How I got my first credit card (in US ~3 months on K1)

[Reggie B 11]

I will just put this up here as it was one of my main worries about moving to the US.

 

 

I just got issued my first US credit card today. Anyone who has been here will tell you this can be a real pain to get since you start with no credit history.

 

My background: I'm from the UK and have gone through the whole K1 process and am now married and adjusting towards my first greencard (the 2 year conditional one).

This info assumes you can get an American Express credit card back home and they allow you to use their global transfer system with it.

 

Firstly: Get an american express card, preferably one with no annual fees and start using it - You have to have the card at least 3 months I believe to be considered.

Secondly: Make sure you keep this card in good standing and use it for as much as possible whilst you're still in your home country.

Third: Once you're in the US with your K1 visa, get your SSN ASAP.

Forth: After you're married phone up the American Express customer service and get them to direct you to global transfer, they will guide you through all the steps. The reason I say wait until you are married is that you can give your spouse's salary as other income you can reasonably expect access to, which should help the application.

 

The phonecall took me 30 minutes, I waited almost 3 months to do this and wish I hadn't put it off. If you want a trouble free way of getting access to a way to build your credit rating I would highly recommend this.

 

Also just for reference I was approved today, the card has a credit limit comparable to back in the UK and has good terms. Yesterday I was declined for a store card at a well known large retailer. I don't know what I would have done without this as no-one is going to touch you without credit.

 

-Reggie.

Edited March 26, 2018 by Reggie B

[KULtoATL 1,551]

Bank of America would issue immigrants a secured credit card and even allow opening of bank accounts They are immigrant friendly.

[Reggie B 11]

Good info. I opened my debit account with Wintrust which I think is a local bank.

 

The card above is unsecured.

[NYCruiser 423]

17 minutes ago, Reggie B said:

I will just put this up here as it was one of my main worries about moving to the US.

 

 

I just got issued my first US credit card today. Anyone who has been here will tell you this can be a real pain to get since you start with no credit history.

 

My background: I'm from the UK and have gone through the whole K1 process and am now married and adjusting towards my first greencard (the 2 year conditional one).

This info assumes you can get an American Express credit card back home and they allow you to use their global transfer system with it.

 

Firstly: Get an american express card, preferably one with no annual fees and start using it - You have to have the card at least 3 months I believe to be considered.

Secondly: Make sure you keep this card in good standing and use it for as much as possible whilst you're still in your home country.

Third: Once you're in the US with your K1 visa, get your SSN ASAP.

Forth: After you're married phone up the American Express customer service and get them to direct you to global transfer, they will guide you through all the steps. The reason I say wait until you are married is that you can give your spouse's salary as other income you can reasonably expect access to, which should help the application.

 

The phonecall took me 30 minutes, I waited almost 3 months to do this and wish I hadn't put it off. If you want a trouble free way of getting access to a way to build your credit rating I would highly recommend this.

 

Also just for reference I was approved today, the card has a credit limit comparable to back in the UK and has good terms. Yesterday I was declined for a store card at a well known large retailer. I don't know what I would have done without this as no-one is going to touch you without credit.

 

-Reggie.

What we did was to put my Fiance on my credit card. Particularly AMEX. They report to Credit Bureaus the same information on creditworthiness for both of you. With Amex you do need the SS Number, however, until you get the Green Card, your SS Number is a restricted number with the notation not Valid for Work Authorization etc etc...

 

Within a year of me being here, his credit rating was 820 and no he did not have any credit cards in Kenya.

 

You can check free at http://www.creditkarma.com for your rating. 

 

 

[Ontarkie 14,227]

~~Moved to Moving Here and Your New life, from K1 P&P - As this is not a processing post and other similar threads are discussed here.~~

[bukawbukaw 2]

7 hours ago, Reggie B said:

I will just put this up here as it was one of my main worries about moving to the US.

 

 

I just got issued my first US credit card today. Anyone who has been here will tell you this can be a real pain to get since you start with no credit history.

 

My background: I'm from the UK and have gone through the whole K1 process and am now married and adjusting towards my first greencard (the 2 year conditional one).

This info assumes you can get an American Express credit card back home and they allow you to use their global transfer system with it.

 

Firstly: Get an american express card, preferably one with no annual fees and start using it - You have to have the card at least 3 months I believe to be considered.

Secondly: Make sure you keep this card in good standing and use it for as much as possible whilst you're still in your home country.

Third: Once you're in the US with your K1 visa, get your SSN ASAP.

Forth: After you're married phone up the American Express customer service and get them to direct you to global transfer, they will guide you through all the steps. The reason I say wait until you are married is that you can give your spouse's salary as other income you can reasonably expect access to, which should help the application.

 

The phonecall took me 30 minutes, I waited almost 3 months to do this and wish I hadn't put it off. If you want a trouble free way of getting access to a way to build your credit rating I would highly recommend this.

 

Also just for reference I was approved today, the card has a credit limit comparable to back in the UK and has good terms. Yesterday I was declined for a store card at a well known large retailer. I don't know what I would have done without this as no-one is going to touch you without credit.

 

-Reggie.

Hmmm... You usually need a US Social Security Number to get a credit card. And you usually need credit first. Like from a car loan or student loan.

 

Also, AmEx is REALLY hard to get! I suggest Capital One. I have been in the USA for 8 years and am a citizen. I STILL do not qualify for a basic AmEx, with a credit score of 771!

[Reggie B 11]

58 minutes ago, bukawbukaw said:

Hmmm... You usually need a US Social Security Number to get a credit card. And you usually need credit first. Like from a car loan or student loan.

 

Also, AmEx is REALLY hard to get! I suggest Capital One. I have been in the USA for 8 years and am a citizen. I STILL do not qualify for a basic AmEx, with a credit score of 771!

Yeah I had a SSN. It was using their global transfer scheme so my lack of credit in the US wasn’t an issue. I can now build some up though. 

[bukawbukaw 2]

1 hour ago, Reggie B said:

Yeah I had a SSN. It was using their global transfer scheme so my lack of credit in the US wasn’t an issue. I can now build some up though. 

Global transfer scheme?

[Chris Duffy 1,257]

I am very anti credit card, From the view of a business owner they are almost a mafia type company.  They basically want 3% of your business.

 

From a consumer side it is almost a necessary evil to get one to help establish credit score in the good ole USA.

 

This is why CC don't sweat it when someone steal a number and makes fraudulent charges, they make so much money it is part of them doing business.

[ADAngel 40]

If you ever need another card I would really suggest avoiding big companies or banks, but that's just my personal preference. I have gotten all of my credit cards through the Credit Union where I have an account. I find that credit unions are usually much more generous with giving cards to people with little to no credit. The day I turned 18 I went and got a credit card from them to start building my credit, I had a cosigner but got a limit of $500 having no credit myself. I was eventually able to reapply without a cosigner and I got my limit raised to 2,000 without any issues. With additional credits over the years, personal loans, car loans, etc. I've now got a credit score of 785 (hindered mostly by my student loan balance). 

Credit unions are just better than banks, but again that's my personal opinion. 

[ZA_US 27]

Capital One sent me a credit card offer about 3 months after being in the US. I still have no idea how that happened but it did. I was going to open a secured credit card but then the non-secured offer arrived in the mail! Anyway, Capital One seems to be very easy to get especially with no credit score. After the Capital One card, I opened two more Cards over the years and have built up an "excellent" credit score (>750). The secret is to keep balances below 30% usage, never miss payments and wait for your history to increase in length. Get on Credit Karma and don't apply for cards that have yearly fees or are only for excellent credit in the beginning.

[Cata&Ben 199]

On 3/26/2018 at 2:16 PM, Reggie B said:

I will just put this up here as it was one of my main worries about moving to the US.

 

 

I just got issued my first US credit card today. Anyone who has been here will tell you this can be a real pain to get since you start with no credit history.

 

My background: I'm from the UK and have gone through the whole K1 process and am now married and adjusting towards my first greencard (the 2 year conditional one).

This info assumes you can get an American Express credit card back home and they allow you to use their global transfer system with it.

 

Firstly: Get an american express card, preferably one with no annual fees and start using it - You have to have the card at least 3 months I believe to be considered.

Secondly: Make sure you keep this card in good standing and use it for as much as possible whilst you're still in your home country.

Third: Once you're in the US with your K1 visa, get your SSN ASAP.

Forth: After you're married phone up the American Express customer service and get them to direct you to global transfer, they will guide you through all the steps. The reason I say wait until you are married is that you can give your spouse's salary as other income you can reasonably expect access to, which should help the application.

 

The phonecall took me 30 minutes, I waited almost 3 months to do this and wish I hadn't put it off. If you want a trouble free way of getting access to a way to build your credit rating I would highly recommend this.

 

Also just for reference I was approved today, the card has a credit limit comparable to back in the UK and has good terms. Yesterday I was declined for a store card at a well known large retailer. I don't know what I would have done without this as no-one is going to touch you without credit.

 

-Reggie.

thanks a lot for this info!

[Cata&Ben 199]

On 3/26/2018 at 2:16 PM, Reggie B said:

I will just put this up here as it was one of my main worries about moving to the US.

 

 

I just got issued my first US credit card today. Anyone who has been here will tell you this can be a real pain to get since you start with no credit history.

 

My background: I'm from the UK and have gone through the whole K1 process and am now married and adjusting towards my first greencard (the 2 year conditional one).

This info assumes you can get an American Express credit card back home and they allow you to use their global transfer system with it.

 

Firstly: Get an american express card, preferably one with no annual fees and start using it - You have to have the card at least 3 months I believe to be considered.

Secondly: Make sure you keep this card in good standing and use it for as much as possible whilst you're still in your home country.

Third: Once you're in the US with your K1 visa, get your SSN ASAP.

Forth: After you're married phone up the American Express customer service and get them to direct you to global transfer, they will guide you through all the steps. The reason I say wait until you are married is that you can give your spouse's salary as other income you can reasonably expect access to, which should help the application.

 

The phonecall took me 30 minutes, I waited almost 3 months to do this and wish I hadn't put it off. If you want a trouble free way of getting access to a way to build your credit rating I would highly recommend this.

 

Also just for reference I was approved today, the card has a credit limit comparable to back in the UK and has good terms. Yesterday I was declined for a store card at a well known large retailer. I don't know what I would have done without this as no-one is going to touch you without credit.

 

-Reggie.

I have a question. I notice in the AMEX website says this: American Express Corporate Cards and American Express Cards issued by Banks other than an American Express Bank are not eligible through this Card application process.

 

Was your AMEX card issued by an UK Bank ( like Natwest?) 

Thanks!