-and-borrowing\/understanding-credit-cards\/how-to-build-credit-in-the-u-s\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/my-money-matters\/money-academy\/credit-and-borrowing\/understanding-credit-cards\/how-to-build-credit-in-the-u-s\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2024\/05\/iStock-1416048929.jpg?quality=80","datePublished":"2024-05-01T18:45:05+00:00","dateModified":"2025-10-17T19:43:53+00:00","description":"Looking to stay, study or work in the U.S.? See why it\u2019s a good idea to build a credit history and discover 5 steps to get started.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/my-money-matters\/money-academy\/credit-and-borrowing\/understanding-credit-cards\/how-to-build-credit-in-the-u-s\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/my-money-matters\/money-academy\/credit-and-borrowing\/understanding-credit-cards\/how-to-build-credit-in-the-u-s\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/my-money-matters\/money-academy\/credit-and-borrowing\/understanding-credit-cards\/how-to-build-credit-in-the-u-s\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2024\/05\/iStock-1416048929.jpg?quality=80","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2024\/05\/iStock-1416048929.jpg?quality=80","width":2102,"height":1426,"caption":"Woman working on laptop online, checking emails and planning on the internet while sitting in an office alone at work. Business woman, corporate professional or manager searching the internet"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/my-money-matters\/money-academy\/credit-and-borrowing\/understanding-credit-cards\/how-to-build-credit-in-the-u-s\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"My Money Matters","item":"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/my-money-matters\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Money Academy","item":"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/my-money-matters\/money-academy\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Credit and Borrowing","item":"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/my-money-matters\/money-academy\/credit-and-borrowing\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Understanding Credit Cards","item":"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/my-money-matters\/money-academy\/credit-and-borrowing\/understanding-credit-cards\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":5,"name":"How to Build Credit in the U.S. \u00a0"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/","name":"RBC Royal Bank","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/#\/schema\/person\/d055d46e444faf6863d781f24c107a5e","name":"jacquelinewu","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/3321e8136810c69188cc4e33665518d781482ff9e3a346484c2892fdffef6ded?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/3321e8136810c69188cc4e33665518d781482ff9e3a346484c2892fdffef6ded?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/3321e8136810c69188cc4e33665518d781482ff9e3a346484c2892fdffef6ded?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"jacquelinewu"}}]}},"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/my-money-matters\/money-academy\/credit-and-borrowing\/understanding-credit-cards\/how-to-build-credit-in-the-u-s\/","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"How to Build Credit in the U.S. \u00a0","url":"http:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/my-money-matters\/money-academy\/credit-and-borrowing\/understanding-credit-cards\/how-to-build-credit-in-the-u-s\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/my-money-matters\/money-academy\/credit-and-borrowing\/understanding-credit-cards\/how-to-build-credit-in-the-u-s\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2024\/05\/iStock-1416048929.jpg?quality=80&w=150&h=150&crop=1","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2024\/05\/iStock-1416048929.jpg?quality=80"},"articleSection":"Uncategorized","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"jacquelinewu"}],"creator":["jacquelinewu"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"RBC Royal Bank","logo":""},"keywords":["credit and debt","cross-border"],"dateCreated":"2024-05-01T18:45:05Z","datePublished":"2024-05-01T18:45:05Z","dateModified":"2025-10-17T19:43:53Z"},"rendered":"<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"wp-parsely-metadata\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"NewsArticle\",\"headline\":\"How to Build Credit in the U.S. \\u00a0\",\"url\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\\\/en-ca\\\/my-money-matters\\\/money-academy\\\/credit-and-borrowing\\\/understanding-credit-cards\\\/how-to-build-credit-in-the-u-s\\\/\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\\\/en-ca\\\/my-money-matters\\\/money-academy\\\/credit-and-borrowing\\\/understanding-credit-cards\\\/how-to-build-credit-in-the-u-s\\\/\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\\\/en-ca\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/12\\\/2024\\\/05\\\/iStock-1416048929.jpg?quality=80&w=150&h=150&crop=1\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\\\/en-ca\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/12\\\/2024\\\/05\\\/iStock-1416048929.jpg?quality=80\"},\"articleSection\":\"Uncategorized\",\"author\":[{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"jacquelinewu\"}],\"creator\":[\"jacquelinewu\"],\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"RBC Royal Bank\",\"logo\":\"\"},\"keywords\":[\"credit and debt\",\"cross-border\"],\"dateCreated\":\"2024-05-01T18:45:05Z\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-05-01T18:45:05Z\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-10-17T19:43:53Z\"}<\/script>","tracker_url":"https:\/\/cdn.parsely.com\/keys\/rbcroyalbank.com\/p.js"},"featured_img":"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/12\/2024\/05\/iStock-1416048929.jpg?quality=80&w=1024","coauthors":[],"author_meta":{"author_link":"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/author\/jacquelinewu\/","display_name":"jacquelinewu"},"relative_dates":{"created":"Posted 2 years ago","modified":"Updated 7 months ago"},"absolute_dates":{"created":"Posted on May 1, 2024","modified":"Updated on October 17, 2025"},"absolute_dates_time":{"created":"Posted on May 1, 2024 2:45 pm","modified":"Updated on October 17, 2025 3:43 pm"},"featured_img_caption":"Woman working on laptop online, checking emails and planning on the internet while sitting in an office alone at work. Business woman, corporate professional or manager searching the internet","tax_additional":{"post_tag":{"linked":["<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/my-money-matters\/topic\/credit-and-debt\/\" class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Credit and Debt<\/a>","<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/my-money-matters\/topic\/cross-border\/\" class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Cross-Border<\/a>"],"unlinked":["<span class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Credit and Debt<\/span>","<span class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Cross-Border<\/span>"],"slug":"post_tag","name":"Tags"},"rbc_content_type":{"linked":["<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/content-type\/article\/\" class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Article<\/a>"],"unlinked":["<span class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Article<\/span>"],"slug":"rbc_content_type","name":"Content Types"},"rbc_audience":{"linked":["<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/audience\/newcomer\/\" class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Newcomer<\/a>","<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/audience\/parents\/\" class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Parents<\/a>","<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/audience\/seniors\/\" class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Seniors<\/a>","<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/audience\/students\/\" class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Students<\/a>","<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/audience\/youth\/\" class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Youth<\/a>"],"unlinked":["<span class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Newcomer<\/span>","<span class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Parents<\/span>","<span class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Seniors<\/span>","<span class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Students<\/span>","<span class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Youth<\/span>"],"slug":"rbc_audience","name":"Audiences"},"rbc_lob_group":{"linked":["<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/lob-group\/cross-border\/\" class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Cross-Border<\/a>"],"unlinked":["<span class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Cross-Border<\/span>"],"slug":"rbc_lob_group","name":"LOB Groups"},"rbc_difficulty_level":{"linked":["<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/difficulty-level\/beginner\/\" class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Beginner<\/a>"],"unlinked":["<span class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Beginner<\/span>"],"slug":"rbc_difficulty_level","name":"Difficulty Levels"},"rbc_mmm_category":{"linked":["<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/mmm-category\/credit-and-borrowing\/\" class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Credit and Borrowing<\/a>","<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/mmm-category\/goals-aspirations\/\" class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Goals &amp; Aspirations<\/a>","<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/mmm-category\/money-academy\/\" class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Money Academy<\/a>","<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/mmm-category\/travel-and-cross-border\/\" class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Travel and Cross Border<\/a>","<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/mmm-category\/travelling-and-shopping-in-the-us\/\" class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Travelling and Shopping in the US<\/a>","<a href=\"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/mmm-category\/understanding-credit-cards\/\" class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Understanding Credit Cards<\/a>"],"unlinked":["<span class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Credit and Borrowing<\/span>","<span class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Goals &amp; Aspirations<\/span>","<span class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Money Academy<\/span>","<span class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Travel and Cross Border<\/span>","<span class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Travelling and Shopping in the US<\/span>","<span class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Understanding Credit Cards<\/span>"],"slug":"rbc_mmm_category","name":"Categories"},"ep_custom_result":{"linked":[],"unlinked":[],"slug":"ep_custom_result","name":"Custom Results"}},"series_order":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"primary_tag":"510","primary_rbc_mmm_category":"569","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rbc_my_money_matter\/86611","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rbc_my_money_matter"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rbc_my_money_matter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/80"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rbc_my_money_matter\/86611\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":95827,"href":"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rbc_my_money_matter\/86611\/revisions\/95827"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rbc_my_money_matter\/85747"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/86612"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=86611"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=86611"},{"taxonomy":"rbc_content_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rbc_content_type?post=86611"},{"taxonomy":"rbc_audience","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rbc_audience?post=86611"},{"taxonomy":"rbc_lob_group","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rbc_lob_group?post=86611"},{"taxonomy":"rbc_difficulty_level","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rbc_difficulty_level?post=86611"},{"taxonomy":"rbc_mmm_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rbcroyalbank.com\/en-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rbc_mmm_category?post=86611"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}