credit history

[san diego 407]

I am really sorry for ignorance. I have a question. I make a really good living being company executive but my wife came from Russia on K1 almost 2 years ago and still does not have any credit history. She is a housewife volunteering for non-profit organizations as we never experienced a need in extra income. All of our credit cards/bank accounts/etc are on my name with her name added. We never thought about it but out of curiosity she applied for a credit card 1 month ago and it was rejected. it may be a stupid question but does anyone have any experience with starting credit history for new immigrants (spouses) that don't work? Any help would be appreciated!

[hamigirl710 112]

go to your bank and get her a secured credit card that she can use and pay off each month. Make sure they report to the credit bureau.

Edited December 19, 2012 by hamigirl710

[Jahwaree 83]

She has no credit yet, but no credit is better than derogatory credit, get her a secured credit card

at your bank then have her build credit history, aroundf this time at christmas stores like Macys,Pennys

or Bloomies among others give instant credit at the malls if she has ID and a utility bill with her on the spot

[Ryan H 3,812]

Moved from K1 Process & Procedures to Moving Here and Your New Life In America forum; topic is not a K1 visa process topic.

**Organizer hat off**

I am really sorry for ignorance. I have a question. I make a really good living being company executive but my wife came from Russia on K1 almost 2 years ago and still does not have any credit history. She is a housewife volunteering for non-profit organizations as we never experienced a need in extra income. All of our credit cards/bank accounts/etc are on my name with her name added. We never thought about it but out of curiosity she applied for a credit card 1 month ago and it was rejected. it may be a stupid question but does anyone have any experience with starting credit history for new immigrants (spouses) that don't work? Any help would be appreciated!

Capital One offers a card for 'newcomers' (you can see the details in this link here: http://www.capitalone.com/credit-cards/cash-rewards-for-newcomers/ ), the limit is low but it is unsecured; this is what my wife has. We had to jump through some hoops before they approved it but now my wife gets offers for other cards now (such offers go straight into the shredder).

Edited December 19, 2012 by Ryan H

[Jamaica2009 4]

You can also make her an authorized user on your cards. If don't have to give her the cards but use them and pay them off to establish credit for her. I did this with my husband and he now has excellent credit.

[san diego 407]

Thank you, everyone! I'll try store cards and secured bank card. She is authorizes use on all my credit cards though, which are paid monthly. Unfortunately, this did not help, at least, so far. I will try Capital One, thank you, Ryan, and secured from our bank.

Thanks again, everyone!

[Sirdaniel42 86]

You can also make her an authorized user on your cards. If don't have to give her the cards but use them and pay them off to establish credit for her. I did this with my husband and he now has excellent credit.

Same here!!!

[Reyan 56]

If you only included her as an authorized user, I suggest getting her on as a joint owner. I did this, and now she gets various CC offers though the mail. I also found out that her credit score was surprising high at 796.

My wife is also a house wife and only goes to school.

Edited December 19, 2012 by Reyan

[caly 48]

If you only included her as an authorized user, I suggest getting her on as a joint owner. I did this, and now she gets various CC offers though the mail. I also found out that her credit score was surprising high at 796.

My wife is also a house wife and only goes to school.

This is what we did. He added me as a joint owner of his oldest credit card (he's got a fairly high credit score) that we use regularly. I started getting CC offers about 5-6 months down the road. I don't know what my credit score is.. but at least I have credit history now.

Before he added me as a joint owner on that card, I tried applying for the Capital One immigrants card but was flat out denied.

I am a housewife who does very sporadic subbing at the local school.

[John&Juvy 36]

Firstpremier bank... 27%APR and only $300 credit limit... but it helped me started. I only used it for 3 months, then I started getting lots of offer after that, did accepted the offer in US bank with very less APR. Try also to open a macys or victoria secret credit card and add her name on it.

Edited December 19, 2012 by John&Juvy

[Teddy B 17,252]

I am really sorry for ignorance. I have a question. I make a really good living being company executive but my wife came from Russia on K1 almost 2 years ago and still does not have any credit history. She is a housewife volunteering for non-profit organizations as we never experienced a need in extra income. All of our credit cards/bank accounts/etc are on my name with her name added. We never thought about it but out of curiosity she applied for a credit card 1 month ago and it was rejected. it may be a stupid question but does anyone have any experience with starting credit history for new immigrants (spouses) that don't work? Any help would be appreciated!

This doesn't make sense. Your wife piggybacking on your credit cards and adding her to your bank account are the two fastest ways for anyone to get credit. What type of credit card did she apply for? Have you done your own credit check to see what her score is? She is allowed one free credit check per year by law.

Here's a link where you can get a free credit report: Free Credit Report

Here's a link where you can read up on how to build credit: Experian

[Darnell 8,478]

ya, authorized user is not same as joint owner, on a credit card account.

Also, 'what you need' varies by what the credit card company themselves 'call it'

but it essence - ADD her to YOUR account as a joint owner.

How to tell it worked? The monthly statement has both yer names on it.

[Enigma11561 336]

For some reason my wife had a lot of difficulty with places like Macy's and Kohl's. She got a debit card from the bank which she now uses. Then came an offer from Capital One, small credit line, now we get offers almost every week. Going to go back to Macy's again since using that we get some nice discounts.

[Justud 42]

You can also make her an authorized user on your cards. If don't have to give her the cards but use them and pay them off to establish credit for her. I did this with my husband and he now has excellent credit.

There you go.

[bainbridge558 0]

I put Olga on my bank account when we were married and she rcv'd her own debit card. She then applied for a J.C. Penney card and was denied due to no credit history. Talked to our banker and he advised us to try the Capital One card. Got one and she has used it about a half a dozen times ... and we pay off the balance when the bill comes. We also got a small loan for an old van ( which also serves as her " practice car " ... leaving my new Ford truck alone ) and put her on the loan as co-borrower. Have paid off the loan and it shows up on her credit report. Capital One has now up'ed her limit and she gets offers about twice a week now from other cards.