Strategy to obtain US Amex

[Ko0l]

While we are here, anyone used Activ Visa gift cards

Activ gift cards are one of those most restricted cards. They even block ATO payments and random shops. They specifically make it hard on purpose to use those cards.

One way is to probably add the cards onto paypal and do a family and friends transfer to another paypal user. There will be about a 2.7% transfer fee. Also I wouldn't do too much at a fast pace of risk of getting the paypal accounts locked.

There are datapoints scattered in below threads and on ozb on where these cards will work:

https://www.australianfrequentflyer...ds/woolworths-gift-card-thread.81106/page-270

No Purchase Fee for Selected $100-$750 Variable Load Activ Visa eGift Cards (Save $4.95 Per Gift Card) @ Giftz.com.au

 

[_TheTraveller_]

Requested Chase to send the card to Aus. Requested Friday evening, ETA Tuesday.

No fraud verification.

 

[albyd]

As with all forms of MS, start small, try lots of different options to see if anything works & think carefully about all your costs.

On the last point, if you lose ~3% to load an account with a prepaid gift card, your true loss might be closer to ~5% because you might lose about 1% purchasing in AUD on a US Amex & you might lose about 1% transferring the money back to the US.

If your true cost is closer to 5%, you're probably better off trying something like prepaying a utility/insurance bill.

My DP on Revolut is it works but I got too greedy loading them via ApplePay it suggested I was vaguely slowed down but it hasn’t worked anymore. Just be careful and go slow.

 

[blacksultan]

I'll make sure to add a pack of pens.

While we are here, anyone used Activ Visa gift cards to send money to themselves via Revolut/Remitly/Western Union/etc before? Yes I get there are fees but when you have a 15k minimum for 200k points or something it might be worth paying even ~3% to meet the last mile

I believe prepaid gift cards won’t work .

 

[QF_Flyer]

My residential address with HSBC US is currently my AU address and my mailing address my US address. I now also have a credit card with them. Will it cause problems with future cc applications (e.g., chase) if my HSBC US address remains at my AU address (not sure what gets reported on my credit file)?

I have a HSBC US with my AU address, how did you go about getting the CC? I presume Premier MC? Any insight would be great, TIA! Only just opened it (although been AU Premier for a fair while).

 

[Voele]

I have a HSBC US with my AU address, how did you go about getting the CC? I presume Premier MC? Any insight would be great, TIA! Only just opened it (although been AU Premier for a fair while).

I Did get the premier MC, but I'm sure if I had applied for the Elite I would've likely also gotten that one. I just applied online through their application form and filled in the data they asked for. Application submitted and 2 days later I got a message that my card was on the way and they opened an account with $5k limit. No contact with HSBC necessary at all.

 

[QF_Flyer]

I Did get the premier MC, but I'm sure if I had applied for the Elite I would've likely also gotten that one. I just applied online through their application form and filled in the data they asked for. Application submitted and 2 days later I got a message that my card was on the way and they opened an account with $5k limit. No contact with HSBC necessary at all.

Thanks for the quick reply! How long had you held the checking account if you don't mind me asking? Also which link did you use, was it the normal one on us.hsbc.com/? I don't even have the checking account debit card yet, but do have the account details and have paid some cash in (and linked it to global view).

I was always planning to apply for the HSBC AU Premier World Elite CC, but it required a phone call which I never got round to making, until one day they emailed me with an online application link, ten minutes later (or so) the card was active in Apple Wallet.

 

[Voele]

Thanks for the quick reply! How long had you held the checking account if you don't mind me asking? Also which link did you use, was it the normal one on us.hsbc.com/? I don't even have the checking account debit card yet, but do have the account details and have paid some cash in (and linked it to global view).

I was always planning to apply for the HSBC AU Premier World Elite CC, but it required a phone call which I never got round to making, until one day they emailed me with an online application link, ten minutes later (or so) the card was active in Apple Wallet.

3 months (approved early april, applied for cc early Juli).

I believe I just used the regular application form. I did first log in to my online banking, before going to the application form, but I dont think it made a difference. Dont remember if one of the questions on the application form was if you are already a customer?

 

[nthd_nthd]

I have a HSBC US with my AU address, how did you go about getting the CC? I presume Premier MC? Any insight would be great, TIA! Only just opened it (although been AU Premier for a fair while).

Premier CC has no AF, reckon it could be good one to build credit history in US. Pretty easy to get approved once we have HSBC premier checking account. 35K bonus points transfer 1:1 to some airlines including Qantas. Compared again Australian cards that's 70K Aus Bank Bonus Points without hefty fees.

 

[Uncharted6264]

Good news. However, that sounds like the normal process. Global Transfer is based on the relationship with Amex in Oz. ITIN/SSN is not required for this.

Just trying for business cards now which is my main objective (first one was personal) - it appears ITIN is definitely required unfortunately, and wisdom on how to avoid?

 

[nthd_nthd]

Just trying for business cards now which is my main objective (first one was personal) - it appears ITIN is definitely required unfortunately, and wisdom on how to avoid?

No.

 

[Uncharted6264]

Amex shipped another card to my planet express address and I've purposely included the suite number on the address line 1 to ensure that it gets included when the card is mailed out. (I've also updated the addresses in my profile to include the suite number in line 1 as well).
But from the tracking amex still managed to somehow remove the suite number.

Its no big deal since I can have it sent internationally anyway. Just not reassuring because more important letters could be missed in the future and I don't think having all the cards/letter returned to sender/amex with a planet express stamp will be a good thing long term. (They mentioned that they don't destroy the letters but return to sender if not assigned)

I've been reading DP of US global mail being received. Does amex somehow include the suite numbers (PMB number) for US Global Mail addresses or does US global mail have another method to assign the letter even without the PMB number?

Another DP for you guys, I applied for the Marriott Brilliant 1 month after the Hilton using GT and was approved, think once you have a FICO score you can sign up for as many cards as you want through GT as long as you follow the general amex card rules. I've also read that you can apply for business cards over the phone without an ITIN. (I've tried to apply for the Hilton business over the phone but was PUJed and didn't go ahead with the application)

Wish I'd read this, I also feel like I'm about to have problems due to Suite number not being included. Card delivery was 5 or so days ago and no sign of it in virtual mail.

 

[velli25]

Seems like the new way to search for FICO (in the search bar) doesn't work with the updated app and website. Is there a workaround?

 

[Viridis]

I was always planning to apply for the HSBC AU Premier World Elite CC, but it required a phone call which I never got round to making, until one day they emailed me with an online application link, ten minutes later (or so) the card was active in Apple Wallet.

I wasn’t aware that HSBC Au offers the Premier World Elite CC; only the Premier. Do you mean the Premier World (Blue) or World Elite (dark grey to black)? If the latter, or you Jade with HSBC & that is a discreet offering to Jade only?

I have the UK Premier World Elite but I’d be interested in the Au one - always told it was a product not offered in Aus

 

[QF_Flyer]

3 months (approved early april, applied for cc early Juli).

I believe I just used the regular application form. I did first log in to my online banking, before going to the application form, but I dont think it made a difference. Dont remember if one of the questions on the application form was if you are already a customer?

Thanks, good data point.

To be honest I'm not sure if it did, I can only assume so because it's got my Aussie address etc., but I did have to link my Aussie account to Global View manually (though that might be normal).

I think it must have done, being offshore banking - I know I put reason for wanting it was regular/semi-regularly visiting the US, declared I wasn't a citizen and had to explain why I had a US phone number, but that was it (I guess they're trying to make sure I'm not liable for US income tax on overseas income).

Post automatically merged: Jul 29, 2024

I wasn’t aware that HSBC Au offers the Premier World Elite CC; only the Premier. Do you mean the Premier World (Blue) or World Elite (dark grey to black)? If the latter, or you Jade with HSBC & that is a discreet offering to Jade only?

I have the UK Premier World Elite but I’d be interested in the Au one - always told it was a product not offered in Aus

Sorry it was the Premier World (blue) I meant - I was confusing that with the UK & US offerings! I have a UK & US account too, but only AU HSBC credit card, now anyway. But no I'm not Jade, only Premier.

 

[QF_Flyer]

Wish I'd read this, I also feel like I'm about to have problems due to Suite number not being included. Card delivery was 5 or so days ago and no sign of it in virtual mail.

I've said it before, but I've never once had anything arrive at Planet Express, suite number or not, even when DHL have shipped it and someone's signed for it, they've denied receiving it. To me they're just an address, since they're not listed as a CMRA.

 

[Ko0l]

I've said it before, but I've never once had anything arrive at Planet Express, suite number or not, even when DHL have shipped it and someone's signed for it, they've denied receiving it.

Uncharted is using MYUS, but they work in a similar way.

The issue is amex doesn't include the suite number and the shipping forwarders have to review and assign manually. MyUS may still assign it by name, they just charge a fee of $8.99. (Note my experience is that it is completely random) Sometimes it is assigned, sometimes its just silence.

My experience so far with Planet Express differs slightly to yours, I went on live chat and gave them my tracking number and they're managed to locate the package and assigned it to my suite. (I'm sure I'm just lucky though as I'm read mixed reviews online including yours).

Overall I think the best ones are the forwarders that are tailored to letters and charges a monthly fee like US Global Mail, heard nothing but positive form these ones. I'm just too cheap to pay the monthly fee.

 

[Ko0l]

Wish I'd read this, I also feel like I'm about to have problems due to Suite number not being included. Card delivery was 5 or so days ago and no sign of it in virtual mail.

You can contact amex for the tracking and ask MyUS to locate it, alternatively ask amex to deliver a new card to your australian address.

The biggest pita is actually calling amex as it'll be difficult for them to ID you with no SSN/ITIN and not an existing card member. Maybe try the global transfer number as they will be familiar with international customers or the amex new apps line. Generally they only ask for the application number. Just not sure how much those 2 departments can help you.

 

[desafinado74]

Has anyone here opened a Charles Schwab international brokerage account before ?
If so, was the USD$25k minimum deposit amount strictly enforced ?

Also, has anyone tried to open a SoFi checking account with an ITIN too ? Apparently you can check your Transunion Fico score from there.

 

[Uncharted6264]

You can contact amex for the tracking and ask MyUS to locate it, alternatively ask amex to deliver a new card to your australian address.

The biggest pita is actually calling amex as it'll be difficult for them to ID you with no SSN/ITIN and not an existing card member. Maybe try the global transfer number as they will be familiar with international customers or the amex new apps line. Generally they only ask for the application number. Just not sure how much those 2 departments can help you.

I did drop a line in MyUS chat with the Fedex tracking no. so hopefully that goes somewhere, but that was a day or two ago... Will give calling GT a go for ID purposes.