Before you start

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

Step-by-step

1
Open a checking account in branch in week one
Bring passport, Texas address and SSN or ITIN if issued. The federal Customer Identification Program rule explicitly permits a passport number and country of issuance instead of a taxpayer number for non-US persons. A refusal on that ground is branch policy, not law.
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 at the counter can pull your banking forward by weeks.
In personWho: You
3
Set up direct deposit immediately
Give payroll your routing and account numbers. Direct deposit waives the monthly maintenance fee on most US checking accounts, and it is the easiest saving on this list.
Via employerWho: You and your employer
4
Open a secured credit card in month one
Post a refundable deposit, typically $500, and receive a card with a matching limit that reports to Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Length of history matters as much as behaviour, so the point is to start the clock before you need it.
OnlineWho: YouMonth 1
5
Plan the car purchase around the credit file, not the other way round
Dallas requires a car and financing one with no credit history means a large down payment or a rate several points above market — often thousands of dollars over the term. Six months of secured-card history, a co-signer, or a captive finance arm that underwrites on visa and employment documents are the three realistic routes. Ask the dealer's finance desk which lenders they use for newcomers.
In personWho: You
6
Autopay the full statement balance
Scores respond to on-time payment and low utilisation, not to interest paid. Keep utilisation under roughly 30% and clear the balance monthly. Carrying a balance builds nothing but interest above 20% APR.
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 Texas address
Employer offer letter, accepted by some banks and lenders as supporting evidence

Things most newcomers don’t know

In a metro with no transit alternative, the missing credit file costs cash in week one.

Portland or New York let you wait out the six months on transit. Dallas does not — DART covers a fraction of the metro and Arlington, a city of nearly 400,000, has essentially no public transport at all. So the car purchase happens before the credit file exists, at a rate several points above market. Starting a secured card the day you land is the single highest-return administrative act available to you.

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, and branch staff frequently do not know it. Being refused is common and is not a legal outcome. Print the CFPB guidance, ask for a manager, or go to an institution with a published newcomer process — waiting weeks for a number you may not be eligible for is the avoidable mistake.

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

No credit history is treated worse than bad credit history.

US underwriting scores a file, and a file that does not exist cannot be scored at all. A well-paid newcomer can be declined for an apartment, a phone contract and a car loan in the same fortnight while holding a spotless twenty-year record at home. None of it crosses the border — not the mortgage, not the decade with the same bank.

Source: community-reported

Texas credit unions frequently underwrite thin files that national banks decline.

The state has a deep credit union sector, several attached to the big Metroplex employers — telecom, airlines, healthcare. They commonly price car loans better than dealer finance and are more willing to look at an offer letter and a visa rather than only a score. Joining one before you shop for a car changes the negotiation.

Source: National Credit Union Administration

Common mistakes to avoid

Waiting for an SSN before trying to open an account, when a passport often suffices.
Financing a car in month one with no credit file and accepting a punitive rate.
Delaying a secured card until credit is actually needed.
Taking dealer finance without first getting a credit union pre-approval to compare against.
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.