Discover Student Credit Cards require a social security number in order to qualify. You can use a Discover Student Credit Card without entering your social security number with every purchase, but you will need one in order to obtain this particular credit card in the first place.
International students can apply for an individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN) in order to apply for credit cards. If you don’t want to use your social security number on a credit card application, you can use an ITIN or your passport.
Among many other personal identifying factors, a social security number can help banks verify a candidate on credit card applications.
A social security number is one of the main ways financial institutions prevent fraud and reward credit to only those applicants who are truly qualified.
Most U.S. citizens are given a social security number at birth. This number does not necessarily change, though there are certain circumstances in which it might. That being said, a social security number is critical for a credit card application, as well as many other financial processes.
Discover Student Credit Card Without SSN
Discover does not offer their Student Credit Card without a social security number.
A social security number is required on the Discover Student Credit Card application. This personal identification piece helps Discover to qualify you for approval and uniquely identifies you to discriminate between customers within the Discover system.
In many cases, credit card issuers use a social security number in order to check your credit. They may even do a background check on you as well if they are concerned about the risk you pose as a credit applicant.
Can You Use a Discover Student Credit Card without SSN
A social security number is required to obtain a Discover Student Credit Card, but you don’t need your SSN to use the Discover Student Credit Card.
Discover doesn’t require you to use your SSN with your Student Credit Card every time you make a purchase. It is required as part of the application for the Student Credit Card.
You may also need your social security number if you contact customer service, but this is only to identify you when accessing your account.
Can International Students Get a Credit Card in the USA without an SSN?
International students can request an individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN) if they would like to apply for a credit card in the USA.
Many credit card issuers, including Discover, allow you to complete the credit application process if you use an ITIN in place of a social security number. You can apply for the ITIN no matter the status of your student visa, but you will have to be 18 years of age and meet the other requirements on the application in order to be eligible.
In some cases, you may need to show evidence of income sufficient to repay any possible debt. You can also use a cosigner to help your application, too.
If you work in the United States legally under the F-1 visa, you may be able to get a social security number and then apply for a credit card, such as the Discover Student Credit Card. If you’re attempting to build credit, you can also become an authorized user on someone else’s account to generate credit report entries.
Why Does Discover Require SSNs?
Discover requires social security numbers on their credit applications for the same reasons many other financial institutions do: to prevent fraud and identity theft.
A person’s social security number can also be an identifying factor in a file as well. In essence, you can think of your social security number as a way to identify personal details about you from your account. This makes it a much more useful tool even beyond the case of applying for credit.
What Should I Do if I Don’t Want to Use My Social Security Number?
If you don’t want to use your social security number, you can use an ITIN or passport for some credit applications.
Here’s a short list of the financial institutions that allow you to use an ITIN, passport, or both:
- American Express: You can apply for a credit card at AmEx with either an ITIN or a passport.
- Bank of America: Similar to AmEx, Bank of America allows you to apply with a passport or your ITIN.
- Capital One: This financial institution does not accept passports. If you don’t want to use your SSN or don’t have one, you’ll have to apply with an ITIN.
- Citibank: Certain Citibank cards will allow you to apply with your passport or ITIN.
- U.S. Bank: Secured cards from U.S. Bank allow you to apply with an ITIN.
- Wells Fargo: Apply for secured cards only with an ITIN.
In most cases, it’s very difficult to complete financial documents successfully without including your social security number. If you are concerned about your SSN being stolen, remain cautious about how you distribute this information, and to whom.
This is the number one step in preventing fraud, which in many cases is not easily prevented at all.
Final Thoughts
Your social security number is required on Discover applications in order to be eligible for a credit card. Many other credit card issuers require a social security number, but you can also use an individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN) in some cases.
Social security numbers are used to prevent fraud and perform background checks. However, you can avoid using your SSN on certain credit applications if you have a passport to submit instead.