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, North Carolina 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
Look at the State Employees' Credit Union and its affiliates
North Carolina has one of the largest credit unions in the country in SECU, open to state employees — which includes university and community college staff — and their families, plus other large local credit unions with broader eligibility. They price loans well and are frequently more flexible on thin credit files than national banks.
In personWho: You
3
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 move your banking forward by weeks.
In personWho: You
4
Set up direct deposit immediately
Give payroll your routing and account numbers. Direct deposit waives the monthly maintenance fee on most US checking accounts, which is the simplest saving on this list.
Via employerWho: You and your employer
5
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 counts as much as behaviour, so start the clock before you need credit rather than when a landlord asks.
OnlineWho: YouMonth 1
6
Get a pre-approval before you shop for a car
Financing with no credit file means a large down payment or a rate several points above market. A credit union pre-approval turns the dealer's finance desk from your only option into a competitor. The Triangle has no transit alternative, so the car happens early — plan the financing before the car, not after.
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 North Carolina address
Employer offer letter, accepted by some banks and lenders as supporting evidence

Things most newcomers don’t know

North Carolina caps residential security deposits, which softens the thin-file problem.

State law limits the deposit to two weeks' rent on a week-to-week tenancy, one and a half months on a month-to-month, and two months on anything longer — and that cap covers pet deposits and any other refundable charge under a different name. A landlord who wants six months up front because you have no credit file cannot lawfully ask for it. Very few US states cap deposits at all.

Source: North Carolina General Statutes — Tenant Security Deposit Act

No credit history is treated worse than bad credit history.

American 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. Nothing crosses the border — not the mortgage, not the decade with the same bank.

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 try a credit union — waiting weeks for a number you may not be eligible for is the avoidable mistake.

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

Carrying a balance builds interest, not credit.

Scores respond to reported on-time payments and low utilisation, not to interest paid. Paying in full every month builds identical history and saves a rate above 20% APR. An enormous number of Americans believe otherwise and pass the belief on to newcomers as helpful advice.

Source: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — credit cards

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.
Accepting a deposit demand above North Carolina's statutory cap because you have no credit file.
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.