How To Get a Letter of Credit. To get a letter of credit, contact your bank. You'll most likely need to work with an international trade department or commercial division. Not every institution offers letters of credit, but small banks and credit unions can often refer you to somebody who can accommodate your needs.
How to Apply for a Letter of Credit. The exporter and their bank must be satisfied with the creditworthiness of the importer's bank. Once the Sales Agreement is completed, the importer applies to their bank to open a Letter of Credit in favor of the exporter.
The Letter of Credit (LC) process starts with the buyer and seller in a trade agreeing upon the initial contract. The buyer then request their bank to issue an LC. The buyer's bank issues the LC to the seller's bank.