Can my H-4 spouse open bank and credit accounts, and does an EAD change anything?

An H-4 spouse can open a U.S. bank account with a passport, visa, and proof of address, and can be added as an authorized user on your credit card to start building history right away. To get their own SSN, apply for a job, and more easily obtain their own credit, an H-4 spouse generally needs an Employment Authorization Document (EAD). Without work authorization they'd use an ITIN for tax purposes and can still bank and be an authorized user. Once they have an SSN via an EAD, they can build an independent credit file with their own secured card. The SSA covers SSNs for noncitizens at ssa.gov and the CFPB covers authorized users at consumerfinance.gov.