topic Re: Invisible Credit History after Returning to US as Former International Student in General Credit Topics

Invisible Credit History after Returning to US as Former International Student

hao — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 17:09:35 GMT

I’m hoping to get some advice or insights from those who may have experienced something similar. I’m currently trying to sort out my credit history after returning to the US, and I’ve hit a bit of a wall.

Here's the situation:

I was an international student in the US from 2019-2021. During that time, I held a BofA cash rewards credit card. I did not have an SSN or ITIN back then. Just walked-in, provided my I-20 file and passport, and I got a checking account and credit card. In 2021, I finished my undergraduated things, closed all credit card accounts and left US for 4 yrs.

Last month, I returned US and got assigned ITIN. Howwhen I try to check my credit file, my two-year credit history from 2019-2021 is completely invisible. It seems the history built with my BofA card during my student days is not linked to my current identity (with ITIN).

Today, I made a phone call to TransUnion at first, I gave the agent my previous apartment address, full name, DoB, and later she told me, "Checked and confirmed you DO show a credo report and credit score with Transunion", which means maybe I do not need to rebulid credit from zero. The agent then ask me to make another phone call to Transunion and request update my address.

Then I made two phone calls to Equifax and Experian, and both bureaus indicated that they were unable to locate my credit report for the period from 2019 to 2021.

I've heard that Bank of America provides FICO scores and reports credit history to the three major bureaus. Although I'm no longer a BoA customer, I held a credit card with them from 2019 to 2021. I currently have my driver's license from that period and the canceled BoA card details. I would like to know if there's any way to retrieve or have that period of credit history recognized and linked to my current credit file.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this. I greatly appreciate any guidance or shared experiences that could point me in the right direction.

Re: Invisible Credit History after Returning to US as Former International Student

JoeRockhead — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 17:33:38 GMT

@hao wrote:
I’m hoping to get some advice or insights from those who may have experienced something similar. I’m currently trying to sort out my credit history after returning to the US, and I’ve hit a bit of a wall.

Here's the situation:
I was an international student in the US from 2019-2021. During that time, I held a BofA cash rewards credit card. I did not have an SSN or ITIN back then. Just walked-in, provided my I-20 file and passport, and I got a checking account and credit card. In 2021, I finished my undergraduated things, closed all credit card accounts and left US for 4 yrs.

Last month, I returned US and got assigned ITIN. Howwhen I try to check my credit file, my two-year credit history from 2019-2021 is completely invisible. It seems the history built with my BofA card during my student days is not linked to my current identity (with ITIN).

Today, I made a phone call to TransUnion at first, I gave the agent my previous apartment address, full name, DoB, and later she told me, "Checked and confirmed you DO show a credo report and credit score with Transunion", which means maybe I do not need to rebulid credit from zero. The agent then ask me to make another phone call to Transunion and request update my address.
Then I made two phone calls to Equifax and Experian, and both bureaus indicated that they were unable to locate my credit report for the period from 2019 to 2021.

I've heard that Bank of America provides FICO scores and reports credit history to the three major bureaus. Although I'm no longer a BoA customer, I held a credit card with them from 2019 to 2021. I currently have my driver's license from that period and the canceled BoA card details. I would like to know if there's any way to retrieve or have that period of credit history recognized and linked to my current credit file.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this. I greatly appreciate any guidance or shared experiences that could point me in the right direction.

You’re basically running into a credit identity mismatch.

Being you had no SSN or ITIN, the bureaus built your credit file off whatever information in regards to ID they had... name, DOB, and address. Fast-forward four years, you’ve got an ITIN, and the system looks at you like a completely new person. Your old file is likely sitting there, but it’s not tied to your new identity, so your BoA history is floating in credit report limbo.

Here’s what I suggest:

1. Start with BoA.
Ask them how that account was reported ... such as, with SSN blank, ITIN blank, or just your name and DOB. You want them to confirm the exact reporting format and bureau account number. That’s the information the bureaus will need.

2. Then hit all three credit bureaus.
Write to Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion and tell them:

'I previously held a U.S. credit card under my name and address from 2019–2021, before I had an ITIN. I now have ITIN (insert number). Please link or merge any existing file associated with my prior identifying information'.

Include copies of:

Passport or U.S. ID
ITIN assignment letter (from the IRS)
Proof of your current address
Any old BofA statements if you have them, and/or any information BoA was able to give you

Send it by mail. Don’t bother with online forms... the system doesn’t know what to do with “I used to be me, but now I’m officially me.”

3. Wait 30–60 days.
If they can find your old file, they’ll merge it into your new ITIN-based report, and your 2019–2021 history should reappear.

4. If nothing happens, go back to BoA.
Ask them to re-report your closed account using your ITIN. Some lenders can retroactively push it through again so it hits your current file. Not guaranteed, but it’s worth trying.

Your old history isn’t gone, it’s just orphaned. The credit bureaus can’t merge what they can’t match, so your job is to give them enough ID information to connect the old you (no SSN) to the new you (with ITIN).

Let us know how it works out, and welcome to the forum.

Re: Invisible Credit History after Returning to US as Former International Student

hao — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 20:41:35 GMT

Thank you for your help. I just checked BoA (although no cards activated, my profile still be there), and it shows my SSN is 300-00-0000. I think maybe all I can do is to restart from BoA: walk-in again and start, use the same username and update my ITIN+address. Also a phone call was made to BoA, the agent showed a subtle attitude but make sense: YOU SHOULD HAVE A CARD FIRST, THEN WE CAN SIT DOWN AND TALK ABOUT YOUR CREDIT. I will give it a try.

All in all, thank you for your detailed analysis and guidance! Much obliged.

Re: Invisible Credit History after Returning to US as Former International Student

RobertS2 — Thu, 13 Nov 2025 22:32:21 GMT

Amex will consider credit history from other countries too, so you could start with one of their cards. And just be persistent with BofA/the bureaus.

Re: Invisible Credit History after Returning to US as Former International Student

AndySoCal — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 01:36:40 GMT

@hao Pull your credit report using your current address and the former address use the overseas address.