Building credit with restricted SSN.

[FROWNcat 23]

Long story short, I've has my SSN for a little over 3 years now and forgot to get the VALID FOR WORK ONLY WITH DHS AUTHORIZATION removed and I am now trying to build credit. Will I need to go to my local SSN office or will it work anyhow? For some reason CreditKarma won't recognize my SSN and I was wondeing if that's the reason why.Weird thing is, my GC is expired but I have my extention letter which is valid until April 2018: can I use that as proof I am no longer on a visa?

[Ksenia_O 695]

6 minutes ago, FROWNcat said:

Long story short, I've has my SSN for a little over 3 years now and forgot to get the VALID FOR WORK ONLY WITH DHS AUTHORIZATION removed and I am now trying to build credit. Will I need to go to my local SSN office or will it work anyhow? For some reason CreditKarma won't recognize my SSN and I was wondeing if that's the reason why.Weird thing is, my GC is expired but I have my extention letter which is valid until April 2018: can I use that as proof I am no longer on a visa?

Very often it doesn't recognize your SS# if that restriction wasn't removed. I would start with a Social Security Office, and as soon as your ss# gets updated, with no restricted wording any more, your ss number should be recognized by any other agencies.

 

Good luck!!!

[Ben&Zian 4,397]

Once things get straightened out, if you have a bank account, you can generally open a 'secured' credit line with the bank. Maybe $300-500 or whatever with a deposit.  Doesn't seem like much but if you're just starting or trying to rebuild credit this might be the way to go.

[FROWNcat 23]

4 minutes ago, Ben&Zian said:

Once things get straightened out, if you have a bank account, you can generally open a 'secured' credit line with the bank. Maybe $300-500 or whatever with a deposit.  Doesn't seem like much but if you're just starting or trying to rebuild credit this might be the way to go.

I have seen a few options offered by Capital One but I was wondering if my restriction was a big issue of CK failed to find me as I have no credit history.

[Ben&Zian 4,397]

Just now, FROWNcat said:

I have seen a few options offered by Capital One but I was wondering if my restriction was a big issue of CK failed to find me as I have no credit history.

 

As above sometimes things don't recognize the SSN for some reason. My partner has same issue and he was issued his SSN years ago on a J1. Same for him though, I will go the secure credit card way as he applied for capital one and was denied as they generally try to get you a higher credit line.

 

It sucks giving the bank $500 for a $500 credit line; but I did this about 2 and a half years ago and had a card payment and the bank has upped my credit line a lot automatically for on time payments and now my credit is above the excellent line, so it may take a little time but it is worth it in the long run.

[zilchfox 296]

Hi OP,

 

Your restricted SSN has nothing to do with Credit Karma not being able to find you, it's entirely because you lack a credit history. Get a credit card first, and wait a couple of months and try CK again. I was in the same boat, however after around 2 months of having my credit card from Bank of America, CK found my credit profile despite at the time it being a restricted SSN showing "VALID FOR WORK ONLY WITH DHS AUTHORIZATION".

[zilchfox 296]

22 minutes ago, Ksenia_O said:

Very often it doesn't recognize your SS# if that restriction wasn't removed. I would start with a Social Security Office, and as soon as your ss# gets updated, with no restricted wording any more, your ss number should be recognized by any other agencies.

 

Good luck!!!

Except for employment, the restriction has no effect on anything else, including setting up bank accounts and credit cards.

 

Also, OP, thanks to the Credit CARD Act of 2009, you can include your spouses' income as your income when signing up for a credit card, as long as the wording on the application allows for it — this should help you gain a higher credit limit in the long run and it doesn't matter if you have your EAD or AOS as technically it's not your income, it's your collective household income.

[Suss&Camm 2,213]

As @zilchfox I went through the same thing with CK. They get their information from TransUnion and Equifax - so if you don't have a credit file with at least one of them CK won't find you. Once you get credit, you can check also your free annual credit reports to see if you have a file yet or not. Once a file exists it usually only takes a few days for CK to be updated.

[Ksenia_O 695]

5 minutes ago, zilchfox said:

Except for employment, the restriction has no effect on anything else, including setting up bank accounts and credit cards.

 

Also, OP, thanks to the Credit CARD Act of 2009, you can include your spouses' income as your income when signing up for a credit card, as long as the wording on the application allows for it — this should help you gain a higher credit limit in the long run and it doesn't matter if you have your EAD or AOS as technically it's not your income, it's your collective household income.

Maybe, yes, CreditKarma  doesn't "see" you due to the absence of any credit history. But it may have an effect on you.

 

Just from my experience - I had to go through some paperwork with my State, and it was a huge surprise they weren't able to verify me by my SS # ..The same with my son,. despite the fact we work, drive, have bank accounts, file Taxes, including State Income Tax  - pay in and get refunds and etc. The same was with a couple other agencies. As soon as we got rid of restriction on our SS cards -  no problem since then, "recognized" by all

So, I would suggest to get rid of restriction anyway.

Edited May 31, 2017 by Ksenia_O

[zilchfox 296]

2 minutes ago, Ksenia_O said:

Maybe, yes, CreditKarma  doesn't "see" you due to the absence of any credit history. But it may have an effect on you.

 

Just from my experience - I had to go through some paperwork with my State, and it was a huge surprise they weren't able to verify me by my SS # ..The same with my son,. despite the fact we work, drive, have bank accounts, file Taxes, including State Income Tax  - pay in and get refundsand etc. The same was with a couple other agencies. As soon as we got rid of restriction on our SS card -  no problem since then, "recognized" by all

So, I would suggest to get rid of restriction anyway.

Oh yes, when eligible it's always recommended to get that statement removed from an SSN, as with OP he's currently ROC'ing so he's totally eligible to do so, but working, driving, having bank accounts, and doing taxes won't appear on or even generate your credit report (unless you were not paying your taxes, then you'll have a bad credit report).

[FROWNcat 23]

43 minutes ago, zilchfox said:

Hi OP,

 

Your restricted SSN has nothing to do with Credit Karma not being able to find you, it's entirely because you lack a credit history. Get a credit card first, and wait a couple of months and try CK again. I was in the same boat, however after around 2 months of having my credit card from Bank of America, CK found my credit profile despite at the time it being a restricted SSN showing "VALID FOR WORK ONLY WITH DHS AUTHORIZATION".

That was extremely helpful, since I am in the same situation. Thank you. I will make sure to apply and then check after 2 months or so.

[andy78 178]

11 minutes ago, FROWNcat said:

That was extremely helpful, since I am in the same situation. Thank you. I will make sure to apply and then check after 2 months or so.

I agree with what zilchfox said. You will have a credit score after you apply for and use credit, regardless of whether your SSN is restricted or not. I would also like to add that I have been using my restricted SSN for more than a dozen years until now, and I did all kinds of credit-related things (including major loans/purchases). A restricted SSN works as a regular SSN as far as the credit/lending system is concerned. Credit reports measure your credit history only. Your legal status or the "DHS authorization" statement have no impact.

 

[mrtravel 40]

6 hours ago, Ben&Zian said:

Once things get straightened out, if you have a bank account, you can generally open a 'secured' credit line with the bank. Maybe $300-500 or whatever with a deposit.  Doesn't seem like much but if you're just starting or trying to rebuild credit this might be the way to go.

Citibank offers $200-$2000, at least in an offer I got in the mail in FL

[NYCruiser 423]

6 hours ago, zilchfox said:

Hi OP,

 

Your restricted SSN has nothing to do with Credit Karma not being able to find you, it's entirely because you lack a credit history. Get a credit card first, and wait a couple of months and try CK again. I was in the same boat, however after around 2 months of having my credit card from Bank of America, CK found my credit profile despite at the time it being a restricted SSN showing "VALID FOR WORK ONLY WITH DHS AUTHORIZATION".

Actually this is not correct. The card is restricted due to the fact this type of SS # is purposely restricted as there is a lot of fraud with students/J1 etc getting credit, car loans, etc in the past and skipping the country once they have finished their studies. So now, these restricted cards are not valid for much. You have to go to the SS Administration and tell them you are now a PR and they will send you a card within less than a week. 

 

Credit Karma will not recognise your restricted card either.

 

If you came in as a spouse of a USC, then get another card in your name under their account or a loan etc..y spouse has a credit rating of 731 using this method in 2 years (of course contingent on payment history)

[trudi 1,317]

21 minutes ago, NYCruiser said:

Actually this is not correct. The card is restricted due to the fact this type of SS # is purposely restricted as there is a lot of fraud with students/J1 etc getting credit, car loans, etc in the past and skipping the country once they have finished their studies. So now, these restricted cards are not valid for much. You have to go to the SS Administration and tell them you are now a PR and they will send you a card within less than a week. 

 

Credit Karma will not recognise your restricted card either.

 

If you came in as a spouse of a USC, then get another card in your name under their account or a loan etc..y spouse has a credit rating of 731 using this method in 2 years (of course contingent on payment history)

I have the restricted thingy on my SS card and have had no issues establishing a credit record and check my rating with credit karma regularly, they've never had a problem finding me.

 

I started with a secured credit card as suggested on here, the bank changed it for a regular credit card with increased credit limit after I'd used it and paid regularly for about 6 months