canadian credit score in us ??

[MissStacey 1]

A topic near and dear to me as I have been trying to build up credit in the US as quickly as I could.

I had great credit in Canada but in the US, of course I have nothing. Tried to take out a $1,000 loan at a US bank that I already have a couple thousand dollars in their savings account. I then would have taken that money and put it in as a CD. They said since I'm not a green card holder, the minimum limit for loans is $5,000. So it looks like as soon as you get a green card, then would be the proper time to get a loan.

I did manage to get a bank credit card with a $500 limit. Good enough for now. At least with that, I can start to build up a good credit rating. By spending a maximum 30% of the card limit monthly (in my case, $150), and paying it off in full every time, it should help boost my credit rating.

Printing off your Canadian FICO score (Equifax etc) and taking it in to your US bank may let the bank manager bypass the usual US credit scoring test for a credit card.

Department store credit cards like Macy's etc are handy if could get them before you move, but that's kinda late for most of us as we've already moved. Department store cards don't build up your credit as fast as bank credit cards.

So the tips I have from from this thread and from my own experiences are as such.

1) Get a US department store card in your Canadian residence if you haven't moved.

2) Open a US bank account as soon as you get your S.S. card. (like the same day)

3) Wait a month for a pre-approved card from your bank...I waited but was denied...That same application got approved later with the $500 credit card. (It helps if it's with a bank you have a large balance in)

4) Once you get your Green card, apply for a small loan and deposit it as a CD. Pay off the loan on schedule.

5) Change your spouses name to your name on a utility bill. Pay it off in full and before the due date every month.

That's about it for getting a good US credit score and fast.

Fantastic advise!!

[Reba 2]

I think you actually get a better credit score in the US if you keep a balance on your credit cards, rather than pay the full thing every month. I could be wrong, but I think they prefer you actually use your credit cards for credit, if you follow...

[JoeCanuk 3]

I have a Capital One Mastercard and am considering not paying it off anymore. I was always making payments when I lived in Canada but now that I'm not allowed to work and they won't accept payments in American money from American banks I'm about to tell them to shove it. Could I get in trouble?

Can you transfer it to a Capital One in the US?

I'm not sure. I'd have to find out. I have a feeling I can't as it was through Bank of Montreal I believe.

[Krikit 1,164]

I have a Capital One Mastercard and am considering not paying it off anymore. I was always making payments when I lived in Canada but now that I'm not allowed to work and they won't accept payments in American money from American banks I'm about to tell them to shove it. Could I get in trouble?

Can you transfer it to a Capital One in the US?

I'm not sure. I'd have to find out. I have a feeling I can't as it was through Bank of Montreal I believe.

You can't. I tried. lol

As for my own experience.... we recently bought a new car from Nissan. In order to get the 2.9 financing they needed my credit score. My US credit history is zero because cellphone and utility bills don't count, and I don't have any US credit cards. So the "Internet Director" at Nissan (we did a referral request through AAA online) called Nissan in Canada and asked them to pull my credit history over there. Boom. Instant financing and I'm now building US credit. In other words.... if the company's big enough, and they want your business badly enough, they'll find a way.

[JoeCanuk 3]

I have a Capital One Mastercard and am considering not paying it off anymore. I was always making payments when I lived in Canada but now that I'm not allowed to work and they won't accept payments in American money from American banks I'm about to tell them to shove it. Could I get in trouble?

Can you transfer it to a Capital One in the US?

I'm not sure. I'd have to find out. I have a feeling I can't as it was through Bank of Montreal I believe.

You can't. I tried. lol

As for my own experience.... we recently bought a new car from Nissan. In order to get the 2.9 financing they needed my credit score. My US credit history is zero because cellphone and utility bills don't count, and I don't have any US credit cards. So the "Internet Director" at Nissan (we did a referral request through AAA online) called Nissan in Canada and asked them to pull my credit history over there. Boom. Instant financing and I'm now building US credit. In other words.... if the company's big enough, and they want your business badly enough, they'll find a way.

Thanks. I won't bother trying. lol Although this should free me from the responsibility of paying them back. If they aren't willing to accept the money I give them then maybe they don't want to be paid.

I don't have bad credit in Canada, however, my debt is astronomically high for someone who is not allowed to work yet. Congrats on getting the car loan.

[LaL 418]

We opened an account with RBC Centura prior to the move here, and simply transferred balances to the US branch once settled (there is a local branch here in our US city). Because they could actually pull hubster's credit through the Canadian SIN - he was able to get a high limit credit card here, and was just told to switch the account over to his US SSN when acquired. Worked perfectly for us!

As for my own experience.... we recently bought a new car from Nissan. In order to get the 2.9 financing they needed my credit score. My US credit history is zero because cellphone and utility bills don't count, and I don't have any US credit cards. So the "Internet Director" at Nissan (we did a referral request through AAA online) called Nissan in Canada and asked them to pull my credit history over there. Boom. Instant financing and I'm now building US credit. In other words.... if the company's big enough, and they want your business badly enough, they'll find a way.

We also did the same thing with Macy's. They had no problem calling the Canadian HQ and pulled his Canadian credit.

Edited November 20, 2007 by LaL

[Flames9_RN 358]

I have a Capital One Mastercard and am considering not paying it off anymore. I was always making payments when I lived in Canada but now that I'm not allowed to work and they won't accept payments in American money from American banks I'm about to tell them to shove it. Could I get in trouble?

Can you transfer it to a Capital One in the US?

I'm not sure. I'd have to find out. I have a feeling I can't as it was through Bank of Montreal I believe.

You can't. I tried. lol

As for my own experience.... we recently bought a new car from Nissan. In order to get the 2.9 financing they needed my credit score. My US credit history is zero because cellphone and utility bills don't count, and I don't have any US credit cards. So the "Internet Director" at Nissan (we did a referral request through AAA online) called Nissan in Canada and asked them to pull my credit history over there. Boom. Instant financing and I'm now building US credit. In other words.... if the company's big enough, and they want your business badly enough, they'll find a way.

Yep its true, if they WANT to check, the bigger companies can check ur Cdn credit, but most are to lazy,lol

[Reba 2]

even small companies *can* check, they just don't do it because they figure its all different now becuse its a different country. All they need to do to check Canadian credit bureaus is put a .ca at the end of the web address instead of .com

[Gypsyangel 11]

So the tips I have from from this thread and from my own experiences are as such.

1) Get a US department store card in your Canadian residence if you haven't moved.

I also got a Visa card from Target using my Canadian SIN. Hopefully, they can roll that over to U.S. credit as well. You can use the Visa card anywhere, not just Target.

I don't know if it will work, but I'm crossing my fingers.

Karen

[Earmuffs 1]

I got a capitol one card i think the day i got my SSN..

I also got a best buy that i havent even used yet and I financed a new canon camera.

[Emancipation 2]

I just applied for a credit card and they ASKED to pull my CDNcredit card to help with the approval.. They said it would take a few days to get the report from Canada but wanted to pull it and said they did it all the time..

It's a BOA card but was offered by Aetna

the number to call if anyone is interested.. (there's a 0 % intro APR right now- no i don't work for these guys just was shocked it happened)..

1-866-626-6262

or www.newcardonline.com

WHO KNEW?

[Krikit 1,164]

I just applied for a credit card and they ASKED to pull my CDNcredit card to help with the approval.. They said it would take a few days to get the report from Canada but wanted to pull it and said they did it all the time..

It's a BOA card but was offered by Aetna

the number to call if anyone is interested.. (there's a 0 % intro APR right now- no i don't work for these guys just was shocked it happened)..

1-866-626-6262

or www.newcardonline.com

WHO KNEW?

[Glady 0]

I'm excited and i'm actually looking forward to building any credit in the US. My Canadian credit is screwed.

[Autumnchik 6]

This is such great advice!!! Wish I had read this sooner.

We have been waiting for my hubby to have worked at his job for several months before we applied for a credit card (I dunno, we thought it might look better and make it easier to get an approval). So, he doesn't have one yet. He does have a debit card/ VISA check card from our bank account. Well, my birthday is in December and he decided to surprise me with a night at this gorgeous old hotel near our house. Apparently, he went in and used his debit card to hold the room. They assured him they would not charge anything to the card, just have it on file. Well, a week ago, I was paying our bills and reviewing our accounts online, when I came upon a strange charge. Before I called the hotel and asked about the charge, I decided to go to hubby and ask if, for some reason, he had charged $169 to the hotel. Poor guy's face fell because I had inadvertently found out my birthday surprise.

MORAL TO THE STORY: get a credit card ASAP so your spouse can actually surprise you with a gift!!! LOL

[Krikit 1,164]

Well, my birthday is in December and he decided to surprise me with a night at this gorgeous old hotel near our house. Apparently, he went in and used his debit card to hold the room. They assured him they would not charge anything to the card, just have it on file. Well, a week ago, I was paying our bills and reviewing our accounts online, when I came upon a strange charge. Before I called the hotel and asked about the charge, I decided to go to hubby and ask if, for some reason, he had charged $169 to the hotel. Poor guy's face fell because I had inadvertently found out my birthday surprise.

MORAL TO THE STORY: get a credit card ASAP so your spouse can actually surprise you with a gift!!! LOL

The same kind of thing happened to me. I had driven up to Canada a week before our birthdays (his is July 15th, mine's July 17th) and hubby flew up and joined me later. I had booked a spa day there as a birthday surprise for him, and charged it to my Canadian credit card so that he didn't see the details when he logged into our online banking. Well, didn't they call the house and leave a voicemail reminding him of his upcoming spa treatment, even though I had told them it was a b'day present. Hubby calls me later that night to ask if I knew anything about it because he was confused. Nothing left to say but Happy Birthday.

Moral of THIS story: Don't book anything where they have good customer service. (sort of)