How can my credit history be verified or established without a Social Security Number?
It is true that SSN are used to establish and verify credit histories, but since you have just entered the country, you will not have any credit history. Thus a SSN is not valuable to you as you try to rent an apartment or try to get electricity turned on, for example. It may be possible to give a deposit to the company or landlord instead of giving them a SSN. How can I get a Social Security Number? You must apply for a SSN at a Social Security Administration (SSA) office. Before going, you need an authorization letter from the Office of International Services. To get this letter, you will need a letter from your employer stating that you have a job. After getting the authorization letter from the Office of International Services, you will need to take the following to the SSA office: • Office of International Services authorization letter • Your passport • Form I-20 or DS-2019 • Form I-94 (card in your passport) • Your SLU identification (ID) card The process of getting your Social S
