Hi there - meet the newbie on the block! I wanted to ask if any of you have come over on non immigrant visa's and kept their UK credit cards registered to a UK address? - after all, the idea is to eventually return to England unless we were to get an immigrant visa - but I know that some card companies get very unhappy when they find that you no longer reside full time in the UK. Also - have any of you managed to get US cards by asking the UK company to pass on your credit background to the US subsidiary? - in otherwords is it possible to not to have to start from the bottom and work back up again?
Cheers guys!! (& gals) grin
I came over and used UK cards and even moved my mailing address to the USA, as I did with my bank.
You should get a US card as soon as you can to get a credit history going.
(p.s. I had a Barclaycard visa and mastercard).
Hope this helps.
sad The major problem with using your UK card for transactions in the US is that you will get hit for the overseas exchange rate and transaction charges, which could get to be expensive (the card companies are out to make as much profit as they can). If you're going to do this, use it only in emergencies. Also you won't build up a US credit rating in this way. It really is best to try to get a US credit card as soon as you can.
If you normally pay up in full each month you may wish to consider using an American Express card instead as you get airmiles for each transaction. If you had an Amex card in the UK you can immediately get an American-issued Amex card, unlike with credit cards. Otherwise, get a store card, eg. Macy's, Staples, Bed Bath & Beyond and after 6 months of paying promptly and in full you will be inundated with dozens of letters and phone calls inviting you to take out a credit card which the card company has 'pre-approved' you. My view is that if they wouldn't give you one when you first arrived due to not having an established credit rating, why should you give them your business a few months later?
As I work for a credit card company, my advice would be to try Capital One. You may have to pay a security deposit and annual fee, but it's great to build up your credit rating. Capital One reports to all three major credit bureau's on a monthly basis - just make sure you buy stuff and make payments and watch the unsolicited (better) offers roll in within 6 months.
To apply for a card suitable for your lifestyle go to http//www.capitalone.com and click on Cardquest underneath the subtitle 'Need Help choosing a card?'
I hope this is useful and I apologize if this post sounds a bit spammy. wink
Oh, and by the way - I still have my Barclaycard at my new address and they don't seem to have a problem with me being out of the country (although I do make payments through my UK bank account - it's easier to do direct debits that way).
Now trying to contact my bank, that's another problem altogether!
I had a problem with my MNBA card (with the $18k limit I so much miss) and had to admit that I was living in the US. Even thou I told them it was a six month thing, the card was cancelled and refused to deal unless I proved UK residency again.
Now if I really needed the card I may have gone to the trouble, but what they don't know they can't worry about....
Hey guys - thanks for your advice. Midland Offshore issued us a credit card and have been happy with us moving abroad but we've been tres nervous with the others. I think I'll start transferring Amex, then Capital One and MBNA can go take a hike - they already upset us in the past so it's a good excuse to say our goodbyes. We've had a few pre-approved wotsits but then when they asked for social security numbers things went down hill as at first we were only here on a B1 and didn't have such a thing as an SS number! Now we've gor new H1B's so number is 'in the post' ha ha. We'll get sorted eventually!
lol
MBNA are hopeless. I recently cancelled my cards with them although they never found out that I had moved to the US. I bought a computer through them and Gateway a few years back and they are one of those companies who conveniently delay payments being processed, so they can charge a late fee. It gave me great pleasure to pay off the balance early and tell them where they could stick their line of credit (at 25%!)
roll
I know what you mean - they bounced a cheque of ours once even tho' there were huge amounts of credit available and then had the cheek to charge us a fee for the pleasure - and of course the thing we were trying to pay off then charged us a fee for the bounced cheque at their end too. If MBNA didn't want people to write out cheques then why send us the bloomin' things in the post in the first place - we didn't ask for them!! Pagh!
Credit is always a problem sad . My Ex trashed my credit history in the UK, but I was able to re-establish it there by providing an upto date credit report from the US.
If you can get a copy of your credit report from the UK you may be able to get a US credit card here in the states based on your UK report.
Do you have anything on finance? (e.g. a car)If so try the financial institution that has underwritten the loan - usually a bank.
Failing that you could try for a secured card or even try your bank (Not Bank of America - unless they have had a policy change).
Be aware that some card issuers in the US will only send statements within the US - If you leave the US you will have to close the account - a bummer if you plan to return.
I have tried in vain to get my excellent credit rating transferred from the US to the UK and am having my mail forwarded so that the credit card companies don't catch on (Beneficial did and stopped the card - thankfully now reinstated - when they saw me spending lots of money i.e. to furnish an apartment in the US).
Even though I earn six figures, I can't get a credit card over here!
I have been told that you need to set up 5 lines of credit and pay all your bills on time for 6 months to establish a credit rating. The easiest way to get credit is to get a car loan - don't pay cash! Then store cards are quite easy to get, so it's a good excuse to go shopping.
Good luck!
Hi guys - just got back from the UK & called a few of my card companies and explained in total honesty that we have US visa's and will be out of the UK for several years and where do I stand with UK cards? They said, oh no problem - we'll just change the address to the US one. I nearly fell off my stool! These were Co-op and Bank of Scotland. Both cards are paid off but it's nice to having something handy 'just in case' and will keep up our credit rating should we return to England. Meanwhile, for the US side we plan to start with Cap One's secured card for starters. Now just got to worry about the mortgage!
Cheers, murtle wink