Strategy to obtain US Amex

[QF_Flyer]

I've finally been approved for my first GT 2 days ago, the green card, but I used a free myus address as the mailing address, probably change to a free planet express later (other free suggestions welcome)

The faq says "Letter mail that is sent to your MyUS and MyUK address will be refused and returned to sender", I assume they are not allowed to open and scan your mail without submitting a USPS form 1583, and they no longer provide +mail accounts in any case.

I guess I should of did my research on this first. Will wait out the 10 days, and ask them to send to a US hotel as I will be there the first 2 weeks of Jan, hopefully the timelime works out and there are no delays.

The odd point was somehow they thought I was in the military and my application was delayed awaiting documentation, this was cleared up with a phone call and card immediately approved, after I had already previously uploaded my ID.

Thanks to georgie23 for helping out too.

Congrats! Green is a good keeper, imo. As for MyUS vs PX, others have reported success with MyUS, I was not successful - PX you agree to 1583 on signup, but for them to actually do anything with your mail (I finally found out recently) you have to fill out the form and have it notarised (Notarycam, same as Amex use).

You pay for it unlike Amex, but it's only $25 (USD) - I haven't done it yet, but had it explained to me when I followed up the god knows how many-th item which didn't turn up despite tracking saying delivered.

The exception to the Amex address rule, btw for anyone who wondered, is HSBC - they will approve and mail a card to you with an Aussie address for Premier customers. I can't remember if I signed up with PX originally, a UK address or an AU address, but the address now on file is AU (you can also set a different home and mailing address). So HSBC is definitely worth looking at, especially given that I would guess most in here would have no problem qualifying for Premier, in Australia at least (criteria varies by country, but if you have it in one, you have it in all, I believe).

 

[CaptainCurtis]

I'm truly astounded by some of the volumes being collected here. I'm constantly churning AUS cards, but it's getting hard to do more than a million a year. For those racking up multi-millions, would it be possible to get a high-level summary of where the points are coming from - is it manufactured spending, sign-up bonuses, rebates etc? I'm moving over to the US next year, so am quite excited to dip my toes in.

 

[pyramidforce]

Assuming 100k points from sign up on a new CC, you would need to apply for 100 CCs, or one per 3.65 days to hit 8 figures. While I am sure that levelnine probably has some magic way to churn that many CCs, I can't imagine that his/her ways are within reach for most of us.

 

[Grrr]

I’m assuming these kinds of totals are only possible if you can pump business expenses through & tax payments ?

 

[nthd_nthd]

I've been able to use Equifax.com to check credit score using a VPN forever, now whichever VPN location in the US I use on NordVPN gives me a "please give us a call" message. Really annoying. Anyone know a workaround?

turn it off and access without vpn

 

[djchuckles]

Wow. Do you mind sharing how much you had to spend to get 10 mil points!?

I don't track annual totals super closely, but I'm well into the 8 figures of points earn this year.

It's been a very good year on the churning front. Let's hope 2025 is another good one.

 

[_TheTraveller_]

Wow. Do you mind sharing how much you had to spend to get 10 mil points!?

Not Level9 but probably referrals, P2s, GBs etc

 

[mike0430]

Hi, Just wondering if you paid wise with AUD and getting wise to pay USD to your checking? If I am paying wise with USD then transferring the USD to amex would this work at all.
Did you need to put any particular notes on refer please? thank you.

Direct deposit via "Send Money" from Wise worked for me a couple of months ago for the Personal Rewards Checking bonus.

 

[Grrr]

turn it off and access without vpn

I still get a “call us and quote error NH” with no VPN

 

[Tiki]

I am also blown away by the volumes being collected by some of our members. It's not easy even if you live in the USA, never mind living overseas and having to deal with some banks who are over zealous with fraud alerts. And most of the people here have the hassle of getting an itin and Fico score. I was lucky to have a SSN and high Fico score over 30 years. There are limits on how many cards you can get with Chase 5/24, Amex once in a lifetime and PUJ, other banks being sensitive about how many cards, hard inquiries and such. Or having to wait 3-4 years before a card becomes rechurnable. P2, other family members can help, I suppose BGs can work if you have the cash flow and accept the risk.

Currency rates are becoming a worry, Aussie dollar is going down. An SUB is more expensive in AUD now. There are people who can put heaps of business expenses through a card, I do envy them. Anyway I will be cutting back next year because I went a bit crazy this year. I brought forward an extra South America trip because I am worried about what the incoming administration (I somehow knew he would win) will do so I have some debt to clear. I have enough UR points and QF and VA from Flybuys and Woolies for some Pacific island trips in 2025. Turkiye in J is already booked. Then I will see how things are going mid 2025, if I want to get any new cards like Chase Aeroplan or one of the Avios cards.

 

[georgie23]

Hi, Just wondering if you paid wise with AUD and getting wise to pay USD to your checking? If I am paying wise with USD then transferring the USD to amex would this work at all.
Did you need to put any particular notes on refer please? thank you.

I can’t see why it wouldn’t work at all - you will just pay from your USD wallet rather than AUD wallet - can you just pay from the source of USD and cut out wise (it may not be a form that pays easily)

 

[nthd_nthd]

I still get a “call us and quote error NH” with no VPN

Try to reset your password this time without VPN to unlock your account. It could have been locked after you unsuccessfully logged in so many times before with VPN.

If not, I have no idea then. But I been loggin without VPN, after getting those errors messages like that before.

 

[Franko Costa]

I am also blown away by the volumes being collected by some of our members. It's not easy even if you live in the USA, never mind living overseas and having to deal with some banks who are over zealous with fraud alerts. And most of the people here have the hassle of getting an itin and Fico score. I was lucky to have a SSN and high Fico score over 30 years. There are limits on how many cards you can get with Chase 5/24, Amex once in a lifetime and PUJ, other banks being sensitive about how many cards, hard inquiries and such. Or having to wait 3-4 years before a card becomes rechurnable. P2, other family members can help, I suppose BGs can work if you have the cash flow and accept the risk.

Currency rates are becoming a worry, Aussie dollar is going down. An SUB is more expensive in AUD now. There are people who can put heaps of business expenses through a card, I do envy them. Anyway I will be cutting back next year because I went a bit crazy this year. I brought forward an extra South America trip because I am worried about what the incoming administration (I somehow knew he would win) will do so I have some debt to clear. I have enough UR points and QF and VA from Flybuys and Woolies for some Pacific island trips in 2025. Turkiye in J is already booked. Then I will see how things are going mid 2025, if I want to get any new cards like Chase Aeroplan or one of the Avios cards.

AUD is a minor issue. It makes churning a little less valuable IMO. The value is 100% still there.

Churning/MS is getting hard. There are more people in the game, banks are smarter and you need to be a little more creative now

 

[QF_Flyer]

AUD is a minor issue. It makes churning a little less valuable IMO. The value is 100% still there.

Churning/MS is getting hard. There are more people in the game, banks are smarter and you need to be a little more creative now

I agree with this entirely. Although the AUD value is eroding the profits, making annual fees more exxy, etc., it is what it is; let's see if the economy sorts itself out, blah blah housing market etc., topics for elsewhere, in the next year. Nothing we can control directly.

Domestically the biggest issue with churning is banks increasing the turnaround times for new customer eligibility. Not a huge fan of that! Also Amex Australia's approval criteria, others have mentioned similar, but what's going on with that? I haven't been able to get approved for anything with the for the last year (so I'll now be approaching three years with no Amex AU cards).