Can You Get a Merchant Account With an ITIN?
Learn whether you can get a merchant account with an ITIN, what processors check and how to strengthen an application without an SSN.
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On this page 10 sections
- Getting a Merchant Account With an ITIN: The Short Answer
- What Processors Ask for During Underwriting
- ITIN, SSN, and EIN Explained: EIN vs. ITIN for Your Business
- Getting an EIN for Your Business
- Opening an ITIN Business Bank Account
- Documents That Help Your Application
- Credit Card Processing Without an SSN: Your Options
- If You're Declined: Next Steps
- Building a Payment History Over Time
- Next Steps
Key takeaways
- Many processors can underwrite a merchant account with an ITIN, but policies vary by provider and sponsoring bank, so ask before you apply.
- An EIN identifies your business and an ITIN identifies you. Most merchant applications ask for both a business and an owner identifier.
- A complete document package (ID, ITIN letter, EIN letter, formation papers and a business bank account) is one of the most effective ways to strengthen your application when your credit history is limited.
- Never put someone else's SSN on your application unless that person is a real, disclosed owner. Misrepresentation can lead to closure and a MATCH listing.
If you don't have a Social Security number, you may wonder whether you can get a merchant account with an ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number). In many cases you can, though it depends on the processor and the bank behind it. This guide covers what processors ask for during underwriting, how an ITIN, SSN and EIN differ, and how to get an EIN for your business. It also covers which documents strengthen your application, what to do if you're declined, and how to build a payment history that makes the next approval easier.
The question comes up often in Filipino-American communities. A newly arrived family might be opening a bakery. A caterer might be moving from cash and bank transfers to card payments. A U.S. LLC might have an owner who still lives in the Philippines. If you're just starting out, our starter guide to Filipino American business payment processing covers the basics this article builds on.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or immigration advice. Rules change. Confirm your situation with a qualified tax professional, and with an immigration attorney if your status is a factor.
Getting a Merchant Account With an ITIN: The Short Answer
A merchant account is an agreement with a processor and its sponsoring bank that lets you accept cards and receive the funds. Before the bank approves you, it needs to know who you are. That review is called underwriting.
When banks and their processing partners open an account, they verify the identity of the people who own and control the business. Underwriting systems most often do this with a Social Security number, which is why many online applications include a required SSN field. That required field is a software default. It is not a rule that only SSN holders can accept cards.
In practice, providers fall into three groups:
- Some providers accept an ITIN in place of an SSN for owner verification. They usually ask for extra documents, such as a passport.
- Some providers can't accept an ITIN, because their automated onboarding or bank policy requires an SSN.
- Some decide case by case after a person reviews your file.
A provider's website usually won't tell you which group it belongs to. Ask directly before you submit anything. Several declines from rushed applications won't help your case.
What Processors Ask for During Underwriting
Most merchant applications collect similar information, whether you sell in person, online or both.
About the Business
- Legal business name and any "doing business as" name
- Business type (sole proprietorship, LLC, corporation or partnership)
- Business tax ID, usually an EIN
- Physical business address (P.O. boxes are often not accepted)
- What you sell, how you deliver it and your refund policy
- Expected monthly card volume and average ticket size
- Website, if you sell online
About the Owners
- Full legal name, date of birth and home address
- A personal taxpayer identification number (an SSN or, where accepted, an ITIN)
- Government-issued photo ID
- Ownership percentage. Many applications ask about every owner above a certain threshold, plus anyone with significant control.
About Your Risk Profile
- A personal credit check, often tied to a personal guarantee
- Prior processing statements, if you've accepted cards before
- A check against industry databases, including the MATCH list of merchants whose accounts were previously terminated for certain reasons
The personal credit check is where ITIN holders most often run into trouble. You might have a thin U.S. credit file or none at all. That doesn't automatically mean a decline. It does mean the underwriter will rely more heavily on your documents, your business bank account and your business model.
ITIN, SSN, and EIN Explained: EIN vs. ITIN for Your Business
These three numbers do different jobs. Mixing them up is a common reason applications stall.
| Number | Who Issues It | What It Identifies | Typical Use on a Merchant Application |
|---|---|---|---|
| SSN | Social Security Administration | An individual | Owner identity and credit check |
| ITIN | IRS | An individual who needs a U.S. tax ID but isn't eligible for an SSN | Owner identity, where the provider accepts it |
| EIN | IRS | A business entity (or employer) | Business tax ID |
The main point of EIN vs. ITIN is that neither replaces the other. Your EIN identifies the business, and your ITIN identifies you. A typical application asks for a business number and an owner number.
A few clarifications:
- An ITIN is a tax-processing number. It does not grant work authorization or change immigration status. Your immigration situation determines whether you can legally own and operate a U.S. business, so confirm with an immigration attorney.
- ITINs can expire if they go unused on tax returns for a period of time. Before you apply, check IRS.gov to confirm yours is current.
- If you later receive an SSN, the IRS has a process for moving from your ITIN to your SSN. Update your bank and processor records too.
Getting an EIN for Your Business
If you've formed an LLC or corporation, you will almost certainly need an EIN. Sole proprietors without employees can sometimes use a personal number for tax purposes. Even so, many processors and banks prefer or require an EIN, and having one keeps your business identity separate from your personal identity.
General steps:
- Form your business entity first if you're using one. Register it with your state, and wait for the formation documents before you apply for the EIN so the names match exactly.
- Apply directly with the IRS. Application methods, eligibility requirements and processing times vary, and some methods may depend on whether the business's "responsible party" already has a taxpayer ID. Check IRS.gov for the current rules that apply to you.
- Watch out for third-party filing sites that charge you for a step you can complete yourself with the IRS. Make sure you're on an official IRS page.
- Save the EIN confirmation letter as a PDF and keep a printed copy. Processors and banks often ask for it.
- Match the legal name exactly on your EIN letter, state filing and bank account, character for character. Small differences such as "Inc." versus "Incorporated" are a common reason applications get sent back.
Opening an ITIN Business Bank Account
You'll need a business bank account to receive your deposits. The processor will usually ask for a voided check or a bank letter. Opening an ITIN business bank account is often the first real test of your documents.
Each bank sets its own policy. Some open business accounts with an ITIN, a passport and business documents. Others require an SSN. Community banks and credit unions in areas with large immigrant communities are often worth asking. Call ahead and ask: "Do you open business accounts for owners with an ITIN, and what documents do you need?"
Once the account is open, run real business activity through it. Steady deposits and normal business spending give underwriters supporting evidence they can actually see.
Documents That Help Your Application
When your credit history is limited, your documents have to do the work a credit score would otherwise do. Prepare these before you apply:
- Valid passport or another government photo ID the provider accepts
- IRS ITIN assignment letter
- IRS EIN confirmation letter
- Formation documents, such as articles of organization or incorporation, plus your operating agreement if you have one
- Business license and any local permits, such as health permits for food businesses
- Business bank account letter or voided check in the exact legal business name
- Proof of business address, such as a lease or utility bill
- Recent bank statements that show business activity
- Prior processing statements, if you've used a card app or another provider
- For online sellers, a live website with clear product descriptions, prices and contact information, plus refund, shipping and privacy policies
A short written summary also helps. In a few sentences, explain what you sell, who your customers are, how you fulfill orders and roughly what a typical sale looks like. A Filipino bakery might explain that most tickets are small walk-in purchases, with larger catering orders on weekends. A balikbayan box business might explain how its pickups, prepaid boxes and deposits work. This kind of context means underwriters don't have to guess.
If your business takes advance payments, such as catering deposits or prepaid shipping, tell the processor up front. Underwriters routinely assess future-delivery risk. Our guide on taking deposits for lechon and catering orders explains how to structure those payments cleanly.
Credit Card Processing Without an SSN: Your Options
If you're looking for credit card processing without an SSN, you'll mainly see two models:
| Option | How It Works | What to Know |
|---|---|---|
| Dedicated merchant account | A processor and its sponsoring bank underwrite you individually | More review up front, and an underwriter may consider documents beyond a credit score |
| Payment facilitator / aggregator app | You sign up under the provider's master account | Signup is fast, but automated identity checks may require an SSN, and accounts can be paused if activity looks unusual |
Neither option is automatically better. An app may work for a weekend market stall. A restaurant, grocery or online store with steady volume usually benefits from a dedicated account sized to its business. If you run events, see our guide to selling tickets for Filipino fiestas and community events.
Some owners live outside the U.S., such as a Philippines-based owner of a U.S. LLC. MannyPay's international payment processing page explains that some non-U.S. businesses may qualify for a U.S. merchant account depending on underwriting, and that documentation support is available during review.
If You're Declined: Next Steps
A decline isn't always final. Work through it step by step.
- Ask why. The reason might be identity verification, limited credit, an industry restriction, a name mismatch or a missing document. Each one has a different fix.
- Fix what you can. Correct mismatched names, add your ITIN letter, open the business bank account or publish missing website policies.
- Ask about conditions. Some providers will approve a new account with a lower processing limit, a rolling reserve or delayed funding at first. These terms affect your cash flow, so understand them before you accept.
- Add a genuine owner if one exists. If a spouse or partner really owns part of the business and has an SSN, list them as a disclosed owner. Accurate ownership disclosure is legitimate.
- Don't send applications everywhere. Each application can trigger another credit inquiry, and a pattern of declines can look worse than a single, well-prepared application.
- Try a provider that does manual review. Specialists who place harder-to-approve merchants, including those offering high-risk merchant accounts, are often more used to non-standard files.
What not to do: Don't put a relative's or friend's SSN on your application if that person doesn't actually own or control the business. Don't run your sales through someone else's merchant account. Both count as misrepresentation. Either one can lead to sudden account termination and held funds, and can put the business on the MATCH list, which makes future approvals much harder.
Building a Payment History Over Time
Your first merchant account is a starting point. A clean processing history is one of the strongest things you can show the next underwriter, or your current processor when you ask for better terms.
- Process consistently. Steady, predictable volume looks healthier than big swings.
- Warn your processor about spikes. Holiday rushes, a large catering contract or a fundraiser can trigger a review. If you tell your processor ahead of time, you're less likely to face a surprise hold.
- Keep chargebacks low. Use clear receipts and recognizable billing descriptors, and respond to customer complaints quickly. Online sellers should look at 3D Secure for online stores to reduce fraud disputes.
- Save every monthly statement. Future providers will ask for them.
- Keep your records current. Update your processor if you move, change ownership, add products or receive an SSN.
- Build business credit separately. Pay suppliers and business accounts on time under your EIN.
- Review your terms after a stable stretch. Once you have a track record, ask whether reserves or limits can be reconsidered.
Next Steps
An ITIN doesn't rule you out of accepting cards, but it does mean preparation matters more. Get your EIN, open a business bank account and gather your documents. Then ask each provider directly whether it underwrites ITIN applicants before you apply.
MannyPay works with Filipino-American businesses and with merchants in both low- and high-risk industries, in person and online. To find out whether your situation fits, request a free quote and tell us up front that you'll be applying with an ITIN. A MannyPay specialist will respond within one business day. Approval always depends on underwriting.
This article is for general educational purposes and is not legal, tax or financial advice. Card network rules and state laws change; confirm current requirements for your business.
