Strategy to obtain US Amex

For my neighbours in Torrance, a data point:
  • First Chase card sent via USPS not received in mailbox at all
  • Replacement card requested after 10BD and sent via rush courier. Took 3 days from replacement being requested to Planet Express sending out a notification of receipt
  • Requested package forwarding via "Planet Mail Express" (~USD 16) and a tracking number was generated within 24 hours, but actual courier pick up took another business day.
  • It appears that the package then took around 11 days to get to Australia
  • After getting to Australia, there were no further tracking updates; the package was simply in the letterbox some 8 days later (no signature required).
In short, if using the slowest/cheapest delivery option with Planet Express, expect the delivery to take ~3 weeks.
Did you do the form 1583? I think they need that to receive letters like from USPS. I printed mine out and had it notarized when I was in the States and emailed it to Planet Express. But I haven't changed it on the banks yet.
 
Did you do the form 1583? I think they need that to receive letters like from USPS. I printed mine out and had it notarized when I was in the States and emailed it to Planet Express. But I haven't changed it on the banks yet.
Yep I have a notarised 1583 with them - though not sure if that affects the receipting, as I've had at least one letter received in the mailbox before the 1583 was done, so I assumed the check is being done at the time the letter is requested to be forwarded?
 
For my neighbours in Torrance, a data point:
  • First Chase card sent via USPS not received in mailbox at all
  • Replacement card requested after 10BD and sent via rush courier. Took 3 days from replacement being requested to Planet Express sending out a notification of receipt
  • Requested package forwarding via "Planet Mail Express" (~USD 16) and a tracking number was generated within 24 hours, but actual courier pick up took another business day.
  • It appears that the package then took around 11 days to get to Australia
  • After getting to Australia, there were no further tracking updates; the package was simply in the letterbox some 8 days later (no signature required).
In short, if using the slowest/cheapest delivery option with Planet Express, expect the delivery to take ~3 weeks.
Can't Chase forward your card to Australia? Are they that hard? Cap 1 didn't as well.
 
This was my first application with them so I didn't want to push the boundaries too much - will try when I get onto the next one!
Chase will readily expedite subsequent cards to Aus. Just request shortly after approval and make sure you mention "rush" or "expedite" otherwise they may send it via normal post which could take 3 weeks. Happened with my recent Chase Ink Business card. Hadn't received it in a week with no tracking number so I called again and they cancelled the second one and generated another one which arrived at my Aus address 3 days later via FedEx a couple of days before travelling overseas.
 
Chase will readily expedite subsequent cards to Aus. Just request shortly after approval and make sure you mention "rush" or "expedite" otherwise they may send it via normal post which could take 3 weeks. Happened with my recent Chase Ink Business card. Hadn't received it in a week with no tracking number so I called again and they cancelled the second one and generated another one which arrived at my Aus address 3 days later via FedEx a couple of days before travelling overseas.
so you are saying for subsequent cards only we should expedite it, Not as 1st chase card right?

Also, I was rejected for Chase - however when I called recon 1 of the question I was asked at verification was "What was the county name of your address" I was caught by surprise and had no idea . Luckily I was in front of my computer and quickly google it and gave the answer. Phuuu.
 
so you are saying for subsequent cards only we should expedite it, Not as 1st chase card right?

Also, I was rejected for Chase - however when I called recon 1 of the question I was asked at verification was "What was the county name of your address" I was caught by surprise and had no idea . Luckily I was in front of my computer and quickly google it and gave the answer. Phuuu.
IIRC I had my first Chase card sent to MyUS address which had the mail subscription to avoid another round of verification. There maybe dp's of others getting their first card sent overseas but I had many issues receiving verification codes during the approval process so didn't want to go through that again. Getting the next 2 cards from Chase sent to Aus was straightforward and no need to wait 10 days like Amex.
 
The US Plat card offers Priority Pass Select. The Australian card just offers Priority Pass. The PP website says the ‘Select’ product is offered to US financial institutions that provide PP as part of the financial product package.

Does anyone know if the ‘Select’ product is different to the product we have access to here via Amex; better, worse, same but different name. There seems to be about 300 lounges difference (1300 v 1600) is the advertising blurb that accompanies the US & Aus products
 
so you are saying for subsequent cards only we should expedite it, Not as 1st chase card right?

Also, I was rejected for Chase - however when I called recon 1 of the question I was asked at verification was "What was the county name of your address" I was caught by surprise and had no idea . Luckily I was in front of my computer and quickly google it and gave the answer. Phuuu.

No one is really suggesting that things should be done a specific way. More of a recommendation for those less risk adverse.

It seems reasonable to act like a US resident to a bank for your first card. You can obviously afterwards move overseas or go travel afterwards but you will appear less suspicious. Hence it's recommended that you don't have your first card sent to Australia if you've never had any history with the bank.

This isn't to say that it's fool-proof. You can still get flagged for fraud but it's just the little things that we try to do to avoid going through the litany of verification.
 

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