How long to get a credit card?

[The Robinsons 0]

Hi everyone,

My husband and I are in the process of trying to get a credit card so we can build up some credit - I finally convinced him that credit cards are not pure evil.

I'm the lucky immigrant with zero credit and he has just spent 2 years and some change abroad and has zero credit as well (stupid, stupid, stupid him). Well we both have ok paying jobs, no bills or debt and we live rent free with his family to boost our savings.

But still we're experiencing a bit of...well...unwillingness to co-operate from our bank (RBC Centura).

So I was just wondering what everyone else's experience was in regards to getting credit cards etc. and what bank you were with?

Thanks

[ViVi and JimJim 0]

I just had a joint credit card with my husband which is offered by HSBC. I didn't get my SSN yet, so even the bank staff was surprised that their computer system approved me...However, the credit limit is very low, just $500 cause they said I have no enough financial background history in US yet.

Well, it still a good start for me...heehee I can do some online shopping now.

[mawilson 2,133]

A "secured" credit card is a good way to jump-start your credit history. It works just

like a regular credit card, but your credit line is secured by a collateral deposit account.

Whatever you deposit in that account becomes your credit limit.

The major credit bureaus see it as a normal, unsecured credit card, which allows you

to build positive credit history over time.

You can open an account with as little as $500, or as much as $15,000.

[Lansbury 19]

We had an account with Wells Fargo and got a credit card straight away. However I don't doubt that the very large sum of money I transferred from the UK had a considerable influence on their decision making.

[bora bora 1]

But credit cards are pure evil...

[Lansbury 19]

But credit cards are pure evil...

No very useful keeps adding to my frequent flier account every time I use it. I have only flown business class across the Atlantic for the past eight years and never paid more than £700 for the ticket, often less.

You just have to only speed on the card what you can pay back in full each month.

[dejima 1]

Try Wachovia Bank. I opened an account last month before my GC arrived in mail. I just showed my passport with visa page and they aproved it. After few days ATM with VISA card arrived in mail.

Hi everyone,

My husband and I are in the process of trying to get a credit card so we can build up some credit - I finally convinced him that credit cards are not pure evil.

I'm the lucky immigrant with zero credit and he has just spent 2 years and some change abroad and has zero credit as well (stupid, stupid, stupid him). Well we both have ok paying jobs, no bills or debt and we live rent free with his family to boost our savings.

But still we're experiencing a bit of...well...unwillingness to co-operate from our bank (RBC Centura).

So I was just wondering what everyone else's experience was in regards to getting credit cards etc. and what bank you were with?

Thanks

[The Robinsons 0]

Try Wachovia Bank. I opened an account last month before my GC arrived in mail. I just showed my passport with visa page and they aproved it. After few days ATM with VISA card arrived in mail.

Hi everyone,

My husband and I are in the process of trying to get a credit card so we can build up some credit - I finally convinced him that credit cards are not pure evil.

I'm the lucky immigrant with zero credit and he has just spent 2 years and some change abroad and has zero credit as well (stupid, stupid, stupid him). Well we both have ok paying jobs, no bills or debt and we live rent free with his family to boost our savings.

But still we're experiencing a bit of...well...unwillingness to co-operate from our bank (RBC Centura).

So I was just wondering what everyone else's experience was in regards to getting credit cards etc. and what bank you were with?

Thanks

We already have an ATM visa card. But those are debit and do us no good in building credit. I'm just getting tired of RBC. First they wouldn't put me on my husband's account because I didn't have a driver license - a passport wasn't good enough. Then they ordered checks for us without even asking. And more than once we've seen our checking account (we only use the debit card - never checks) go into minus only to go back into plus a day or two later without us making deposits or withdrawels.

I would love to change banks but I'm just afraid we'd have to wait a long time before a new bank would issue us a credit card.

[JaEnglishGirl 34]

I got a Gap visa card with $1000 limit two months after I moved here and a Chase card with $500 limit three months after

Edited March 3, 2008 by JaEnglishGirl

[xcorlett 0]

couldn't get one! I have several checking accounts, my main one with Bank of the West is well funded and I have a CD account too. They said I needed 2 years of history. They processed my application before telling me this, even though I told them right off the bat! Instead I went into wellsfargo today and signed up for a secured credit card. $18 per year. It required a checking account. Wellsfargo usually charge fees for their checking, but since he was in the process of clocking up a sale with me he waived those fees. $300 deposit, refundable when it converts to a credit card in 12 months.

also tried amazon.com they said no too

[Vi Mazzella 4]

Try WAMU and their Secured Credit card. I'm building my credit history with them.

You just put down $300 or more and they give you one with a credit line of $300. If you make your payments on time and show that you are responsible after 6 month they give you the real deal and they give you back your money.

[Liebi 0]

Try Wells Fargo. When I opened my account with them I didn't even had a SSN yet and you can get a credit card when you have a monthly income of at least $ 1,000 after taxes.

FIY: Friend of mine from Italy got denied several times at a lot of banks due to no credit history although she had a well paying job - she finally complained about that kind of treatment (think of discrimination here) and viola: Capital One issued her a credit card.

Good luck!

[chryl&jhn 0]

Hi everyone,

My husband and I are in the process of trying to get a credit card so we can build up some credit - I finally convinced him that credit cards are not pure evil.

I'm the lucky immigrant with zero credit and he has just spent 2 years and some change abroad and has zero credit as well (stupid, stupid, stupid him). Well we both have ok paying jobs, no bills or debt and we live rent free with his family to boost our savings.

But still we're experiencing a bit of...well...unwillingness to co-operate from our bank (RBC Centura).

So I was just wondering what everyone else's experience was in regards to getting credit cards etc. and what bank you were with?

Thanks

[bettenan 1]

Hi everyone,

My husband and I are in the process of trying to get a credit card so we can build up some credit - I finally convinced him that credit cards are not pure evil.

I'm the lucky immigrant with zero credit and he has just spent 2 years and some change abroad and has zero credit as well (stupid, stupid, stupid him). Well we both have ok paying jobs, no bills or debt and we live rent free with his family to boost our savings.

But still we're experiencing a bit of...well...unwillingness to co-operate from our bank (RBC Centura).

So I was just wondering what everyone else's experience was in regards to getting credit cards etc. and what bank you were with?

Thanks

Sears gave Richard a card (on his own) as soon as he has D/L & SS card. We actually went across the street from the D/L office to Sears and they gave him a card on the spot. He bought stuff and every month paid it on-time and then Discover gave him a card and then he got a car in his name. He now has a higher credit balance Visa that he pays off each month and very high FICO score

It starts slow and builds..the key is PAY ON TIME !!!!

[Cécy 44]

I applied at my Bank (Wachovia) yesterday for a credit card. I will know in about 10 days or so if I'm approved for one or not.

In the meanwhile my husband added me to one of his (the one that gets us mileage for airlines), my husband doesn't use it too often, and doesn't use much so it's a good thing to add me (not overused) and having me use it will be good for us.

The guy at the bank told me that's a good idea, and that it's best not to use more than 30% of your total credit allowance and of course to pay of what you used every month to get a good credit.