Strategy to obtain US Amex

[_TheTraveller_]

Do you know if Chase would let you apply for their 1st personal card with only passport
(no ssn or itin) once you already have a credit history?

They won't.

 

[levelnine]

They kept saying it didn't match what was in my credit file. I heard the same thing from a few people. This started from my second application. The personal one appeared to be ok. They put me on hold for like 20 mins and application was approved. For my first biz card, I had to call them multiple times to get it approved. And last last biz app was denied like 3 times. I do think having SSN makes things much easier with Chase especially when applying for a business card. I also heard a couple of people saying Chase requested a copy of ITIN even when it was not the first app and got denied as the ITIN was too old. They also did not accept my ITIN last time on the business app (requested SSN).

I'm not sure but it could be that there is no ITIN in Experian? Chase mainly pulled Ex and they only pulled Ex on my last app while the previous 3 appl, they pulled Eq as well where my ITIN was listed.

Not sure about the ITIN and EX, but I wouldn't be surprised if it got easier after the first couple of applications. Sounds like you were having ID issues, and I've found Chase very inconsistent on this front. Some applications seem to raise ID concerns that require verification, while others don't.

Chase's backend systems operate in a strange manner. As I mentioned elsewhere in this thread, I had an ID issue with a card and while visiting a branch to sort it out, I found out they had something like 6+ different profiles for me. My best guess was they created a new profile for me each time I requested a new card be sent overseas for some unknown reason. Didn't affect approvals, but did mean I wasn't able to combine my cards onto one login. Fortunately that's fixed, but I still encounter some other oddities related to having an overseas mailing address (eg if a card requires a ZIP code check, neither my US nor Australian ZIP code works).

 

[Tiki]

Well this is annoying! I wanted to downgrade the Amex Delta Gold to the blue card to avoid the annual fee but they wanted to post out a whole new card and right now the friend whose address I am using has been through some personal life issues and I don't want to bother him. Amex wouldn't send it direct to Australia. So I cancelled it. I don't have any more flights planned for Delta or SkyTeam anyways so I got what I needed already.

I'm still keeping the Hilton Surpass for the Priority Club visits and gold status.

 

[levelnine]

Well this is annoying! I wanted to downgrade the Amex Delta Gold to the blue card to avoid the annual fee but they wanted to post out a whole new card and right now the friend whose address I am using has been through some personal life issues and I don't want to bother him. Amex wouldn't send it direct to Australia. So I cancelled it. I don't have any more flights planned for Delta or SkyTeam anyways so I got what I needed already.

I'm still keeping the Hilton Surpass for the Priority Club visits and gold status.

Yes, they always do that. I actually did get them to send the new card to Australia, but they also sent one to my US address as well.

 

[Igreen]

Inks are infinitely churnable. Main thing you need to do is obey the informal velocity limit (no more than 1 new Chase card — personal or business — every 90 days) and the informal credit limit cap (no more than 50% of reported income — need to reduce credit limits if you reach that limit).

What is the pace of cancelling the Ink card. I am still following the Amex model of 12month+1 day. I dont want Chase to claw back the SUB. How many max ink cards have u applied in 12 months (either u or ur partner). I currently have only 1 ink card but ther personal cards.
Based on the above comment if you only applied for chase cards...Personal/Biz...u r using the 90 day wait right?

 

[levelnine]

What is the pace of cancelling the Ink card. I am still following the Amex model of 12month+1 day. I dont want Chase to claw back the SUB. How many max ink cards have u applied in 12 months (either u or ur partner). I currently have only 1 ink card but ther personal cards.
Based on the above comment if you only applied for chase cards...Personal/Biz...u r using the 90 day wait right?

Hold them for at least 12 months, same as Amex. No need to cancel exactly at the 12 month mark as Cash & Unlimited have no annual fee. I still cancel at the 12 month mark so that I don't have too many on my file when I call recon ('sir, why do you need a 6th Ink card?').

One Chase card per person per 90 days, so 4 per year per person. At the moment, all I'm getting are Inks, so it is 4 Ink cards per year.

 

[blacksultan]

Well this is annoying! I wanted to downgrade the Amex Delta Gold to the blue card to avoid the annual fee but they wanted to post out a whole new card and right now the friend whose address I am using has been through some personal life issues and I don't want to bother him. Amex wouldn't send it direct to Australia. So I cancelled it. I don't have any more flights planned for Delta or SkyTeam anyways so I got what I needed already.

I'm still keeping the Hilton Surpass for the Priority Club visits and gold status.

But for downgrades and upgrades the old card should still work like the card until the actual new card is received and activated .

 

[Igreen]

Hold them for at least 12 months, same as Amex. No need to cancel exactly at the 12 month mark as Cash & Unlimited have no annual fee. I still cancel at the 12 month mark so that I don't have too many on my file when I call recon ('sir, why do you need a 6th Ink card?').

One Chase card per person per 90 days, so 4 per year per person. At the moment, all I'm getting are Inks, so it is 4 Ink cards per year.

I guess you are not applying for any other card such as Amex?

I hope you are aware the "Ink Biz Preferred card" cannot be transfered to points like the other 3 cards which can be transfered to hotel or Airline

 

[levelnine]

I guess you are not applying for any other card such as Amex?

I am. Chase doesn't care about your velocity with other issuers. Only Chase.

 

[desafinado74]

What US bank accounts can apply for online if I have an ITIN but don't live in the US but have US address?

Capital One 360 Checking account would be your best bet.

 

[grandfatheredgoods]

Capital One 360 Checking account would be your best bet.

Just another data point for you all. Got the basic Platinum card from Capital One using my ITIN. Setup for automatic payments from Wise so I should be good to go. However, I couldn't setup a checking account. I got a prompt to call them up and it was for ID verification. Apparently they couldn't do it for me as I used a ITIN. So all in all YMMV.

 

[Tiki]

But for downgrades and upgrades the old card should still work like the card until the actual new card is received and activated .

I wasn't going to use that card again. I would have downgraded it if they didn't send out a new one. But due to personal reasons, now is not the time to bother my friend in the USA about a card I don't care about.

 

[cathalm8]

All three credit agencies allow you to check your report with them for free. Recommend using a VPN before accessing their websites as they don't like overseas IPs. Can also use third party websites like MyFICO, CreditKarma, etc to get free access to different credit reports.

I am struggling to check my credit history (if I even still have one from 2005/2006) on any of the 3 agencies. Each time I get to the part where they ask for additional ID info and they start with phone number and email address it just tells me they cant continue and need to call up. I have tried using my old address from back in 2005/2006 and also a new address of a friend in the USA. Maybe I need to actually get my credit score up and going again before I can check it as perhaps its non existent or else there is an identity check issue..

 

[levelnine]

I am struggling to check my credit history (if I even still have one from 2005/2006) on any of the 3 agencies. Each time I get to the part where they ask for additional ID info and they start with phone number and email address it just tells me they cant continue and need to call up. I have tried using my old address from back in 2005/2006 and also a new address of a friend in the USA. Maybe I need to actually get my credit score up and going again before I can check it as perhaps its non existent or else there is an identity check issue..

They've probably frozen your accounts to stop people from stealing dead/disused SSN/ITINs. If you have details of your previous addresses and credit card accounts (they'll ask for this to confirm your identity), you should be able to gain access by calling.

 

[Revenge]

Apologies if this has already been discussed in this thread, I'm finding the 252 pages a bit overwhelming to digest.

I am about to move to the US so I am excited about getting my first US Amex.

Are there any that are a must-have for the frequent flyer community without going crazy on an annual fee?

To me, the two US Amexes that most stood out to me as a frequent traveller outside the US are:

• Amex Green card. $150 fee / 3 MR points per $ earned on travel and restaurants worldwide / no foreign transaction fees.
• Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Amex. $250 fee / 4 bonvoy points per $ on restaurants worldwide / 2 bonvoy points per $ general spend / Bonvoy Gold status / Bonus points and free stays / no foreign transaction fees.

I'm largely ignoring the Delta cobranded cards on the basis that I mainly travel oneworld and *A.

Thanks!

 

[blacksultan]

I wasn't going to use that card again. I would have downgraded it if they didn't send out a new one. But due to personal reasons, now is not the time to bother my friend in the USA about a card I don't care about.

You could have even temporarily changed your existing account to your oz one . Downgraded . One needs a us address only for new card applications .

 

[cathalm8]

Just called the HSBC international number to request the HSBC USA account and was told that I have to do it online. They provided me a link to do so. This isnt consistent with what ive read in this thread. Might try and call again later.

When I go to the link its a fresh us HSBC application with minimum requirements such as $5000 in direct deposits per month.

 

[simba24]

Interestingly submitted a request for an itin through sh studio today but didn't end up paying at that time. Initially was quoted $349. I was emailed by them a day later to say they'd received my application and to go through with it to make a payment of $280 to complete it. I'm not sure if the discount was intentional but made the payment and they've confirmed the application has been sent to the IRS.

 

[Igreen]

Interestingly submitted a request for an itin through sh studio today but didn't end up paying at that time. Initially was quoted $349. I was emailed by them a day later to say they'd received my application and to go through with it to make a payment of $280 to complete it. I'm not sure if the discount was intentional but made the payment and they've confirmed the application has been sent to the IRS.

They have a US groupon promotion going on for $300. On top there is another 10% off if bought today. So it works out $270. I bought the voucher. Groupon says it is processing

 

[sudoer]

They have a US groupon promotion going on for $300. On top there is another 10% off if bought today. So it works out $270. I bought the voucher. Groupon says it is processing

Would you mind sharing a direct link? Thanks