Strategy to obtain US Amex

[anyonebutqantas]

Looks like Cap 1 Venture is off the table. I specifically said I wanted travel rewards and sign up bonus and this is all they prequalified me for. And this is with all 3 credit scores in the 780's. SECURED cards after 40 years of perfect credit card history! They probably don't like that I got 2 new cards in March and April.

View attachment 338637

That doesn't mean you would get rejected if you go ahead with a Venture application. Might be worth a try.

If you want to be more conservative doing a $49 secured card to build a relationship with C1 might also be a good idea.

 

[Tiki]

That doesn't mean you would get rejected if you go ahead with a Venture application. Might be worth a try.

If you want to be more conservative doing a $49 secured card to build a relationship with C1 might also be a good idea.

Too risky. Data points on FT and the US blogs indicate that Cap 1 uses anti-churner rules which are not as well known as Chase 5/24. They don't like lots of new cards and inquiries. But I have revised my plan to postpone this card and go for the Venture X in July 2024 after I have an Ink in the bag.

I keep checking Citi's site but they have disabled the pre-screening and they seem to be equally adverse to new cards and inquiries. I got 4 new cards last year all between May to July. Then this year I got 2 cards, one in April and one in May.

I don't want to risk an inquiry for nothing. Plus an inquiry and denial will mess up any further attempts on the Amex Green. I just hope that increased sign up bonus stays around. I will pay the annual fee on the Surpass (worth it for Priority Club alone) and put some spend on it and try again next month.

The whole irony of this is that I only did the minimum spend on the Surpass and put Hilton spend on that card because they don't have any good category multipliers. I would put heaps of spend on the Green, especially all the upcoming travel.

 

[Finale]

That doesn't mean you would get rejected if you go ahead with a Venture application. Might be worth a try.

If you want to be more conservative doing a $49 secured card to build a relationship with C1 might also be a good idea.

And being pre-approved doesn't mean you will be approved with Cap1 so yes it's worth a try. For me, Venture X was easier. I was not pre approved for either of them when I got approved for X. I tried Venture a few monthd before and a year after X but they wouldn't give it to me (denied 3 times). I also have their checking account so relationship didn't quite matter.

Venture X is a better choice anyway with $300 travel credit. Booked a refundable hotel and cancel later. They haven't clawed back so far. Then $95 fee but get 10,000 points every year plus priority pass. Added 4 authorized users for free and each one gets their own priority pass.

Applying for Cap1 cards, at least I would make sure no hard inquiry at least 3 months before. That was the only thing with my 3 denials when I was at 2/24 or 3/24 but it is Cap 1 so who knows.

 

[desafinado74]

sorry few more questions - on C1 cards, did you first get a debit card and after few months of history with C1, got the CC? Did you apply it online from Aus using VPN etc or was it onshore?

Hi Maverick1,
I first applied for the C1 checking account. And then a month later, tried my luck with their pre approval process. Surprisingly, i was pre approved for their fee free secured credit cards and Savor One card. So i applied for the Savor One card. But the credit limit is garbage though ($300) And no, i did not use VPN when applying for their checking account or credit cards.

 

[DC3]

I recently had 2 amex cards not be delivered there (I assume they threw them out)

Quite likely. However, I’ve had no issues with courier-delivered mail (i.e., “elite”cards ) to MyUS. I expect USPS mail to be either RTS or trashed, although a couple have got through somehow)

 

[maverick1]

Quite likely. However, I’ve had no issues with courier-delivered mail (i.e., “elite”cards ) to MyUS. I expect USPS mail to be either RTS or trashed, although a couple have got through somehow)

I've 2 cards getting delivered next week via USPS first class mail to MyUS.

 

[maverick1]

Hi Maverick1,
I first applied for the C1 checking account. And then a month later, tried my luck with their pre approval process. Surprisingly, i was pre approved for their fee free secured credit cards and Savor One card. So i applied for the Savor One card. But the credit limit is garbage though ($300) And no, i did not use VPN when applying for their checking account or credit cards.

Thanks mate. I just opened a C1 checking account, no maintenance fee or min bal required.
They currently have an offer of US$350 cash bonus when applying using promo code bonus 365 and set up and receive at least 2 direct deposits each of $250 or more within 75 days of account opening. I wasn't able to open the account online, called them, they asked for DL/passport to be uploaded on the link they sent. Took 10 mins but finally a relationship with them has been established.
https://www.doctorofcredit.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/capital-one-350.png

 

[desafinado74]

Thanks mate. I just opened a C1 checking account, no maintenance fee or min bal required.
They currently have an offer of US$350 cash bonus when applying using promo code bonus 365 and set up and receive at least 2 direct deposits each of $250 or more within 75 days of account opening. I wasn't able to open the account online, called them, they asked for DL/passport to be uploaded on the link they sent. Took 10 mins but finally a relationship with them has been established.
https://www.doctorofcredit.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/capital-one-350.png

Nice work

 

[_TheTraveller_]

It gets worse. I was confident of an approval for the Amex Green so I applied using an AFF member's link. Got stuck in pop-up jail. They were happy to give me the card, just not the SUB and who knows how long this bonus will last?

I opened a DL gold last year and closed it to avoid the annual fee. Then I opened a HH Surpass which I am keeping and paying the fee for the Priority Pass.

Not sure if I should try for the Bonvoy Bevy (don't care about Bonvoy but would transfer to airlines) but the annual fee is a bit high $250 USD and I have to do 6 stays before 31 Jan 2024 which is a bit difficult considering my only trip before then is to more remote places where there aren't Bonvoy hotels.

Perhaps try different offer for the green card. I couldn't get the 90k gold offer with Amex cause of the popup jail but resy worked for me.

I'm sitting at 4/24. I was really keen on Venture X but haven't had much luck with their Venture X pre-approval tool here (probably too many inqs):

Get Pre-Approved for a Capital One Credit Card | Capital One

Get pre-approved for a Capital One credit card at CapitalOne.com, with no impact to your credit score. Find out if you're pre-approved in as little as 60 seconds

www.capitalone.com

I noticed the 3 night deal with Amex bonvoy business card, does anyone know if Amex business cards end up being soft pulls for existing Amex members?

I was also interested in CIP but I was rejected in late June for IHG Business due to the following:

• Length of time since oldest credit card was opened is too short
• One or more credit cards have a high balance compared to the credit line
• One or more recent requests for new credit
• Overall industry risk

I'm hoping perhaps to try in a few days after my previous high balance card is reported (it has a $1 balance now). I think my recent inquiries for Chase cards probably have hurt me. Had one in March, April and June. I'll be 3.5 months from last card. Is it worth trying or should I just continue to garden?

Thanks mate. I just opened a C1 checking account, no maintenance fee or min bal required.
They currently have an offer of US$350 cash bonus when applying using promo code bonus 365 and set up and receive at least 2 direct deposits each of $250 or more within 75 days of account opening. I wasn't able to open the account online, called them, they asked for DL/passport to be uploaded on the link they sent. Took 10 mins but finally a relationship with them has been established.
https://www.doctorofcredit.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/capital-one-350.png

Do you have to file taxes for the $350 bonus?

 

[maverick1]

Perhaps try different offer for the green card. I couldn't get the 90k gold offer with Amex cause of the popup jail but resy worked for me.

I'm sitting at 4/24. I was really keen on Venture X but haven't had much luck with their Venture X pre-approval tool here (probably too many inqs):

Get Pre-Approved for a Capital One Credit Card | Capital One

Get pre-approved for a Capital One credit card at CapitalOne.com, with no impact to your credit score. Find out if you're pre-approved in as little as 60 seconds

www.capitalone.com

I noticed the 3 night deal with Amex bonvoy business card, does anyone know if Amex business cards end up being soft pulls for existing Amex members?

I was also interested in CIP but I was rejected in late June for IHG Business due to the following:

• Length of time since oldest credit card was opened is too short
• One or more credit cards have a high balance compared to the credit line
• One or more recent requests for new credit
• Overall industry risk

I'm hoping perhaps to try in a few days after my previous high balance card is reported (it has a $1 balance now). I think my recent inquiries for Chase cards probably have hurt me. Had one in March, April and June. I'll be 3.5 months from last card. Is it worth trying or should I just continue to garden?



Do you have to file taxes for the $350 bonus?

Yes, that 350 is taxable income in US.
I got the Amx Bonvoy biz & Amx Hilton Biz both approved over the weekend. I don't have a FICO score yet but my existing personal US Amx account is about 6-7months old, so not sure what worked in my case, but I'm not complaining

 

[maverick1]

Nice work

Hit a roadblock. When trying to login its asking me to add a number and then suggesting its VOIP so can't be used. I use Talkatone and when I tried to do a verification by sending a msg back to a short code number it doesn't work as TT doesnt support msgs to short code#s. Are you using a VOIP service for US# or a US SIM?

 

[levelnine]

For anyone on the Chase Ink train, they are, incredibly, still matching the higher bonus (90K SUB) that ended months ago.

With the 40K referral, that is an astonishing 130K UR for each card.

Chase continue to be the very best bank I've ever dealt with. Easy to contact, fast to respond, highly competent agents, generous in their treatment of customers. If only other banks were even half as good as them.

 

[desafinado74]

Hit a roadblock. When trying to login its asking me to add a number and then suggesting its VOIP so can't be used. I use Talkatone and when I tried to do a verification by sending a msg back to a short code number it doesn't work as TT doesnt support msgs to short code#s. Are you using a VOIP service for US# or a US SIM?

I am currently using Textnow. But others have had successes with Tello or the cheap T Mobile $3 prepaid cards.

 

[Baymax]

Thanks mate. I just opened a C1 checking account, no maintenance fee or min bal required.
They currently have an offer of US$350 cash bonus when applying using promo code bonus 365 and set up and receive at least 2 direct deposits each of $250 or more within 75 days of account opening. I wasn't able to open the account online, called them, they asked for DL/passport to be uploaded on the link they sent. Took 10 mins but finally a relationship with them has been established.
https://www.doctorofcredit.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/capital-one-350.png

Happy for you. May I know what address did you provide when opening C1 checking account? Did they ask you for the reasons why you were opening the account offshore? Thanks in advance

 

[Tiki]

For anyone on the Chase Ink train, they are, incredibly, still matching the higher bonus (90K SUB) that ended months ago.

With the 40K referral, that is an astonishing 130K UR for each card.

Chase continue to be the very best bank I've ever dealt with. Easy to contact, fast to respond, highly competent agents, generous in their treatment of customers. If only other banks were even half as good as them.

If only they didn't have the 5/24 rule!

 

[maverick1]

Happy for you. May I know what address did you provide when opening C1 checking account? Did they ask you for the reasons why you were opening the account offshore? Thanks in advance

I used Myus add & ITIN. I filled the application online and then at the end it asked me to call a #. The rep send me a link on my US# to upload a verification doc like passport/DL. Post verification, they share the application# and guided me to the last step for setting up the a/c. No, they didn't ask any questions about being offshore.

Post automatically merged: Aug 11, 2023

I am currently using Textnow. But others have had successes with Tello or the cheap T Mobile $3 prepaid cards.

Tks. ya. I signed up for Tello overnight as a backup option.

 

[Finale]

I used Myus add & ITIN. I filled the application online and then at the end it asked me to call a #. The rep send me a link on my US# to upload a verification doc like passport/DL. Post verification, they share the application# and guided me to the last step for setting up the a/c. No, they didn't ask any questions about being offshore.

Post automatically merged: Aug 11, 2023

Tks. ya. I signed up for Tello overnight as a backup option.

That was pretty much how it worked when I got mine a few years ago but recent DPs said they weren't happy with just passport but need a US driver license. Did you just upload your passport? If so, that's good news.

When I opened mine, I forgot to apply $400 code. Gave them a call and they linked the code manually. Around a year later, I also got targetted for another $100 on this same account from doing some direct deposits. Cap1 will send 1099 form even though it's not over $600.

PS I used Google Voice which works fine with Cap1.

 

[maverick1]

That was pretty much how it worked when I got mine a few years ago but recent DPs said they weren't happy with just passport but need a US driver license. Did you just upload your passport? If so, that's good news.

When I opened mine, I forgot to apply $400 code. Gave them a call and they linked the code manually. Around a year later, I also got targetted for another $100 on this same account from doing some direct deposits. Cap1 will send 1099 form even though it's not over $600.

PS I used Google Voice which works fine with Cap1.

Ya, just the passport was fine. My account is open but I'm unable to access it online as its not accepting my mobile# for signup. I tried both TT and Tello, keeps giving the same error.

GV - I'm trying to signup for GV using VPN but it keeps throwing this error - "This ph no. can't be used to signup for GV#" Any tricks to get past this.

 

[Baymax]

Ya, just the passport was fine. My account is open but I'm unable to access it online as its not accepting my mobile# for signup. I tried both TT and Tello, keeps giving the same error.

GV - I'm trying to signup for GV using VPN but it keeps throwing this error - "This ph no. can't be used to signup for GV#" Any tricks to get past this.

From my experience, you'll have to open a new Gmail account based in the US (VPN may be required). Tried with my AU Gmail with US VPN on kept throwing numbers cannot be linked.

BTW, thank you for sharing the tips of opening the checking account

 

[Franko Costa]

I wish there were options to open a US bank account without an ITIN or the HSBC route