Strategy to obtain US Amex

[albyd]

Kinda gobsmacked, but I put a few thousand worth of spend on the card later that evening, transaction has posted and I'm now OUT of pop-up jail and successfully approved for my 3rd GT!

I think that might be the cause of my pop up jail issue - my spending on my Green card has tailed off the last few months in favour of my Citi Premier. Looks like a preference for simplicity in account management by paying less bills comes at the cost of pop up jail. Will try to step up my charges on the Green to see if that fixes it. Thanks @sudoer !

 

[maverick1]

I just got my ITIN, took approx 2 months. Applied mid march. Applied via SH Studio.
I don't have a FICO score yet, so guess will lay low for a while.

 

[Finale]

I'm in the USA at the moment and I've successfully applied for a BoA bank account. A family member of mine can add me as a supplementary card holder on their Amex Platinum. I read that it can improve my credit score, is that worth doing for the $175 fee?

It helps you build some relationship with Amex and you will get Fico without getting your own card. P2 was my AU and got an instant approval when doing GT 4-5 years later. However, since it is a charge card, there will be no limit in your credit file (won't help score) but you will get his/her balance. While charge card balance does not get factored in to your utilization %, if the balance is always high, it will affect your application.

Being an AU on a credit card with a high limit will be better in some cases like my friend in the US who kept maxing out her own cards and her score improved after being an AU on my credit card with a high limit. If I were you, I wouldn't be an AU on any card as it is not possible to control the spending on the primary card which can affect you negatively. The pros don't outweigh the cons in your cases since you are ready to apply yourself. Being an AU can be very useful for people who plan to apply in the far future (will have a longer credit history).

 

[dein_gesicht]

Well I just spend the last hour on the phone with the IRS as my ITIN application was suspended.

Not only did the ITIN provider provide the wrong address, but they put in the wrong DOB too.

I would say never use this provider from fiverr, but they are removed from the platform. I have to wait at least 30 days until I can recheck again

 

[blacksultan]

Well I just spend the last hour on the phone with the IRS as my ITIN application was suspended.

Not only did the ITIN provider provide the wrong address, but they put in the wrong DOB too.

I would say never use this provider from fiverr, but they are removed from the platform. I have to wait at least 30 days until I can recheck again

Which provider ?

Post automatically merged: May 25, 2023

I just got my ITIN, took approx 2 months. Applied mid march. Applied via SH Studio.
I don't have a FICO score yet, so guess will lay low for a while.

What did it cost ?

 

[WeeWillyWonka]

Without wanting to hijack this thread (too much) as a newbie, can someone please advise on my situation:

I want to apply for my first US credit card while I'm in Australia before I return to the US in March 2024 (I recently become a US permanent resident via the green card lottery in early 2023).

I have:

1) a SSN.
2) US residential address listed with Homeland Security (they are an acquaintance and for this reason I can't impose on this relationship and ask to have further mail delivered to their address outside of what has already been sent there).
3) US Bank account.
4) A mobile phone post paid plan bill with the US residential address listed as well as two letters from the US Government that were posted to this address.
5) AUS Amex credit card (for over 10 years).

I don't have a US mailing address. My US bank account has my Australian address listed for correspondence. I am aware of MyUS, but are there others? I also don't have an established credit score yet (I understand this takes time). Finally, I'm currently working for an Australian employer.

Should I apply for a US credit card via GT or try Nova Credit? I want to keep my Aus Amex open too.

Thanks.

 

[desafinado74]

Without wanting to hijack this thread (too much) as a newbie, can someone please advise on my situation:

I want to apply for my first US credit card while I'm in Australia before I return to the US in March 2024 (I recently become a US permanent resident via the green card lottery in early 2023).

I have:

1) a SSN.
2) US residential address listed with Homeland Security (they are an acquaintance and for this reason I can't impose on this relationship and ask to have further mail delivered to their address outside of what has already been sent there).
3) US Bank account.
4) A mobile phone post paid plan bill with the US residential address listed as well as two letters from the US Government that were posted to this address.
5) AUS Amex credit card (for over 10 years).

I don't have a US mailing address. My US bank account has my Australian address listed for correspondence. I am aware of MyUS, but are there others? I also don't have an established credit score yet (I understand this takes time). Finally, I'm currently working for an Australian employer.

Should I apply for a US credit card via GT or try Nova Credit? I want to keep my Aus Amex open too.

Thanks.

I use US Global Mail as my mail forwarder , and found them to be friendly and efficient so far.

Since you already have an AUS AMEX card, use the GT route for getting a US AMEX card.

 

[sudoer]

Using MyUS here with no issues. Agree that with no FICO you should use GT first, then once you have a FICO score showing in the app (6-9 months) you can start applying 'onshore'. You have the most difficult parts of the puzzle covered by the sound of things.

 

[cathalm8]

Hi I was wondering which US Amex card do people here in AU usually choose for their first AMEX card via GT route?

I was also wondering what do people generally do with their AEMX MR reward points, i.e. which airline partners do people generally transfer them to to redeem for travel?

thanks

 

[sudoer]

Hi I was wondering which US Amex card do people here in AU usually choose for their first AMEX card via GT route?

It tends to vary over time as the SUBs change, but I think the Hilton Aspire or Marriott Brilliant cards are fairly popular first cards simply for the included Hilton Diamond or Marriott Platinum status (which no card in Australia includes except Centurion) in addition to points/free night certs.

My understanding is that it's better to start with these higher tier cards for the once-in-a-lifetime SUB, then work your way down the card family, hoping for upgrade offers to the higher tier cards again. These upgrade offers come with bonus points even if you've held the card previously.

I was also wondering what do people generally do with their AEMX MR reward points, i.e. which airline partners do people generally transfer them to to redeem for travel?

I don't think there's a one size fits all approach because different programs have different sweet spots. The real appeal of US MR is the better range of partners (compared with Aus MR) which widens your options when trying to find an award flight.

 

[Finale]

Hi I was wondering which US Amex card do people here in AU usually choose for their first AMEX card via GT route?

I was also wondering what do people generally do with their AEMX MR reward points, i.e. which airline partners do people generally transfer them to to redeem for travel?

thanks

For the first card, people normally suggest you pick the one that you will keep for a long time like no or low annual fee one or luxury cards like hilton aspire that you can downgrade to the no annual fee later. This will help keep the age of your credit history and the average age of all accounts high (good for credit score). Your credit history will be shorter if you cancel the oldest account but I think it takes something like 10 years(?) for that to age off a credit report so not sure if it matters much but at least get the one you plan to keep for a long time on the first or second year after you start the US credit card journey.

 

[dein_gesicht]

Hi I was wondering which US Amex card do people here in AU usually choose for their first AMEX card via GT route?

I was also wondering what do people generally do with their AEMX MR reward points, i.e. which airline partners do people generally transfer them to to redeem for travel?

thanks

This is what I did. I applied for a Gold charge as I wanted to move my AU MR points over to the US asap (and I knew that I could downgrade this too).

Then I applied for Hilton a month later and then 7 days later another Hilton (that I will downgrade eventually - might keep the top one as I think the Hilton top one is worth it)

 

[cathalm8]

This is what I did. I applied for a Gold charge as I wanted to move my AU MR points over to the US asap (and I knew that I could downgrade this too).

Then I applied for Hilton a month later and then 7 days later another Hilton (that I will downgrade eventually - might keep the top one as I think the Hilton top one is worth it)

What is the transfer ratio and advantage to moving your AU Mr points to US MR and is this an easy process?

You applied for 3 Amex cards within 2 months? Was this via GT and no issues?

 

[sudoer]

What is the transfer ratio and advantage to moving your AU Mr points to US MR and is this an easy process?

Highly recommend going back 6-12 months in this thread as it's been discussed quite a bit already.

Strategy to obtain US Amex

What is the SUB of CSP compared to WOH? You can convert chase UR points to Hyatt points. I believe it’s 60 k .

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

 

[cathalm8]

Highly recommend going back 6-12 months in this thread as it's been discussed quite a bit already.

Strategy to obtain US Amex

What is the SUB of CSP compared to WOH? You can convert chase UR points to Hyatt points. I believe it’s 60 k .

www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au

Will do. Thanks

 

[Finale]

What is the transfer ratio and advantage to moving your AU Mr points to US MR and is this an easy process?

You applied for 3 Amex cards within 2 months? Was this via GT and no issues?

Amex uses current the exchange rate for point transfer. 1 US MR point = 1 airline mile. If you have 100,000 AU MR points, you get only 50,000 miles if transfered to airlines from AU account. By transfering to the US with the current exchange rate of 0.65, you will get 65,000 US MR points or 65,000 airline miles. I'm saving mine for when the exchange rate is better. It was easy and can be done by chat. If the agent isn't aware of it, tell him to search for an instruction. Can be done once every 12 months.

 

[larrymull]

I just applied for the Green Card via GT (this was my 2nd card - I have a platinum and FICO score). I had to ring through to give them more details as it was under a security hold. Gave the guy all my details and they want a bank statement, not sure why as it is a GT. Thoughts on the next step?

Reading back through my notes - 'Also, as you are ‘moving’ to the US, you would not necessarily have a bank account as yet'. I suggested this to them.

 

[dein_gesicht]

What is the transfer ratio and advantage to moving your AU Mr points to US MR and is this an easy process?

You applied for 3 Amex cards within 2 months? Was this via GT and no issues?

All GT no issues - others have issues though. I do spend a bit through my AU plat, but that probably has nothing to do with it.

AU to US MR - for hilton you get an additional 168% more points. US had an additional 30% bonus, so it was 250% more points than AU (100k AU MR was either 50k hilton through normal or it was 174k through US)

 

[deepakabc]

Did you open the HSBC premier account first and then ring up to apply for HSBC US or what was the process?

Can be apply online as well.. I called them and do it over the phone

 

[mrsquare]

Called the Chase recon line, and they asked for bank statements. Planning to provide the the HSBC ones. Will there be any issue if there’s no transactions on the account?