naifyboy

We got here last week (1st June 2007) on a 457.

We opened bank accounts with WestPac without a problem.

However, I am really struggling to find someone who will let us have a credit card.

I am sponsered and have a covering letter from my employer which states my income and also my intentions of staying in Oz.

I took that into ANZ together with my passport and driving license and the guy there told me it shoudn't be a problem but then the applcation got rejected and i was told i need to be here for at least 6 months before applying again.

WestPac just dont give credit cards to non residents...period...

Anyone know of a company that would take the letter from my employer seriously and give me a credit card, no matter of how small a limit they give me?

Thanks

dhw210770

Why don't you try and get a VISA debit card? ANZ do them but you will have to open a bank account with them, and also St George have VISA debit. So much better than a credit card which only gets you into debt. A VISA debit card will get you the credit rating that you need further down the line.

My husband applied for a Wizard credit card online and he got it no questions asked (he's on a temporary spouse visa). But the limit was very low - $750.

naifyboy

we already have debit cards with WestPac - the reason we wnted Credit Cards is for the added protection it provides with purchases, fraud etc,etc

thanks for the suggestion - do you have an address for the Wizard card and i will try and fill out a form....thanks

dhw210770

Website address is www.wizard.com.au. Personally, I don't think credit cards give you the added protection, just more debt. If you use your VISA debit card as a credit card when making purchases, you are still covered.

naifyboy

thanks....i would prefer someone to clone a credit card number rather than my current account and have complete access to everything i posess.

yanH

We are on a 457 and have a credit card through the Commonwealth Bank. The guy who opened our account for us said not to apply for the Credit Card immediately but to wait until my first salary payment had gone into the bank. We did this and applied after my first pay and were approved for a Credit Card with a limit of $5000.

naifyboy

thats good to know - thanks very much - i will wait a month and then try again with the Commonwealth..

cheers for your help....

Stephen

Great!

Plastic.......the scourge of humanity!!!:curse:

naifyboy

Strange attitude on here about credit cards!
Maybe many people on here cannot control themselves or their finances without getting into trouble.

A credit card when managed properly and responsibly has to be one of the best tools available to anyone trying to start a new life in a new country.

Cant see the problem myself...

Stephen

As a person working with peoples finances over the past decade, they are great in theory but a disaster in practice.

naifyboy

again - depends on self control and discipline. same as everything in life.

pogsy

We tried Virgin after being here a month and they were OK after I spoke with someone higher up than the usual end of the telephone advisor, they gave us $10,000 limit and just last week they put it up to $30,000. Funny thing was Westpac wouldn't give us a card even though we bank with them and Virgin is underwritten by guess who ? Westpac. So Virgin gets my vote.

Paul&Nic

Commonwealth gave us a credit card and we're on a temporary student visa.

Only a $1,000 limit, but don't want more than that anyway!

diitbrown

Hi, I am on a student visa and have a credit card with Westpac. I already had an account with them and just needed to show 3 months wage slips in order to gain the credit card.

Di