TD USA Bank Account - Can it pull in my Canadian Credit History?

[Saskatchewanian 0]

I've looked through a lot of these threads and I have found some conflicting information. I am trying to find out if there is a way to bring my Canadian credit history with me to the USA. Is this possible or do you always have to start from scratch when building your credit history?

I know you can get a credit card with someone etc but this will not be a possibility for my situation. So I am just looking for information as to whether or not my Canadian history will pull over to a US bank once I have a SSN and add it to the account making it a fully functional "US Bank account" (because I bank with TD in Canada and have a TD USA bank account as well).

Sorry if this has been answered before...I couldn't find anything.

thank you!

[jfgk1987 303]

Yes! My husband just did this and they gave him a card with a surprisingly high limit.

There is a particular way you have to do it and you should definitely wait until you have a job. He tried for it twice; he got rejected the first time in January because he didn't have a job yet. He waited 6 months to try again in July and since he'd gotten a job in June he was successful this time.

[stormnut42 13]

I have a TD account in Canada and my spouse has the Canadian and U.S. account at TD as well. However, I was initially denied getting a credit card because they said I had no credit history here in the U.S. Even after I got a job here, I still had to get my spouse to co-sign before my card was approved.

[fellaamazing 72]

Cosign is the easiest way to kick-start a credit history in US, no matter how good your credit history is in Canada.

When I first come to US, ART VAN furniture really wanted to sell me bed. And they were willing to give me 18 months interest free by pulling Canadian history.

At that time Huntington Bank was also desperate and willing to check my Canadian history as long as I create a checking and saving account with them. Anyways TD was never in Michigan, and they refused.

[jfgk1987 303]

Sorry about my non-descriptive comment, I had a meeting to run to. Here's a detailed version of how my husband got his card:

First try: Husband has no job but tries anyway. The representative lady gives him a form that to fill out that she would fax back to the financial solutions group, I co-sign. He's denied because he has no job.

Second try: We go back to TD and my husband talks to a different representative lady. Her process was different from the first rep; she gave him a credit card pamphlet so he could choose one and apply. I stress that she HAS to do it the way the first rep did by using his Canadian credit score and that what she's doing doesn't look right. She says she's doing it right, I tell him just to wait to see the other rep but he doesn't listen, I reluctantly co-sign. He's denied due to no US credit. THAT LADY DID THE APPLICATION WRONG, and it hurt my credit score a little.

Third Try: Four days later I make my husband call TD bank to ask when the first rep lady would be in. Two days after that we go to see her and tell her what happened the week before. She flips out because the other lady did it totally wrong. She gave him a new form so that he could update it with his new job information, then she faxed it to the financial solutions group. Even though he was trying again a week after being denied the lady assured him that they do this credit check differently from the typical credit check and that he should be approved. I refuse to co-sign because I'm skeptical. He's approved with a 10k credit limit.

YOU REALLY REALLY NEED TO STRESS THAT YOU WANT TO USE YOUR CANADIAN CREDIT HISTORY TO APPLY FOR A US TD CARD.

Edited August 27, 2015 by jfgk1987

[Saskatchewanian 0]

Great, thank you!

It's been such a pain to get the US bank account set up that I was beginning to wonder if it was worth the hassle but I suppose it might be an asset in the long run.

Thank you all for your responses

Edited August 27, 2015 by Saskatchewanian

[Udella&Wiz 325]

Things seem to be improving with the bank's ability to use your Cdn credit. 8 yrs ago when I moved, despite being 37 and having good credit back in Canada, our bank at the time (Wells Fargo) seemed to have no concept or ability to look up or use my Cdn credit for my credit card application

What it came down to was that I had to start with a secured card and a $300 limit in order to start building my US credit. I was insulted as hell when the well-meaning banker said I could have my husband co-sign, I was like...I don't think so, what is this 1950? I was determined that I should be independent.

I couldn't even get a Target credit card...it was pretty sobering. 8 yrs later I have a nice shiny credit score and a credit card with an 'adult' sized limit. It helped a lot when we bought a 2nd car too and my name was on that loan.

[AC&BS 23]

udellawiz is correct it is getting better but very slowly. Most bank branch offices don't know there is a world out there beyond the USA. A lot of the smaller banks don't know about the world beyond their state.

TD is the best bet. Make sure to talk to a branch manager and be specific that you want them to use the Canadian history.

You can also talk to someone on the phone. They often have access to manuals that the branch doesn't and can escalate more easily to supervisors, although a good branch manager will call for assistance when he needs it.

It can be done with a little persistence and patience. good luck.

[Andy&Vanda 8]

TD is the way to go.. I'm a US citizen and had a stellar credit rating back in 2005. Then I moved to Canada for 10 years. I just moved back to the US and, poof, I no longer exist on any of the credit bureaus. I have a CapitalOne Asperion card and ran almost $30k through the card this year and paid it off completely. I called CapitalOne in the US and was DENIED a card. I was furious, but all they go by is your US credit score, which I had none.

TD was able to get both my Canadian wife (no SSN) and myself a TD credit card using our excellent credit in Canada. I spoke with Equifax and they were sympathetic, but unhelpful. Basically you have to re-build your credit slowly..

Good luck!

[fellaamazing 72]

Guys,

Stop giving your business to big banks. Or still stick with your Canadian big bank.

There are so many smaller banks and credit unions that treat you personally rather than someone who can make money off of. Huntington is one of those good banks that gives you 24 hour grace period on overdrawn accounts. And don't charge unnecessary fees.