Strategy to obtain US Amex

[nthd_nthd]

Really? I only connected my Wise to my USA Amex account probably 6mths ago and it worked fine. You can't use the Wise USA bank address they give you with your Wise USA bank details?

I tried to show Wise Statement with US Address on it but Amex refused. So a more concrete Bank statement down the line will be beneficial.

 

[diamondhands]

Is there a preferred bank to open your first U.S. checking account with? I’ll be going to the U.S. next month and may look to open one while I’m there if it’s not too much of a pain.

 

[DAC1]

Is there a preferred bank to open your first U.S. checking account with? I’ll be going to the U.S. next month and may look to open one while I’m there if it’s not too much of a pain.

It doesn’t really matter who it is. I currently have checking accounts with BOFA, PNC, Wells Fargo, HSBC US, SoFi and Chase.

My personal view:
- Don’t do Chase. Yes I know, I have one. It was to get a credit card sooner. But it draws attention to your account. Try and limit your engagement with Chase to CCs only.
- If you have an established credit file, get SoFi. It’s an easy win. They verify you based on your credit file. Also looks like you need to be in the US to set up their account (I tried both US VPN and US residential IP to set up their account and neither worked).
- If you can only pick one physical bank, based on my experience, pick PNC. They didn’t care about anything.
- BOFA is okay but clunky. It’s worthwhile if you’re aiming for a Atmos card.
- Don’t bother with Wells Fargo.
- HSBC US is dead to most of us.

So summary of that is probably PNC/BOFA and maybe SoFi if you have credit file.

 

[kpc]

It doesn’t really matter who it is. I currently have checking accounts with BOFA, PNC, Wells Fargo, HSBC US, SoFi and Chase.

My personal view:
- Don’t do Chase. Yes I know, I have one. It was to get a credit card sooner. But it draws attention to your account. Try and limit your engagement with Chase to CCs only.
- If you have an established credit file, get SoFi. It’s an easy win. They verify you based on your credit file. Also looks like you need to be in the US to set up their account (I tried both US VPN and US residential IP to set up their account and neither worked).
- If you can only pick one physical bank, based on my experience, pick PNC. They didn’t care about anything.
- BOFA is okay but clunky. It’s worthwhile if you’re aiming for a Atmos card.
- Don’t bother with Wells Fargo.
- HSBC US is dead to most of us.

So summary of that is probably PNC/BOFA and maybe SoFi if you have credit file.

Useful info. Thanks

 

[diamondhands]

It doesn’t really matter who it is. I currently have checking accounts with BOFA, PNC, Wells Fargo, HSBC US, SoFi and Chase.

My personal view:
- Don’t do Chase. Yes I know, I have one. It was to get a credit card sooner. But it draws attention to your account. Try and limit your engagement with Chase to CCs only.
- If you have an established credit file, get SoFi. It’s an easy win. They verify you based on your credit file. Also looks like you need to be in the US to set up their account (I tried both US VPN and US residential IP to set up their account and neither worked).
- If you can only pick one physical bank, based on my experience, pick PNC. They didn’t care about anything.
- BOFA is okay but clunky. It’s worthwhile if you’re aiming for a Atmos card.
- Don’t bother with Wells Fargo.
- HSBC US is dead to most of us.

So summary of that is probably PNC/BOFA and maybe SoFi if you have credit file.

Thanks, appreciate the detailed response.

Currently just have a <6 month old HSBC Elite and no ITIN so I assume I have no credit file.

To put it another way, are there any banks where having a pre-existing checking account/banking history would actually help at the time of a credit card application or do I just need an account anywhere so I have a backup when premier is gone?

 

[blacksultan]

Thanks, appreciate the detailed response.

Currently just have a <6 month old HSBC Elite and no ITIN so I assume I have no credit file.

To put it another way, are there any banks where having a pre-existing checking account/banking history would actually help at the time of a credit card application or do I just need an account anywhere so I have a backup when premier is gone?

Did you link your itin with HSBC ? Ask them to send you the form .

 

[diamondhands]

Did you link your itin with HSBC ? Ask them to send you the form .

Haven’t got around to applying for an ITIN yet but it’s on my to do list.

 

[DAC1]

Thanks, appreciate the detailed response.

Currently just have a <6 month old HSBC Elite and no ITIN so I assume I have no credit file.

To put it another way, are there any banks where having a pre-existing checking account/banking history would actually help at the time of a credit card application or do I just need an account anywhere so I have a backup when premier is gone?

BOFA but only if you apply with an ITIN. If you don’t, your subsequent CC application will likely get fraud locked and can only be resolved by going into a branch.

Go and get a ITIN ASAP.

 

[Franko Costa]

Haven’t got around to applying for an ITIN yet but it’s on my to do list.

This should be your number 1 priority

 

[nubbie]

I've been trying to get my ITIN through Fiverr for about 9 months now. I just received a letter from IRS requesting for proof of the $10 income. The freelancer had not asked me about any of this and they seem to have disappeared from the platform altogether. Gambling income the solution here? Or just ignore it and get it expired and rejected to start again?

 

[Tlee]

Upon hearing the news of the HSBC Premier AU exit come 2028, I thought of using this time to get the Premier Elite and its SUB.

I tried asking a HSBC US rep to see if there was an option to upgrade from the Premier to the Premier Elite CC but turns out the Premier CC must be open for at least 12 months before that is possible. No SUB using the upgrade method as well. I guess the only other way is to apply for the Premier Elite CC from scratch. I looked at these T&Cs from the Premier Elite CC page:

"Customers who have opened the same credit card product within the last 36 months are not eligible to receive the Welcome Bonus Points offer."

I guess this could mean that it is possible to get the Premier and Premier Elite SUB. Seems there is not a lot of DPs online about someone successfully getting 2 SUBs in a short time however.

I got my welcome bonus from the Elite credit card earlier this year even though I held the Premier card within the last 12 months. HSBC US asked me to close the Premier card first before approving my applicaiton for the Elite card.

 

[metaphase]

I've been trying to get my ITIN through Fiverr for about 9 months now. I just received a letter from IRS requesting for proof of the $10 income. The freelancer had not asked me about any of this and they seem to have disappeared from the platform altogether. Gambling income the solution here? Or just ignore it and get it expired and rejected to start again?

That's very annoying - mine was excellent in fairness. I wonder if they've made a mistake on the form? Might be tricky to recover this one but will defer to others who are more expert!

 

[GDale]

I've been trying to get my ITIN through Fiverr for about 9 months now. I just received a letter from IRS requesting for proof of the $10 income. The freelancer had not asked me about any of this and they seem to have disappeared from the platform altogether. Gambling income the solution here? Or just ignore it and get it expired and rejected to start again?

Did you use SH Studio or someone else? Many of the cheaper ones on Fiverr aren't actually certified, so all they end up doing is forwarding your details to the IRS. If you went through a CAA, I thought additional doc requirements would've come via them?

 

[nubbie]

Did you use SH Studio or someone else? Many of the cheaper ones on Fiverr aren't actually certified, so all they end up doing is forwarding your details to the IRS. If you went through a CAA, I thought additional doc requirements would've come via them?

Got a bit complacent being a tightarse, haven't been scammed online for a while hehe. After the first one, Fiverr support gave me a list of recommendations and I went with them. Both times they claimed to be CAA.

Understandably SH Studio aren't able to help me at this point until I get a rejection.