bank account in US

[Jersey Girl 2]

Macy's is another department store card that's easy to get if you have a Canadian address. Also, if you have a Lane Bryant card, you might want to try Catherine's, which is part of the same plus-size parent company. Orchard Bank is good for a secured credit card if you want to go that route. Every little bit helps.

However, no one gives a damn about your Equifax score from Canada! Wanna see the red spot on my forehead from beating it against this brick wall? All credit cards here are approved through third parties who absolutely will not check anything but U.S. credit histories. What's worse, there's no way to contact them by phone or email ... just letters, that come back a month later with the same refrain: No Credit History. Canada is considered a foreign country, just like Italy or France, and they have no capacity to check there.

But once you finally get a Visa or Mastercard, you'll be deluged with junk mail offers. All pre-filled for your convenience. So you'll need a shredder to protect your identity.

[laura428 0]

MBNA will issue you a Visa card in the States based on your Canadian credit history. But you have to persevere on the phone to talk to a supervisor who knows what to do. AmEx may also be able to use their global capacity to get you a card in the States.

It took me a long time and much frustration to learn this. I've advised my husband in Toronto to get an MBNA Visa in Canada, so when it's time to move to the States, it will be easier for him to get a new MBNA card here.

By the way, TD has made huge inroads in the States and now has branches in New Jersey. I'm not sure if it would be easy for a bank client in Canada to open an account here once they moved. In any case, a SSN is required. Until you get one, you can be a joint user on your American spouse's bank account.

Just have to post an update here... spent a good two hours on the phone with MBNA on Friday trying to get a Visa, and no dice. I did have a glimmer of hope when a senior customer service rep and a credit analyst both told me that, yes, they will use my Canadian credit to make a decision. But none of the three reps in the applications department believed me (even when I gave them the credit analyst's name and direct number to confirm). Oh, and on top of that, I was told that because of the Patriot Act, I cannot apply for a card until I can prove physical presence in the States (which I can, according to that same credit analyst, as I have bank statements sent to my parents' house there), but the application reps still wouldn't believe me.

After being turned down by the third applications rep for lack of US revolving credit (duh), I asked to be transferred to her supervisor, and was disconnected. At that point, I gave up.

THANKFULLY, however, my husband was approved immediately for a Canadian AMEX, which I confirmed can be immediately transferred to a US AMEX, using your payment history and Canadian credit, not US.

[girl 37 7]

I've had Bank of America chequing & savings accounts and a Bank of America Visa card for a couple of years now. (Hadn't and still haven't moved to the US yet, and I was a student when I applied.) I went across the border to Blaine, WA from Vancouver, asked to open an account, and they did it without any problems. They looked at my Royal Bank Visa card and offered something similar, though they said they can't give me a "Platinum" card until I get a SSN.

When I need more $$ in my BoA account, I go to BoA, write myself a $CAN cheque from my Royal Bank account, and that's it. Very straightforward & easy.

[Jersey Girl 2]

Sorry you had a rough time, laura428. Guess it sounded to them as if a Canadian resident was calling from there and trying to get a U.S. card. That's a legal no no. You might still want to try for a Canadian MBNA or AmEx of your own, to make it easier to get a U.S. card when you finally move, and can prove residency. (Hope I'm making the right assumptions here.)

Edited July 10, 2006 by Jersey Girl

[daisy16 0]

The car companies CAN check your credit rating in Canada, if motivated enough. That might be a way to establish a credit history.

[Cassie 8]

Because there is a distinct possibility of us moving back to Canada in the future, and because I also have student loans to finish paying off (two more years and I am done! woot!), I kept open my Canadian bank accounts. I also am keeping open my Canadian MasterCard account, to finish paying it off, and making occaisional purchases with it, to help with my credit score in Canada. I've been transferring money through PayPal, which gives a good currency conversion rate, and only costs a little bit. Works for us.

[Flames9_RN 358]

Instead of paypal, use customhouse, no fees and a better rate, lol I love it

Instead of paypal, use customhouse, no fees and a better rate, lol I love it

[laura428 0]

Sorry you had a rough time, laura428. Guess it sounded to them as if a Canadian resident was calling from there and trying to get a U.S. card. That's a legal no no. You might still want to try for a Canadian MBNA or AmEx of your own, to make it easier to get a U.S. card when you finally move, and can prove residency. (Hope I'm making the right assumptions here.)

I think that's exactly the assumption they were making. Even so, as long as I could fax a piece of mail that showed my name with a US address on it, it should have been ok (acc'd to this credit analyst). It's just trying to get the credit decision dept and the applications dept talking that seemed to prove impossible.

I actually already have excellent Canadian credit... that I'm not concerned about. Getting a Canadian MBNA won't do anything more for me, since I was told that I could not simply transfer the card... would have to cancel and apply for a new card in the States. And I tried to apply for a Canadian AMEX to do the global transfer like my husband, but because I'm a stay at home mom, and AMEX requires personal income to qualify, it's a no go.

[Badgerbabe 0]

It would be easy to add yourself onto a joint account now.

Idid this before moving here just with my passport as ID and you fill out a W9 at the Bank because you are a non -resident and don't have a social security number.

I work in a Bank here now and we have to see ID because of the patriot act - a picture ID is required. Passport/driver's licence state ID.

The problem will come once you are married as you will need a picture ID in your new name to change it over - the marriage certificate is not enough. Once you have a social security number then you would go in and give them this and sign a W9 form to say that this number is correct.

I managed to get a card from Capital One with a small limit without a major problem.

Hope this helps

[Jersey Girl 2]

Getting a Canadian MBNA won't do anything more for me, since I was told that I could not simply transfer the card... would have to cancel and apply for a new card in the States.

But that's exactly the point! If you've already had an MBNA card in Canada, it makes it easier to apply for an MBNA card in the U.S. once you're an official resident here. There's no transfer, since that's against banking laws. You cut up your Canadian card and get a new, U.S. card.

If you called MBNA from Canada, coming up on their caller I.D. with a Canadian phone number, and asked for a U.S. card, they're going to be suspicious. Especially since any snowbird will have a piece of mail coming to them at a U.S. address. You have to move to the States first, and then approach the credit card company in the U.S. hoping they'll use their international resources to check your previous history with them in Canada. Otherwise, you arrive here like a total stranger with zero credit history and almost no way to establish one. Unless you want the secured credit card first-year college students get.

[girl 37 7]

You have to move to the States first, and then approach the credit card company in the U.S. hoping they'll use their international resources to check your previous history with them in Canada. Otherwise, you arrive here like a total stranger with zero credit history and almost no way to establish one. Unless you want the secured credit card first-year college students get.

I dunno about that. Bank of America offered me a 7K limit on my card and I didn't / don't live in the US... They've since upped it. It's an Alaska Airways visa card, not a student card.

[J&K 0]

This thread has been very interesting!

I'm with Royal Bank, and I'm actually heading in to my branch today to see if I can get some more information.

I know, that reading from their website (and from my dad who currently has a US bank account with Royal), that if you create a US bank account with them, you will be able to establish your Canadian credit with them in order to secure loans and mortgages with them (as some of you have already mentioned! )

I may just go this route. But I'm also looking at the Bank of America route as well. May give the closest branch to my soon to hubby a call and see what their policies on Canadians opening an account and applying for credit who are not in country yet are.

[laura428 0]

But that's exactly the point! If you've already had an MBNA card in Canada, it makes it easier to apply for an MBNA card in the U.S. once you're an official resident here. There's no transfer, since that's against banking laws. You cut up your Canadian card and get a new, U.S. card.

If you called MBNA from Canada, coming up on their caller I.D. with a Canadian phone number, and asked for a U.S. card, they're going to be suspicious. Especially since any snowbird will have a piece of mail coming to them at a U.S. address. You have to move to the States first, and then approach the credit card company in the U.S. hoping they'll use their international resources to check your previous history with them in Canada. Otherwise, you arrive here like a total stranger with zero credit history and almost no way to establish one. Unless you want the secured credit card first-year college students get.

According to the credit analyst and the senior customer service rep (and, btw, I was told that the US and Canadian customer service departments work as one - US calls are fielded to Canada, too), having a Canadian MBNA card before applying for a US card would do nothing to bolster my case. They will check US credit only... unless you can actually get them to talk to a credit analyst and dig deeper.

Wish it was different... maybe if I spend another two hours on the phone, I'll get a different answer.