Harveyspecter

I've applied for a credit cad with my bank, and on the application form they want employment details which I don't have because I don't have a job yet. Will this be an issue?

I mainly want it for internet purchases as I did my UK credit card and to start building my credit rating. While I am not earning yet, I have been transferring money from my UK account to my balance has been healthy.

If the bank won't offer me one because I am unemployed, I presume I can just apply for any of the many Credit cards advertised online?

Thanks.

zzrmark

You can apply for as many as you want to, presumably the US system works the similarly to the UK one in that every application turned down makes it more likely that the next will be as well.

I've been employed six months, not yet tried my bank, but was recently refused a Home Depot credit card

Noorah101

Will this be your first-ever US credit card? If so, I suggest getting a secured card at your bank, for now. Use it wisely, and in about a year you will be able to get other cards and higher limits.

Rene

civilservant

Go straight for the Capital One secured - after 6 months of payments you'll be golden. After that long I got an Amex, Discover and a couple of others all with reasonable limits ($2k+) for someone with only 6 months of credit history.

sir_eccles

I doubt you'll even get a secured card if you're unemployed.

Noorah101

I don't see why not...he's putting up his own money for it. Up to the bank's discretion, i'm sure
.

Rene

scottyvisa

Are you married? I got two credit cards without employment, as we still had a household income from my wife, so for employment I put none but for household income I put my wifes salary. One from our bank and one from another provider the credit cards are in my name solely. Neither are secured, although admittedly they have low credit limits ($500 and $1000) Another option would be to do a joint application with your wife, where you're both listed as the account holder.

kodokan

I don't work, but have two credit cards in my own name. On the applications, it's perfectly normal to put household income; it's considered joint for taxes, after all.

This is after 5 years here though, and other forms of credit like being an authorized user in hubby's cards and having a mortgage in the past. Use Credit Sesame or Credit Karma to see if you have a credit score yet that's worth anything.

petitefrancaise

It's the law.... you can declare household income as your income when you apply, so if your spouse is working and earning then you can use that . You can tick home-maker (or what ever it is) rather than unemployed if you like. It definitely helped that I had been an authorised user on my OH's cards.

You can get a secured credit card as well. I've done both.

scrubbedexpat091

Capital One secured card is pretty much guaranteed as long as you have no defaulted with them recently.

They are pretty easy going, especially with secured where they take no real risk since your putting up the money for the credit line. I think they limit the deposit and credit line though.

civilservant

They didn't make me back my credit line - I had to put down a $50 deposit for a $500 credit line. That said, I was already employed.

BubbleChog

I got a secured card when I first arrived and I've not worked int he US at all. The card limit was only $500 which they were holding anyway.
After a year they transferred me to a non-secured card which is paid off in full each month but it's usually a small bill.

scrubbedexpat091

Guess they trusted you. Mine is dollar for dollar, so I have a whooping 200 credit line until they decide to ever increase it.

200 was the most I could come up with, but really just needed it so I have something on my report as having nothing on it for the last 10 years killed my credit score.

petitefrancaise

Mine was $500 too. It comes from Wells Fargo and I use it to pay the cellphone bill because you get free cellphone insurance for loss/damage. With 3 teens in the house, I thought it might come in handy and it did.....

livinginnyc

Sorry to hijack this thread, but I have a related question...

I've not applied for a Credit Card in the U.S, so have no credit history - but have an Amex/Mastercard in the UK. I'm aware that Amex allows you to move your points/account over to the US but was wondering if they help build/accelerate your history as a 'known customer' (I've an excellent credit history in the UK for over 5 years, paying in full at the end of the month). I've not actually spoken to them about it (they have my US address on file), but was wondering if anyone had gone down that route.