Hello,
Sorry if someone has asked such question before - i couldn't find the exactly one.
So, i'm not a citizen of US, therefore i don't have SSN.
However, i have my US LLC registered, have EIN number for it and already have my business checking bank account setup for it.
I run apartment rental services in Ukraine (Europe) and would like to accept credit cards on my website and have money go to my US bank account, therefore as far as i understand, i need a merchant account, however from all i could find in the internet - they either require SSN or say that it is a travel-related business and it is considered as high-risk.

Let me know if anyone can help me with this.

Thanks everybody in advance!

I wonder how risky this business actually is or can be. If Bezl would only authorize the amount, wait till his guests arrive, then he can even obtain a signature authorization from them and only then capture the sale. This way transaction can be voided at any time should plans change or service canceled.

If your customers are from US I would suggest simply going with online checks and sleep well. For high amount ticket (and you definitely have at least $300 per sale) you are going to stuck with at average 10% reserve not mentioning high processing fees and in best case weekly settlements with 2-3 even 4 weeks in arrears. If I were you I would vouch for online checks at least for a start. Good luck with your venture.

Thank you for your answers!
Max, i've submitted the application form on your website - please take a look.
What i basically need is to charge customers credit cards for the first night of their stay in the apartment in advance, and that's it - as soon as they arrive - we process credit cards using our local bank credit card processing terminal.

Any other comments, advises? :)

Thanks!

This may be a little incorrect, but I believe this to be true about the social security number; with the Patriot Act, the government requires that any processor collect specific personal information (specifically, SS#) about the majority owner of the company. If you want to operate a merchant account in the US, take on a partner with majority ownership (legal documents can protect both interests) and allow his information to be placed on the application.

Bezal:
I did not receive any submitted application from you; please resubmit it or email me directly.

Certel:
To operate a merchant account un the US, a SS # is not required. To quickly obtain an account a SS# is needed, but if a merchant provides all additionally required documents he or she will be approved.

For a scenario like this, it would be good to check into the cross-border rules that apply. If you are based in the Ukraine and processing for an apartment rental in the Ukraine, that is likely something that should technically be handled by an acquiring bank in your geographic region to be fully compliant with the Card Association rules.

However, all of that aside... it is important to keep in mind that there are several important reasons for a merchant processor to request an SSN# that don't have anything to do with the Patriot Act.

First and foremost - pulling the credit report for the owner can help validate other information on the application and/or flag discrepancies that might exist. This can be a huge tool in avoiding fraudulent applications which can costs merchant processors dearly. In addition, a cross check can be done against the SSN# on various anti-identity theft databases which can help flag whether a known stolen identity is being used to try to open an account.

Second - a valid credit report can serve as an indicator of the financial position and creditworthiness of the owner who is applying. This isn't always the case and sometimes you'll find very successful people who don't have good credit because of past circumstances in their life. However, when used in combination with other factors such as the risk profile of the business, the requested ticket limits and other information on the application - it can help present an underwriter with a more complete "picture" of the applicant.

Third - by requesting an SSN# it is a very easy way to ensure compliance with the Patriot Act... especially when used in conjunction with a driver's license or other documentation. That is the reason why virtually every U.S. bank will ask for that information before opening a bank account these days.

It is possible to get a merchant account with at least a United States bank account, United States address, and United States phone number. Having the SSN is of course better / and easier in the long run.

But have you checked also with your local banks as well?

You need an ITIN -

http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=96287,00.html