Strategy to obtain US Amex

[DC3]

Wow mate. well done. Did you get your 2nd and 3rd card after your FICO score was generated?Coz I just got my first GT but then I applied for the 2nd one via GT route and it asked me to send my US tax return (form 4XX something) for processing the application.

side question - did you get all the 3 (Hon, Sur and Asp) Hilton cards, and is your strategy to then play the upgrade bonus game?

Yes, those are the three cards. The Aspire was first. The other two were after the FICO came through. However, I wouldn’t expect that FICO would be a consideration as GT is based on the relationship with Amex AU. I haven’t moved ahead with upgrade/downgrade but it’s something to keep in mind.

Edit: The sign-up points offers were quite generous

 

[_TheTraveller_]

For those who have applied via Fiverr, perhaps we can collect some data points and see when the ITINs are/if issued. I'll start off first.

CAA: SH Studio
Application delivered to IRS: 6/2/23
7 Week Mark: 27/3/23

 

[TheAccountant]

Hi all

New to the forum and need some help

I live in Australia with no intention of moving to the US, however, been contemplating getting a US AMEX Platinum so applied for it directly, I called AMEX US and they confirmed I have been approved pending address confirmation.

The address I used on the application was MYUS address (which in hindsight wasn't a great idea) and the AMEX lady on the phone said if I have a US Bank Account, they will do a three-way call to confirm the address.

I am travelling to LA next week, and have booked an appointment with Bank of America to open an account.

My questions:
1. Can I open a checking account without SSN or ITIN and with an Australian address? If I can, does the bank post the US Debit card to Aus?
2. Once the account is open, at what point do I change the address and do 3 way AMEX call?
3. MYUS confirmed they do not accept mail/letters or forward Debit/Credit cards to Aus, so how do I get my US AMEX here in Australia?
4. Do I need to do anything else? or is there another company I can use for address?

Cheers

 

[_TheTraveller_]

Hi all

New to the forum and need some help

I live in Australia with no intention of moving to the US, however, been contemplating getting a US AMEX Platinum so applied for it directly, I called AMEX US and they confirmed I have been approved pending address confirmation.

The address I used on the application was MYUS address (which in hindsight wasn't a great idea) and the AMEX lady on the phone said if I have a US Bank Account, they will do a three-way call to confirm the address.

I am travelling to LA next week, and have booked an appointment with Bank of America to open an account.

My questions:
1. Can I open a checking account without SSN or ITIN and with an Australian address? If I can, does the bank post the US Debit card to Aus?
2. Once the account is open, at what point do I change the address and do 3 way AMEX call?
3. MYUS said they do not forward Debit/Credit cards to Aus, so how do I get my US AMEX here in Australia?
4. Do I need to do anything else? or is there another company I can use for address?

Cheers

1. Yes. Re debit card, possible but that means you need to change your address and AMEX will need to verify your US address so you'll be swapping back and forth.
2. I recommend using a US address when you apply for a US bank account as that's the address you'll need for verification.
3. Find an alternative
4. Look upthread for suggestions depending on your preference/tolerance.

I find it interesting that AMEX is looking more closely at GTs for address verification. Have they caught on?

 

[TheAccountant]

I just called Amex and got them to courier it to Australia after 10d, as others have done. It did let me add the card to PayPal instantly from app though, so I was able to start spending that way (Apple Pay needed the CVV annoyingly, but works fine now I have that).

AMEX US was okay with it being posted to an Australian address?
I am in the exact same position as you, will appreciate some guidance.

Post automatically merged: Feb 27, 2023

2. I recommend using a US address when you apply for a US bank account as that's the address you'll need for verification.

Any idea which service lets you use a US address? I assume it cant be a commercial address like MYUS.

 

[Franko Costa]

AMEX US was okay with it being posted to an Australian address?
I am in the exact same position as you, will appreciate some guidance.

Post automatically merged: Feb 27, 2023

Any idea which service lets you use a US address? I assume it cant be a commercial address like MYUS.

I did it recently with myUS but they made me have a 3 way call with my bank to confirm the address

 

[_TheTraveller_]

AMEX US was okay with it being posted to an Australian address?
I am in the exact same position as you, will appreciate some guidance.

Post automatically merged: Feb 27, 2023

Any idea which service lets you use a US address? I assume it cant be a commercial address like MYUS.

Amex US is fine with posting cards internationally but not all US banks will be. Some have noted here that having an OS address has resulted in their accounts being closed (e.g. C1).

You can always ask whether they will send your debit card to Australia while keeping a US address on file during your visit.

Google a mailforwarder within the US. There are many services so it really depends on what you're willing to pay and your tolerance for incompetence. Given that you've already signed up with your MyUS address. You will need to sign up with your MyUS address on your BoA application so that Amex can verify your address unless you change the address on your application although that might complicate things.

 

[QF_Flyer]

AMEX US was okay with it being posted to an Australian address?
I am in the exact same position as you, will appreciate some guidance.

Post automatically merged: Feb 27, 2023

Any idea which service lets you use a US address? I assume it cant be a commercial address like MYUS.

Yes they were. I used Planet Express for the US address (MyUS refused to forward the card to me the first time I tried), but they're pretty useless (the card was delivered, but they claimed it wasn't, and it never turned up in my PX mailbox).

But Amex were happy to courier the card to my Aussie address after that 10 days had passed, just had to do an online call with a notary to verify my ID (by which I mean hold my passport up next to my face, so she could attest that I was who I said I was).

I got an automatic credit limit increase a couple of weeks ago too, which was nice. Still no FICO, but I'm only just coming up to 8m.

 

[velli25]

I’m really struggling to register a number with Talkatone on an iPhone. Error message keeps popping up. Are there any other free alternatives? Or does anyone know a solution…very frustrating!

Also - can you apply for a GT via a referral link? Looks like the Gold card has a good bonus through referral. If so how do I go applying through a referral link and still link my Aus account?

Thanks!

 

[Martin999]

I’m really struggling to register a number with Talkatone on an iPhone. Error message keeps popping up. Are there any other free alternatives? Or does anyone know a solution…very frustrating!

Also - can you apply for a GT via a referral link? Looks like the Gold card has a good bonus through referral. If so how do I go applying through a referral link and still link my Aus account?

Thanks!

I’ve managed to sign up for a Google voice number using Skype number.

Cancelled my Skype subscription(number) after obtaining google voice number. YMMV

PS: Your Google account must be US as well.

 

[Franko Costa]

I’m really struggling to register a number with Talkatone on an iPhone. Error message keeps popping up. Are there any other free alternatives? Or does anyone know a solution…very frustrating!

Also - can you apply for a GT via a referral link? Looks like the Gold card has a good bonus through referral. If so how do I go applying through a referral link and still link my Aus account?

Thanks!

I applied for gold card with 90k referral link, but card is in the mail to me so I hope it works!

 

[velli25]

I’ve managed to sign up for a Google voice number using Skype number.

Cancelled my Skype subscription(number) after obtaining google voice number. YMMV

PS: Your Google account must be US as well.

How did you go about verifying the number in your google account?

 

[Martin999]

How did you go about verifying the number in your google account?

Subscribe a virtual number from Skype(1 month subscription) and use that Skype number to sign up for Google voice .

Cancel Skype subscription once you managed to sign up for Google voice and delink your Skype number from Google voice while retaining just your Google Voice number.

 

[velli25]

Subscribe a virtual number from Skype(1 month subscription) and use that Skype number to sign up for Google voice .

Cancel Skype subscription once you managed to sign up for Google voice and delink your Skype number from Google voice while retaining just your Google Voice number.

Thanks mate. I’ve managed to link the number to google voice but I don’t have a google voice number..and it wont seem to let me do it either.

I’ve subscribed to a month of a U.S. number. Added that to google voice. It then becomes a linked number but I don’t have a google voice number and it won’t let me have one

 

[Martin999]

Thanks mate. I’ve managed to link the number to google voice but I don’t have a google voice number..and it wont seem to let me do it either.

I’ve subscribed to a month of a U.S. number. Added that to google voice. It then becomes a linked number but I don’t have a google voice number and it won’t let me have one

Make sure your Google account is a U.S. account though.

I tried changing my existing Google account to U.S region and it didn’t work either. ( Had to create a new Google account under U.S region)

 

[velli25]

I applied for gold card with 90k referral link, but card is in the mail to me so I hope it works!

H Dein,

When applying through a referral link it doesn't pre-populate when I'm logged in. Nor is there any option to link it to your Aus AMEX account. How'd you go about this?

*Edit - found out how to apply for most cards through GT but the gold doesn't appear. Question is it possible to apply through a referral link via GT as a new US AMEX holder?

Cheers!

 

[nomad2000]

H Dein,

When applying through a referral link it doesn't pre-populate when I'm logged in. Nor is there any option to link it to your Aus AMEX account. How'd you go about this?

*Edit - found out how to apply for most cards through GT but the gold doesn't appear. Question is it possible to apply through a referral link via GT as a new US AMEX holder?

Cheers!

AFAIK, I don't think you can use a referral link through GT.
After you have your FICO score generated, you should be able to use referral links to apply for a card (I think you probably need an ITIN or SSN as well then)

 

[velli25]

Thanks for clarifying! The gold card doesn’t appear as a card to apply for then..only the green for GT. Is there a way to apply for the gold

If I applied for a Hilton card would GT allow me to transfer my MR points to US Amex even though I’m accumulating Hilton points?

AFAIK, I don't think you can use a referral link through GT.
After you have your FICO score generated, you should be able to use referral links to apply for a card (I think you probably need an ITIN or SSN as well then)

 

[nomad2000]

Thanks for clarifying! The gold card doesn’t appear as a card to apply for then..only the green for GT. Is there a way to apply for the gold

If I applied for a Hilton card would GT allow me to transfer my MR points to US Amex even though I’m accumulating Hilton points?

I don't think you can transfer AU MR points to Hilton through your US Amex directly if that's what you mean.
If this is your first US card, I'd also suggest to apply for a no annual fee card or for a card with a downgrade path to a no annual fee card cause this will be likely your oldest card so you don't wanna pay an annual fee to keep it long term, as it could affect your FICO score if cancelled.

You could try the everyday card with no annual fee that gives you access to MR if that's what you're after. Then you should be able to transfer your AU MR points to US MR then transfer it to Hilton at a 1:1 ratio.

The Hilton cards are also good cause there is a downgrade path.

You could also try your luck with 2 cards using GT, some folks here have been successful doing that. In that case you could get a Hilton card and a Green/Gold perhaps if that's what you're after?

 

[velli25]

I don't think you can transfer AU MR points to Hilton through your US Amex directly if that's what you mean.
If this is your first US card, I'd also suggest to apply for a no annual fee card or for a card with a downgrade path to a no annual fee card cause this will be likely your oldest card so you don't wanna pay an annual fee to keep it long term, as it could affect your FICO score if cancelled.

You could try the everyday card with no annual fee that gives you access to MR if that's what you're after. Then you should be able to transfer your AU MR points to US MR then transfer it to Hilton at a 1:1 ratio.

The Hilton cards are also good cause there is a downgrade path.

You could also try your luck with 2 cards using GT, some folks here have been successful doing that. In that case you could get a Hilton card and a Green/Gold perhaps if that's what you're after?

The idea was to transfer AU MR to US. If I applied for the Hilton card, as I’m only earning Hilton points I was unsure if I could then transfer my AU MR as I wasn’t accumulating any AU MR. The Hilton US card has the most generous sign up offer hence me going for that. Im not hugely interested in the Hilton points, more so transferring my AU MR to US.

I may just go for the green card then, I’ve read some people get lucky with x2 GT but others haven’t. Ideally the gold card, but for some reason it doesn’t appear as a card to apply for through GT anymore. I may call them up and see if I can apply for the gold via phone