Moving to Chicago this december - Can i apply Credit card

[Zero Cool 0]

Hi Friends,

I Will be moving to Chicago this December. Can I apply for a credit card even before i get a Job. I am currently with a credit card company that also operates in USA will my past history be considered.

Your help is greatly appreciated.

[hikergirl 277]

For me moving from Canada to the US my Amex Card can be converted to a US ones. I looked at the Australian Amex website and searched "moving abroad" and it has some cards that will convert and some that won't. Perhaps you will be able to convert your card and save yourself the hassle of applying for a new card.

[Zero Cool 0]

For me moving from Canada to the US my Amex Card can be converted to a US ones. I looked at the Australian Amex website and searched "moving abroad" and it has some cards that will convert and some that won't. Perhaps you will be able to convert your card and save yourself the hassle of applying for a new card.

Thank you.

I am with HSBC any idea .. i will call them to find out the options.

Once again Thank you

[Nica_In_Love 98]

A couple months after I got here I applied for Capital One card designed for newcomers and I got approved. The initial credit limit is only $500 but they will raise it with time. After a few months they raised the limit to $750 and recently to $2,250. Check to see if you can get your HSBC here, if not, try applying for the Capital One card. I wasn't working when I applied for it.

http://www.capitalone.com/creditcards/newcomer-credit-card/a/12102/17/?linkid=WWW_1010_CARD_TGAFF01_Z_Z_01_T_CP10217AW

[Kimbear 53]

A couple months after I got here I applied for Capital One card designed for newcomers and I got approved. The initial credit limit is only $500 but they will raise it with time. After a few months they raised the limit to $750 and recently to $2,250. Check to see if you can get your HSBC here, if not, try applying for the Capital One card. I wasn't working when I applied for it.

http://www.capitalon..._01_T_CP10217AW

I did the same thing, but it took a few tries to get it as i had no credit file to begin with, applying the first time made the credit companies actually make a file for me i guess, then a few more tries and voila 6 months of living in the us cap one gave a card too. Same deal as Nica, although i haven't gotten bumped up past the 750$ limit yet lol

[N M 96]

Thank you.

I am with HSBC any idea .. i will call them to find out the options.

Once again Thank you

HSBC are currently in the process of leaving the U.S. credit card market. All their accounts have recently been sold to Capital One, so it's possible that you've just missed the boat on converting your Australian HSBC card.

But as others have said, there are options available. Even with non-existent credit, you can still get yourself a gas card, and a low limit credit card. These can build your credit in no time. I went from no absolutely credit to an 800 FICO score and a mortgage in less than 18 months. Just pay on time, don't use more than 40% of your available credit, and try not to carry a balance each month.

[EminTX 131]

Ummm--opposing viewpoint here. Why do you want a credit card immediately--or why do you want one at all?

<----- Serious Dave Ramsey fan here: No such thing as good credit.

Everything I can't pay for right now is something I have to wait for. Or, better yet, have prepared for. (Yep, that Emergency Fund is oh-so-handy!)

(I haven't used a credit card for many, many years.)

[N M 96]

Ummm--opposing viewpoint here. Why do you want a credit card immediately--or why do you want one at all?

<----- Serious Dave Ramsey fan here: No such thing as good credit.

Everything I can't pay for right now is something I have to wait for. Or, better yet, have prepared for. (Yep, that Emergency Fund is oh-so-handy!)

(I haven't used a credit card for many, many years.)

Totally understand where you are coming from (my job is investigating the debt-management industry, so I see credit card debt horror stories every single day), but at the same time, it's vital to have at least some credit history. Especially if you are a recent immigrant with no history here. I'm guessing you are a USC? If so, you'll likely have at least some credit footprint - even if you haven't used a card in years. But for a new immigrant, forging some kind of credit footprint is crucial - especially if they are coming here on a working, or student visa and don't have a USC spouse.

• Want a mortgage? You need a credit score - and a good one at that.
  
• Want to rent an apartment? You may well need a credit score - or to offset the landlord's perceived risk, you may be hit with a higher monthly rent, higher bond, or an outright rejection.
  
• Want a job? Many employers will check an applicant's credit score as an indicator of their overall reliability.
  

Even if you do come here on say a K1, it's still important to build up your own credit. Worst case scenario, your USC spouse dies, or divorces you. Nicer scenario (as happened to us): we had a baby and Annette stopped working. So when we bought a house, the mortgage HAD to be in my name. If I hadn't built up a credit score we wouldn't have this house. It's that simple.

[hangover 0]

its really crazy as they do not accept the credits from other banks or same banks that are in foreign countries, and for people who move there with less money it will be a truly nightmare to afford the crazy interest rates on their credits and to spend in order to build credit history so they can move on and make life better to get jobs, homes and etc...