Before you start

Passport, with visa and I-94 if applicable
A US residential address
An SSN or ITIN if you have one; a passport number if not
An opening deposit, which varies by bank

Step-by-step

1
Open a checking account in branch
Bring your passport, Massachusetts address and SSN or ITIN if issued. Federal Customer Identification Program rules explicitly permit a passport number and country of issuance instead of a taxpayer number for non-US persons. Boston branches near the universities handle this constantly.
In personWho: YouWeek 1
2
Mention a pending ITIN if you have no SSN
Banks may open accounts for people who have applied for but not yet received an ITIN. File IRS Form W-7 and keep the receipt; raising it can pull your banking forward by weeks.
In personWho: You
3
Ask your university or employer about a banking partner
Boston's universities and teaching hospitals bring in thousands of international staff and students a year, and several banks and credit unions run dedicated programmes with them — including cards underwritten on enrolment or an offer letter rather than a credit file. Ask the international office; it is the single biggest local shortcut.
Via employerWho: You
4
Set up direct deposit
Give payroll your routing and account numbers. Direct deposit waives the monthly maintenance fee on most US checking accounts.
Via employerWho: You and your employer
5
Open a secured credit card in month one
Post a deposit, often $500, and get a card with a matching limit that reports to the credit bureaus like any other. Age of history matters as much as behaviour, so start immediately — and in Boston, before the September lease scramble.
OnlineWho: YouMonth 1
6
Pay in full every month and keep utilisation low
Autopay the statement balance and keep the balance under about 30% of the limit. Carrying a balance builds interest, not credit.
Mobile appWho: You

Documents you’ll need

Passport, with country of issuance serving as the identifying number if you have no SSN or ITIN
Visa and I-94, where applicable
SSN card or ITIN letter, if issued
Proof of Massachusetts address
Employer offer letter or university enrolment letter, widely accepted here as supporting evidence

Things most newcomers don’t know

Boston's universities are the most reliable route past a thin credit file.

With around 35 institutions in the metro area importing international students and researchers every year, several banks and credit unions run programmes that underwrite on enrolment or employment rather than credit history. The international students office knows which ones. This is a genuinely local advantage that does not exist in, say, Austin.

Source: community-reported

You need four months' rent liquid before the credit file matters.

Boston's move-in norm is first month, last month, security deposit and a broker fee of one month — four times the monthly rent, in cash, before you get keys. On a $3,000 flat that is $12,000. Getting money into a US account early matters more here than building credit does in your first weeks.

Source: community-reported

Federal rules let a bank take your passport instead of an SSN.

The Customer Identification Program rule accepts a passport number and country of issuance for non-US persons. Branch staff often do not know this. If refused, escalate or try a branch near a university, where it is routine.

Source: FFIEC BSA/AML Examination Manual — Customer Identification Program

Carrying a balance builds interest, not credit.

Scores respond to on-time payment and low utilisation, not interest paid. Paying in full each month builds history identically and saves a rate typically above 20% APR.

Source: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — credit cards

Common mistakes to avoid

Waiting for an SSN before trying to open an account, when a passport is often enough.
Not getting enough money into a US account before the four-month move-in demand lands.
Skipping the university or employer banking partner, which is the fastest route past a thin file here.
Delaying a secured card until credit is needed.
Paying an avoidable monthly maintenance fee by never setting up direct deposit.

Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.