Strategy to obtain US Amex

[wilflare]

4 Amex personal and 1 C1 - are you under the 5/24?
Not sure of timing of them
Edit - Just read and seems you are well clear of that issue - apologies

no worries at all! but yup, I'm tracking my 5/24 so I'm doing good (for now). I'm actually 4/24 now and by Jun, it would be 3/24. wanted to get started on my CSP in hopes it would make it easier for Chase Boundless later.

how did you manage that? They wanted me to get a local non-drivers ID as AU passport was insufficient.

Got approved for the business Spark 2x miles card. Even that one’s suspended pending review of additional documents I submitted for ID verification for suspected fraud and income verification. They seem for me at least difficult to get to ‘yes’ with.

I just went ahead to apply via my friend's referral link online. They didn't approve me upfront. When I called for reconsideration and a secure link to submit documents, they said to wait for the physical letter or fax in my documents. I was quite unwilling and uncomfortable (faxing my ITIN letter + passport over) but did it anyway and got approved thereafter!

 

[blacksultan]

how did you manage that? They wanted me to get a local non-drivers ID as AU passport was insufficient.

Got approved for the business Spark 2x miles card. Even that one’s suspended pending review of additional documents I submitted for ID verification for suspected fraud and income verification. They seem for me at least difficult to get to ‘yes’ with.

Read here that doing a US post address change verified ID before applying and does away with need for ID check . Any other data points ?

 

[blacksultan]

If I receive an email to apply for biz platinum with a special are my chances of being approved guaranteed or high ? Also does it mean I will be out of pop up jail ?

 

[DC3]

If I receive an email to apply for biz platinum with a special are my chances of being approved guaranteed or high ? Also does it mean I will be out of pop up jail ?

Is this hypothetical?

 

[blacksultan]

Is this hypothetical?

No I received an email today regarding same .

 

[blacksultan]

Is this hypothetical?

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[blacksultan]

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Does anyone know if purchases at Qantas marketplace will code as purchase at an airline for Amex biz platinum ?

 

[maverick1]

Just got back from a quick trip from US.
Managed to open checking accounts with Chase, Citi, BOA and US bank.
How are people managing the monthly direct deposit to ensure they are not charged monthly fees? I use IBKR for paying my amx atm.
What should be my approach going forward which banks are easy to get a cc? I would wait few months to build some sort of history before I start applying. I'm over 5/24, so will have to wait it out for Chase CC's.

With Amex, I've opened - 6 personal cards, closed 1 and opened 6 biz card and closed 4 in the past 24 months. I know chase only cares about Personal but do other banks look at both?

Are Citi, BOA and US also sensitive? I'll be doing my own research but looking for some DP's and personal experience here.

I opened these accounts in Vegas. Let me know if anyone has any questions.
I also got Amex to mail a new card to a Hilton hotel I was staying at. Fedex at that Hilton charged me US$7 for holding the package.

 

[Grrr]

How are people managing the monthly direct deposit to ensure they are not charged monthly fees? I use IBKR for paying my amx atm.

If you just need a minimum deposit per month, why don’t you set up a virtuous circle of deposits ?

Eg Amex -> Citi -> BoA -> Chase -> back to Amex etc

 

[maverick1]

If you just need a minimum deposit per month, why don’t you set up a virtuous circle of deposits ?

Eg Amex -> Citi -> BoA -> Chase -> back to Amex etc

Are you currently doing this?
I don't think they would be treated as direct deposit.

 

[Grrr]

Are you currently doing this?
I don't think they would be treated as direct deposit.

I only have one checking account so far

You're right - they probably want an ACH type payment as a minimum

 

[DAC1]

FWIW, my BofA checking account doesn’t need a monthly direct deposit, just needs a minimum daily balance of $500.

I believe Citi and US Bank have similar ways of avoiding fees (albeit with higher minimum daily balances).

 

[DAC1]

Just received my ITIN as well. The W7 was sent to the IRS on 13 March so just under the 7 week timeline (although for the IRS that it is impressively quick given that is tax season).

I used someone off Fiverr who was exceptional and was cheaper than SH Studios. If anyone is interested, DM me and I will share a link to his ad and a referral.

Question in the meantime, should I still apply for my first Amex using GT and not quote my ITIN? My plan is to apply for a Personal Gold using GT and then apply for a Hilton Amex (probably the free one or Surpass) using my ITIN 3 months later (unless anyone thinks it’s worthwhile applying sooner).

 

[Finale]

Just received my ITIN as well. The W7 was sent to the IRS on 13 March so just under the 7 week timeline (although for the IRS that it is impressively quick given that is tax season).

I used someone off Fiverr who was exceptional and was cheaper than SH Studios. If anyone is interested, DM me and I will share a link to his ad and a referral.

Question in the meantime, should I still apply for my first Amex using GT and not quote my ITIN? My plan is to apply for a Personal Gold using GT and then apply for a Hilton Amex (probably the free one or Surpass) using my ITIN 3 months later (unless anyone thinks it’s worthwhile applying sooner).

If you have no history in the US and are applying like a normal application using ITIN, Amex will likely ask you to provide more docs ie tax stuff to prove the income, less than chance of approval. GT or Nova with ITIN will be better. Some American people have a hard time getting approved for the first card. It's the GT that makes things easier for us.

If you do GT, you might still need to wait at least 6 months to get a second card using ITIN.

 

[Finale]

thanks for the detailed reply @Finale (and for the welcomes)!

I have 4 AMEX Personal (3 credit, 1 charge) + 1 AMEX Business. Also managed to get Capital One Venture Rewards recently with my ITIN as well (but no luck with my 360 Checking as they require me to be in-person at the branch to open).

so my credit file should be alright I guess. Chase did mention something about Experian not being able to pull up my file (i.e. file is too new), Transunion saying it's too thin, can't remember what they said about EQ.

That should be thick enough. EX and TU are accurate for me and it's EQ that doesn't list all my Amex cards. Looks like Chase pulled EX and TU for your app. Have you tried recon? Chase usually has some issues with my EX file too and keeps saying there is some mismatched info. Can ask recon why they think it's thin and tell them about your other cards.

 

[Finale]

no worries at all! but yup, I'm tracking my 5/24 so I'm doing good (for now). I'm actually 4/24 now and by Jun, it would be 3/24. wanted to get started on my CSP in hopes it would make it easier for Chase Boundless later.

Don't expect it to be easier. The easiest Chase app for me was the first app.

 

[wilflare]

That should be thick enough. EX and TU are accurate for me and it's EQ that doesn't list all my Amex cards. Looks like Chase pulled EX and TU for your app. Have you tried recon? Chase usually has some issues with my EX file too and keeps saying there is some mismatched info. Can ask recon why they think it's thin and tell them about your other cards.

I'll give them a call again tonight. my current guess is that my ITIN isn't connected to my current credit file yet so nothing seems to make sense for them. I did try recon but they said they can't see for EX and TU is too thin. I'll ask them to try EQ!

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Don't expect it to be easier. The easiest Chase app for me was the first app.

I can't wait to apply Citi and BofA though I'm really frustrated at my C1 Checking 360 too