Before you start

Passport, with visa and I-94 if applicable
A Nevada 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, Nevada 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.
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.
In personWho: You
3
Consider a Nevada credit union
Several sizeable credit unions serve the valley, including one founded for casino and hospitality employees. They tend to be more flexible with thin credit files and with tip-based income than national banks, and they price car loans better.
In personWho: 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, which is otherwise a pure loss.
Via employerWho: You and your employer
5
Open a secured credit card in month one
Post a deposit, typically around $500, and get a card with a matching limit that reports to the credit bureaus. Age of history matters as much as behaviour, so the clock is the thing you are buying.
OnlineWho: YouMonth 1
6
Document tip income deliberately from the first payslip
If you work in hospitality, keep every payslip and file your taxes reporting tips accurately. Lenders and landlords generally want two years of returns before they count tip income at full value, and the alternative — under-reporting to save tax now — quietly destroys your borrowing capacity later.
OnlineWho: You
7
Delay the car purchase if you possibly can
Financing with no credit file means a large deposit or several points above market on a metro where the car is not optional. If your first months can be managed on the RTC network or a short-term lease near work, six months of secured-card history first saves real money.
In personWho: 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 a Nevada address
Employer offer letter, accepted by some banks as supporting evidence

Things most newcomers don’t know

Under-reporting tips is a loan application you are declining in advance.

In a city where a large share of income is tipped, the temptation to report light is obvious. But mortgage and car underwriting works from filed tax returns, and income you did not declare does not exist to a lender. Two years of accurately reported tips is what turns a hospitality salary into borrowing capacity here.

Source: IRS — reporting tip income

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. A well-paid newcomer can be declined for an apartment and a car loan in the same week, which in a car-dependent valley is a serious problem rather than an inconvenience.

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. Escalate politely, or try a credit union, before concluding you must wait for the SSN.

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

Casino markers and casino credit are not consumer credit.

Casino credit lines are extended on your bank balance, not your credit score, and an unpaid marker in Nevada can be pursued as a criminal matter rather than a civil debt. Whatever else you use to build a credit file, this is not it.

Source: Nevada Gaming Control Board

Common mistakes to avoid

Waiting for an SSN before trying to open an account, when a passport is often enough.
Reporting tip income lightly and then failing underwriting two years later.
Financing a car in month one with no credit file and accepting a punitive rate.
Delaying a secured card until credit is actually 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.