Building credit

[Iac3 10]

I moved to the USA via k1 visa in March and married my amazing wife and filed for AOS 

 

we we have been struggling to get me added on to any accounts and to get a credit card, I has a SSN but have had 0 success 

 

can anyone give any advice  

 

capital onw have declined my request for a secured card 😞

[Cyberfx1024 7,980]

7 minutes ago, Iac3 said:

I moved to the USA via k1 visa in March and married my amazing wife and filed for AOS 

 

we we have been struggling to get me added on to any accounts and to get a credit card, I has a SSN but have had 0 success 

 

can anyone give any advice  

 

capital onw have declined my request for a secured card 😞

Does you wife have any credit cards at all, do you have joint accounts?

[Ben&Zian 4,397]

8 minutes ago, Iac3 said:

I moved to the USA via k1 visa in March and married my amazing wife and filed for AOS 

 

we we have been struggling to get me added on to any accounts and to get a credit card, I has a SSN but have had 0 success 

 

can anyone give any advice  

 

capital onw have declined my request for a secured card 😞

 

Even for a secured one? Interesting. When I had bad credit before years back I applied through my bank (bank of america) for a $500 secure card. Gave them the 500 bucks and then one year later they refunded the money and now it's a $4,500 credit line they increase occassionally. That's usually best way to start off.

[Iac3 10]

1 minute ago, cyberfx1024 said:

Does you wife have any credit cards at all, do you have joint accounts?

Yeah we’re currentky trying to get me added to her bank account and she does have credit cards 

[Crazy Cat 41,184]

Most credit cards will allow the primary holder to add an authorized user to the existing credit card account.  That's what I did after my wife entered the US last year.  Within 3 months or so, she had an excellent established credit score.  This is a Citibank card.

Edited May 4, 2018 by missileman

[shumway1756 304]

Did Capital One tell you why you were declined for the secure card? That's pretty rare since a secured card carries virtually no risk.

 

I would try and find out why they declined you. You can also try Discover, they have a secured card option as well.

 

For some companies, adding as an authorized user can help build credit but verify this as not all "authorized users" are reported to credit bureaus, this varies by card company.

[G Walters 136]

Go for a secured card at the bank. They usually are easier to get,

[Sunnyland 639]

A co-worker at work recently applied for a secured credit card with Capital One and was denied, even the small amount ones. She did not have her GC approved yet so I think that could be the reason. I started applying for credit cards after I had my GC because I was also having trouble in being accepted. I don't know for sure if not having the GC was the cause of the problem. 

Anyways try that your spouse add you as authorized user of the credit cards she has now. 

[Cyberfx1024 7,980]

4 minutes ago, missileman said:

Most credit cards will allow the primary holder to add an authorized user to the existing credit card account.  That's what I did after my wife entered the US last year.  Within 3 months or so, she had an excellent established credit score.  This is a Citibank card.

 

4 minutes ago, Iac3 said:

Yeah we’re currentky trying to get me added to her bank account and she does have credit cards 

Ok get added to the accounts asap. I know this took no time for me and my wife. My wife is a authorized user on our sole credit card with USAA.

[Boiler 44,855]

American Express will allow you to use your UK card to get a US one.

[Crazy Cat 41,184]

2 minutes ago, shumway88 said:

For some companies, adding as an authorized user can help build credit but verify this as not all "authorized users" are reported to credit bureaus, this varies by card company.

Good point.  Before I added my wife, I made sure that my Citibank card would report all use to credit bureaus under her name as well as mine.  It worked great.  She immediately started with an excellent score.

[Crazy Cat 41,184]

Personally, I'm not sure this subject gets enough attention.  Building a solid credit history is a valuable tool for new immigrants.  My wife and I are in the "home buying process" right now, and her having an excellent credit history here in the US has been beneficial.

[Paul & Mallory 1,398]

To help build your credit here in the U.S. - which can help with being approved for things down the road, as others have said - a common method is having yourself added as an Authorized User on any credit account your spouse may already have here. I think someone already mentioned this, but check that whatever financial institution those card(s) are at reports Authorized Users. You want to make sure the account reflects on both the accountholder's and the authorized user's credit report. Also have yourself added on any bill/bills with a recurring payment history.

 

A lot of beneficiaries get added to established accounts in their partner's name to begin with, but as others have said, there are some places where you should at least be able to get a Secured Card (very low risk credit card) in your name.

[Paul & Mallory 1,398]

36 minutes ago, missileman said:

Personally, I'm not sure this subject gets enough attention.  Building a solid credit history is a valuable tool for new immigrants.  My wife and I are in the "home buying process" right now, and her having an excellent credit history here in the US has been beneficial.

I agree! My fiancé and I have had this discussion already and he isn't even here yet, because we want to eventually buy a bigger house once we're settled. He's already asked questions and looked into his options for transferring his financial assets in Sweden to the states, and what his best bets are for establishing a credit here in the US. We plan on having him added to my credit accounts as an authorized user and adding him to some basic bills. It's one of those things that aren't necessarily in the forefront of your mind, at least at this point, because you're just trying to get the non-USC here to begin with. Then you reach a point where it's a necessity and feel sort of lost.

[Wuozopo 4,291]

2 hours ago, Paul & Mallory said:

We plan on having him added to my credit accounts as an authorized user and adding him to some basic bills. It's one of those things that aren't necessarily in the forefront of your mind, at least at this point, because you're just trying to get the non-USC here to begin with. Then you reach a point where it's a necessity and feel sort of lost.

Keep that idea in the forefront because that is exactly the evidence you show from right after marriage, continuing until you apply for removing conditions. Get him on whatever you can asap, save evidence and you will be so relieved when it's time to prove your marriage is bonafide and get the 10-year greencard.