Requirements for a US Credit Card?

[scheps]

I will be based in the states for work next year for 1-2 years and my plan will be to open a HSBC account from here then AMEX relocation to there. Don't know how to lease a car though, as will have no credit rating.

 

[blueflamenco]

Without a US Social Security number you have very little chance. Amex do offer a "relocation" option if an existing Amex members moves overseas, but I suspect that will still require a US SS number since anyone moving there to live/work will need to apply for a SS number first.

I have a SSN and currently live in the US.. And I have a number of Amex cards in Aus. How do I do this "relocation"? I have the cards through CBA & ANZ if this helps. Thanks!

 

[dane]

I don't think a bank-issued Amex will work for their global transfer program...

To be eligible for a Card transfer, your Consumer Card must be issued by American Express. You must be the Basic Cardholder, and have held the Card for at least 12 months...

I can't post a link directly to that page (below 10 posts). However, if you click "Change country" on any Amex page, followed by the "Moving abroad? Transfer your card" button and then select the United States, you can access more information about the program.

 

[Ex-bugman]

9ys & HS experience, you will need a SSN and permanent address, NOT a PO Box AND job to get a basic CC with a pay-up front fee to establish yourself for 6 months b4 getting a "permanent" major CC. Yes you will be able to transfer some cards but not with all the fringe benefits but you'll still need to prove employment and Visa requirements. You will be able to rent a vehicle but also get an International lic and be prepared they may want a higher security deposit. To be blunt, also be prepared to be profiled, just the way the system works now.

 

[NM]

I have a SSN and currently live in the US.. And I have a number of Amex cards in Aus. How do I do this "relocation"? I have the cards through CBA & ANZ if this helps. Thanks!

I don't think a bank-issued Amex will work for their global transfer program...

To be eligible for a Card transfer, your Consumer Card must be issued by American Express. You must be the Basic Cardholder, and have held the Card for at least 12 months...

I can't post a link directly to that page (below 10 posts). However, if you click "Change country" on any Amex page, followed by the "Moving abroad? Transfer your card" button and then select the United States, you can access more information about the program.

Yes, this is also my understanding. Its only available for Amex-issued cards and not for bank-issued Amex-branded cards.

 

[cove]

You could start by having 50 friends who want a US Amex Premier Rewards once you get your card issued.
On this card you get 3 points for air fares, 2 points on gas and groceries and 1 point on everything else.
Visit Americanexpress.com/refermygold
Submit. Enter the name and email address of each friend you'd like to refer. They'll each receive an email shortly after with a special offer to earn 25,000 points.
You get. With every friend approved for the card you will receive 5,000 points. You can refer up to 50 friends and earn up to 250,000 points.
This offer expires November 30th,2012
Start referring today.

So it is a good idea to open and read your mail in the US.

My son has an offer of 40,000 miles if he takes up a US Airways Dividend Miles MasterCard and also get 5,000 miles off Award travel. That is a good one seeing he has a Dividend Miles account.

 

[blueflamenco]

Yes, this is also my understanding. Its only available for Amex-issued cards and not for bank-issued Amex-branded cards.

Boo Building a credit score from scratch in the US as a student.. not likely!

 

[scheps]

You could start by having 50 friends who want a US Amex Premier Rewards once you get your card issued.
On this card you get 3 points for air fares, 2 points on gas and groceries and 1 point on everything else.
Visit Americanexpress.com/refermygold

I need to find 50 friends in the states

 

[cove]

We bought a car for cash in the US as we did not have any credit record when we first lived in California. Getting insurance was a bit troublesome so we joined AAA to get over that hurdle. I should have done the DMV driving test as they don't treat non Californian drivers too nicely price wise.
A fellow AFFer hires Friday to Monday for 10 bucks a day plus insurance in Los Angeles. I just hire cars for the trip duration using Argus and this time it is a Camry for 16 days including Platinum insurance package. Yes it is a direct American Express card you need to do the change country method as our big 4 banks do not run full service in America.
We were told that Social Security Numbers are not given out easily now and our 1984 ones are emblazoned with "not valid for employment". We remained Australian tax residents.
With a 28 degrees card from Australia you can avoid getting taken for 3 or more per cent and I meet people who just do that card even though that can be a tad inconvenient.
We now use US Bank and our little bank branch is inside Ralph's supermarket.
The real estate market here has stabilized and the level of foreclosures in our area have dropped significantly.

 

[smit0847]

Just to bring up an old thread, I stumbled across something on the web that got me to thinking.

Apparently you can apply for US credit cards with an ITIN number instead of a SSN (if you dont have a SSN). This ITIN number is given to those people who may be paying tax in the US but do not have a SSN (for example a freelance web designer who pay be employed by a US company to create a US website and be paid as if they were physically working in the US and may have to pay tax).

This ITIN is relatively easy to obtain even from Australia:
How do I get an ITIN? : TurboSquid Help & Support

Once you have your ITIN you can apply for credit but you have no credit history so are unlikely to be given any. What you can apparently do instead is take out pre-paid debit store cards to slowly build your credit (Im guessing it helps if you have contacts in the US you can use as a mailing address - Im not sure if ship-it etc would work). Once you have built some credit over 12 - 18 months you can then apply for proper credit cards with those all important huge sign-on bonuses.

So in theory:

1. Get ITIN;
2. Get credit history through pre-paid debit cards; and
3. Get credit cards.

Has anyone investigated this?

 

[scheps]

I ended up going with citigold and then getting a citi card. I haven't gotten around to getting the amex as the need is less now that i have a master. Also I wasn't 100% sure that my relocation will or will not close my current amex in oz. Lots of things build credit rating including paying your rent, utilities etc so i am told.

Even if you could get a card, your limit could be.... quite limited....

RE: tax, i thought if you have the intention to return to australia, you willcontinue to be taxed accordingly, just bring your tax credits back to oz, and hope you satisfy the criterias for the tax treaty so you dont pay any federal tax.

 

[smit0847]

I ended up going with citigold and then getting a citi card. I haven't gotten around to getting the amex as the need is less now that i have a master. Also I wasn't 100% sure that my relocation will or will not close my current amex in oz. Lots of things build credit rating including paying your rent, utilities etc so i am told.

Even if you could get a card, your limit could be.... quite limited....

RE: tax, i thought if you have the intention to return to australia, you willcontinue to be taxed accordingly, just bring your tax credits back to oz, and hope you satisfy the criterias for the tax treaty so you dont pay any federal tax.

Ummmmm.......... Im not doing it for taxation reasons........

 

[scheps]

Sorry the tax part was more directed at Cove when he said ... remained as australian tax residents...

sorry i should have made it more clear esp you were talking about the ITIN.

 

[kempvet]

Sorry the tax part was more directed at Cove when he said ... remained as australian tax residents...

sorry i should have made it more clear esp you were talking about the ITIN.

As I am self employed in the US I got around this tax issue by forming a LLC (as a corporation) which pays me a small (ie, meaningless) wage to my ITIN number (ie. me the employee of my company) so I can qualify for credit cards as an individual and retain most of what I earn in the LLC, this gets around the tax treaty issue which is basically aimed at individual earners.

 

[kempvet]

So in theory:

1. Get ITIN;
2. Get credit history through pre-paid debit cards; and
3. Get credit cards.

Has anyone investigated this?

you are 100% correct, all that I can add having just done the above is to approach credit unions rather than the banks, I had all sorts of issues with Chase, Bank of America, Wells Fargo etc as they just do not want to seem to know about a foreigner these days.

 

[kempvet]

Boo Building a credit score from scratch in the US as a student.. not likely!

I would say impossible given my recent experience, it is the old chicken and the egg story for sure.

 

[cove]

The AFFer we get together with in Los Angeles incorporated a Comany in a low tax state then it employed him and his Social Security number issued and he has credit cards and of course the mandatory Ford Mustang. It took a while but this has worked out well for his patience.
He loves Costco fuel and Costco shopping so much he has moved closer to that big box store.

 

[kempvet]

The AFFer we get together with in Los Angeles incorporated a Comany in a low tax state then it employed him and his Social Security number issued and he has credit cards and of course the mandatory Ford Mustang. It took a while but this has worked out well for his patience.
He loves Costco fuel and Costco shopping so much he has moved closer to that big box store.

Agree, the journey to get US credit for a non resident foreigner can be a long road, but once you have it, and use it properly it is well worth it. I go through about 4,000 to 5,000 a year on just the economy rental cars, when I get credit, I can take over some guys lease on a 2012 Volvo or BMW for less than this.

 

[bunyah]

Opened a Bank of America cheque account approx 4 yrs ago, with debit card attached. Maintained a balance of approx $1,500 during that time, and used debit card for booking hotel accomodation, etcc on annual trip to USA.

On recent visit May '13 went into Bank of America branch pointing out I've been customer past 3/4yrs, and would now like a credit card. They sent off application for me from branch and 2 weeks later I have a Bank of America Credit Card (Bank Americard/Cash Rewards/ Visa/ etccc). Limit of only $2,500, but assume that will increase as time goes on and I establish my credit worthiness.

 

[smit0847]

you are 100% correct, all that I can add having just done the above is to approach credit unions rather than the banks, I had all sorts of issues with Chase, Bank of America, Wells Fargo etc as they just do not want to seem to know about a foreigner these days.

Do you mean you approach the credit unions for debit cards or credit cards? Do credit union credit cards offer big sign-on bonuses?