American Express announced an agreement with Nova Credit, a cross-border, credit reporting startup, to enable immigrants and other newcomers to the U.S. to share their international credit reports when applying for a card through Nova's Credit Passport technology . 

The agreement will initially allow applicants from Australia, Canada, India, Mexico and the U.K. to share their credit histories, however, additional countries will be added to the list over time. 

"We want to help remove a barrier for millions of people who've been otherwise ignored by the U.S. financial system," Sara Milstein, senior vice president, new member acquisition, U.S. Consumer Services at American Express, said in the announcement. 

Credit Passport will allow an applicant's international credit history to be shared with additional underwriting information, allowing American Express to make an immediate decision on granting credit. Eligible candidates will qualify for an instant credit number, which will allow them to immediately shop online before their cards arrive in the mail. 

Cover image: American Express.