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borninabarn

Your first Credit Card in America

By borninabarn in Moving to the US and Your New Life In America

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borninabarn Rookie

borninabarn   0

Posted
Filed: K-1 Visa Timeline
Posted

Now that you have moved to America.Have you appiled for any credit cards yet on your own?If so what credit cards did you find to be the best to apply for? (That you were appoved for)Visa, master card discover etc..Im just wondering my wife just moved here and has no credit history in the USA yet and trying to find the best card choices for new card holders.Thanks

Trip to ph---------------------------------May16,2005-June3,2005

I-129 sent---------------------------------------------June 27,2005

NOA-1---------------------------------------------------July 5,2005

NOA-2--------------------------------------------------Aug 29,2005

<!--WORD2URL-01--><!--END WORD2URL-01-->NVC<!--WORD2URL-02--><!--END WORD2URL-02--> Recieved------------------------------------------Sept.9,2005

Called <!--WORD2URL-01--><!--END WORD2URL-01-->NVC<!--WORD2URL-02--><!--END WORD2URL-02--> Recieved unique#forwarded to ph----Sept.14,2005

Unique # MNL2005756XXX

INTERVIEW APPROVED!!!!Thank God!!!-------------------------Feb 27,2005

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john_and_marlene Mentor

john_and_marlene   162

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Philippines
 Timeline
Posted

I added Marlene as an authorized user on my Mastercard a few months ago. We bought her a new car together on Saturday and found that she already has a credit score of 785 based on that alone. I imagine she will be getting offers in the mail soon for her own card.

05/16/2005 I-129F Sent

05/28/2005 I-129F NOA1

06/21/2005 I-129F NOA2

07/18/2005 Consulate Received package from NVC

11/09/2005 Medical

11/16/2005 Interview APPROVED

12/05/2005 Visa received

12/07/2005 POE Minneapolis

12/17/2005 Wedding

12/20/2005 Applied for SSN

01/14/2005 SSN received in the mail

02/03/2006 AOS sent (Did not apply for EAD or AP)

02/09/2006 NOA

02/16/2006 Case status Online

05/01/2006 Biometrics Appt.

07/12/2006 AOS Interview APPROVED

07/24/2006 GC arrived

05/02/2007 Driver's License - Passed Road Test!

05/27/2008 Lifting of Conditions sent (TSC > VSC)

06/03/2008 Check Cleared

07/08/2008 INFOPASS (I-551 stamp)

07/08/2008 Driver's License renewed

04/20/2009 Lifting of Conditions approved

04/28/2009 Card received in the mail

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tom&tata Proficient

tom&tata   2

Posted
Filed: Country: Indonesia
 Timeline
Posted

I saw previous postings on this subject, so I think the most "common" way to establish credit are:

- get a joint loan (car loan, etc)

- add as authorized user of existing credit card

- get secured credit card ( I know Bank Of America has secured card, and I think I saw other people mentioned Wells Fargo) - bank will basically issue credit card secured by a deposit.

Good luck

I-130

Jun 28 2004 : Received at NSC

Oct 25 2004 : Transferred to CSC

Oct 29 2004 : Received at CSC

Nov 8 2004 : Received response from CSC that my file is being requested & review will be done

Nov 10 2004 : Email & online status Approved

Nov 15 2004 : NOA 2 in mail

Dec 16 2004 : NVC assigns case number

Dec 20 2004 : NVC sent DS 3032 to beneficiary, copy of DS 3032 & I-864 fee bill to petitioner

Jan 3 2005 : Petitioner received copy of DS 3032 and I-864 fee bill. Post-marked Dec 23rd.

Jan 11 2005 : Beneficiary received DS 3032 in Indonesia

Jan 31 2005 : Sent DS 3032 to NVC

Feb 8, 2005 : NVC received DS 3032

Feb 21, 2005 : IV fee generated

Feb 25, 2005 : Sent I-864 fee bill

Feb 28, 2005 : I-864 fee bill delivered to St Louis

Mar 3, 2005 : IV fee bill received

Mar 7, 2005 : Sent IV fee bill

Mar 9, 2005 : IV fee bill delivered to St Louis

Mar 28, 2005 : I-864 fee credited against case.

April 6, 2005 : Received I-864 package

April 7, 2005 : Immigrant Visa fee credited against case.

April 11, 2005 : DS 230 is generated

Aug 12, 2005 : I-864 & DS 230 received by NVC

Sep 14, 2005 : RFE on I-864

Nov 3, 2005 : Checklist response received at NVC

Nov 25, 2005 : Case completion

Dec 9, 2005 : Police Cert requested from the Netherlands

Jan 12 2006 : Interview success - Approved !!

Jan 19 2006 : Visa & brown envelope picked up

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Yodrak Veteran

Yodrak   7

Posted
Filed: Timeline
Posted

borninabarn,

Some store cards are very easy to get.

Yodrak

Now that you have moved to America.Have you appiled for any credit cards yet on your own?If so what credit cards did you find to be the best to apply for? (That you were appoved for)Visa, master card discover etc..Im just wondering my wife just moved here and has no credit history in the USA yet and trying to find the best card choices for new card holders.Thanks
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lynny Contributor

lynny   0

Posted
Filed: K-1 Visa Country: Australia
 Timeline
Posted

capital one

Nov 11th 2003 sent i29f form to VSC

Nov 18th 2003 received NOA 1

Jan 17th 2004 NOA 2

Feb 6th 2004 received package 3

March 11th 2004 recieved package 4

April 7th 2004 interview in Sydney

April 7th 2004 VISA GRANTED

April 27th 2004 Arrive in Boston 8.30pm

may 29th 2004 WEDDING DAY

May 11th 2004 applied for SSN

May 17th received SSN card

June 12th 2004 applied for AOS EAD AP

July 7th 2004 NOA received for AOS EAD

August 3rd 2004 Biometrics appt in Rhode Island

EAD approved online Aug 3rd 2004

EAD card arrived in the Mail Aug 9th 2004

started working 13th September 2004

applied for renewal of EAD May 9th 2005

bio appt for EAD renewal June 10th 2005 in Boston

July 6th renewal EAD approved

July 12th 2005 renewal EAD arrived in the mail

Sept 12th AOS suspended until FBI fingerprints are done

Sept 17th FBI fingerprint appt

Oct 14th 2005 AOS interview

Oct 14th 2005 AOS interview success

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Garfield fan Collaborator

Garfield fan   0

Posted
Filed: AOS (apr) Country: Indonesia
 Timeline
Posted

We first got a secured visa card as my hubby had never applied for any kind of credits before (hard to believe, but it's true ... :P ). Then I got a Kohl's card, followed by Discover card. Now hubby has a BoA visa card and we cancelled the secured one.

Me- Indonesia & hubby - US

married in Vancouver, Canada

USCIS-free for 10 years !

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homesick_american Experienced

homesick_american   1

Posted
Filed: Timeline
Posted (edited)

If you have a couple thou handy, a secured credit card is an excellent way to establish credit.

I have no idea what being gone for 5.5 years has done to my credit rating; I'm guessing nothing pretty; and my husband won't have one at all, so we BOTH may go the secured route. I'm hoping we'll be creditworthy enough to purchase a house after a year. :clock:

Edited by homesick_american

24 June 2007: Leaving day/flying to Dallas-Fort Worth

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Canuck Carrie Proficient

Canuck Carrie   1

Posted
Filed: Citizen (pnd) Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted

Bank of America offers a secured card as low as $300.

2005

Sept 10 I-129F sent to TSC

2006

Interview - February 13th APPROVED! day 152

April 6 - wedding date day 204

Aug 22 - AOS interview date day 101-total days 342

Sept 29 - green card arrives, done until June 2008 day 140-total days 381

2008

June 30 - I-751 mailed total days 1025

2009

March 9 - Removal of Conditions approved! total days 1277

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Saddle Bronc Grand Master

Saddle Bronc   124

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Timeline
Posted (edited)

An American Express, which I applied for by filling the CANADIAN form on a TN-1 activation visit to Calgary (due to address, it was transferred to US and processed there; they asked me the SSN where I had put in the SIN).

Edited by CherryXS

2005/07/10 I-129F filed for Pras

2005/11/07 I-129F approved, forwarded to NVC--to Chennai Consulate 2005/11/14

2005/12/02 Packet-3 received from Chennai

2005/12/21 Visa Interview Date

2006/04/04 Pras' entry into US at DTW

2006/04/15 Church Wedding at Novi (Detroit suburb), MI

2006/05/01 AOS Packet (I-485/I-131/I-765) filed at Chicago

2006/08/23 AP and EAD approved. Two down, 1.5 to go

2006/10/13 Pras' I-485 interview--APPROVED!

2006/10/27 Pras' conditional GC arrives -- .5 to go (2 yrs to Conditions Removal)

2008/07/21 I-751 (conditions removal) filed

2008/08/22 I-751 biometrics completed

2009/06/18 I-751 approved

2009/07/03 10-year GC received; last 0.5 done!

2009/07/23 Pras files N-400

2009/11/16 My 46TH birthday, Pras N-400 approved

2010/03/18 Pras' swear-in

---------------------------------------------------------------------

As long as the LORD's beside me, I don't care if this road ever ends.

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almaty Grand Master

almaty   19

Posted
Filed: Citizen (pnd) Country: Kazakhstan
 Timeline
Posted
I tired applying for a Walmart card but I didn't get it... :P

lucky you sister fraces

Peace to All creatures great and small............................................

But when we turn to the Hebrew literature, we do not find such jokes about the donkey. Rather the animal is known for its strength and its loyalty to its master (Genesis 49:14; Numbers 22:30).

Peppi_drinking_beer.jpg

my burro, bosco ..enjoying a beer in almaty

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.ph...st&id=10835

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Jenn! Grand Master

Jenn!   918

Posted
Filed: Citizen (apr) Country: Morocco
 Timeline
Posted

I added my husband to my account when he arrived. About a month later, he was able to get a Best Buy credit card. Since then, the advertisements in the mail haven't stopped.

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Marilyn. Grand Master

Marilyn.   340

Posted
Filed: Other Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted (edited)

I tired applying for a Walmart card but I didn't get it... :P

lucky you sister fraces

huh?? Sister Fraces?? :lol: read carefully before posting , almaty... :P;)

and I like shopping at Walmart... :P

Edited by MarilynP
mvSuprise-hug.gif
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Flames9_RN Grand Master

Flames9_RN   358

Posted
Filed: IR-1/CR-1 Visa Country: Canada
 Timeline
Posted

Was a citi-bank CC. They had (maybe still do) had a CC for people that had just moved to the USA. Had a $40 fee. They told me it would be waived for the 2nd yr. NOT!! Recently got the statement and they charged me the $40 fee again. called them up and nicely asked them to remove it, they wouldn't, so cancelled the card. (ddint have to pay the $40)!! I applied about 6 months after enetering the USA. have applied for 2 others with suceess and didnt have to pay any fees.

Canadians Visiting the USA while undergoing the visa process, my free advice:

1) Always tell the TRUTH. never lie to the POE officer

2) Be confident in ur replies

3) keep ur response short and to the point, don't tell ur life story!!

4) look the POE officer in the eye when speaking to them. They are looking for people lieing and have been trained to find them!

5) Pack light! No job resumes with you

6) Bring ties to Canada (letter from employer when ur expected back at work, lease, etc etc)

7) Always be polite, being rude isn't going to get ya anywhere, and could make things worse!!

8) Have a plan in case u do get denied (be polite) It wont harm ur visa application if ur denied,that is if ur polite and didn't lie! Refer to #1

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