Re: Obtaining a UK credit card
 

Sainsbury's are even advertising the Sainbury's Amex Card

https://www.americanexpress.com/uk/c...r-credit-card/

Re: Obtaining a UK credit card
 

We have HSBC accounts in both the UK and Canada. I have a UK HSBC bank card but it clearly says on the UK web site you must be in the UK and have a UK address to get a credit card. We did have a few issues opening a UK account from Canada. We intend to move back to the UK in 2022 as soon as my soon completed Grade 12.
We do use the UK HSBC debit card occasionally to buy things in the UK and for family presents etc. I have UKP accounts on both sides of the pond for various reasons.

Re: Obtaining a UK credit card
 

The biggest challenge to get a UK credit card is being on the Electoral Roll (the credit checks used are typically 'the computer says no' unless you are living in a UK address). Even if you move into a UK address, and register for council tax (property tax) with the council and hence register on the Electoral Roll it can take up to 3 months to appear on it depending on your location.
Luckily American Express (as mentioned above) have common sense and look at your USA credit/payment record and will be pragmatic and ignore the Electoral Roll check - like an old fashioned bank manager! Its not like the USA, and the credit card merchant fees are miniscule now in the UK, even for AMEX, so you can easily build your credit score (having got your Amex) by doing your grocery shop at any major supermarket each week over a number of months. I managed to do this and get a great (i.e. best) mortgage rate (via a broker talking to pragmatic lenders - not online) within 3 months of moving back to UK after 14 years of being in the USA.

Re: Obtaining a UK credit card
 

Hi there! Thanks so much for this info, it's something we had been curious about. We plan to move back in two or three years, and have been unsure how to establish credit and get credit cards. My husband has a credit score in UK, but we wanted to try and build it up before moving over. Can I ask, was there a specific card you applied for? Also, did you apply before you moved back, or after you arrived? We were curious if we could apply for it maybe a year before we move back and use it to make UK purchases. Thank you!
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Re: Obtaining a UK credit card
 

Hi, you don’t say how long you’ve been away, but if you have no active UK credit products and been away for some time it is unlikely that your husbands score will remain valid - and more importantly it won’t be updated monthly as there would be no input from the providers to the agencies. The other necessary thing is to be on the electoral role (ie resident and registered with a local council) to get a report (and I imagine to get a score too). If you go to money saving expert website under credit score you’ll find links where you can get a free credit report and scores so you can check - if you weren’t already aware. Regarding the Amex card you’d be fraudulent if you claimed in advance that you were living in the uk. What I did was have a US Amex active for about a year showing good behaviour buying and paying for goods and services. When I moved to the UK I was able to call Amex in UK and they switched me to a UK card based on my new residence and US activity. In the meantime my electoral role was processed and I could get products at regular banks - including a mortgage through a broker who was willing to consider factors a computer wouldn’t. Again on that website you can pre-check which credit cards you may qualify for without leaving a hard mark on your credit report (you have to be on electoral role otherwise the answer is no).

Re: Obtaining a UK credit card
 

Chase and Discovercard let you have a permanent overseas address - I checked with them last week directly and also on your online account allows for entry of a permanent foreign address. I am planning to use both for general expences until I'm re-established back home again. The time you can hold these cards will be based on whether you are a citizen or green card holder where you can only be out of the US for 1 year before its deemed you abandoned your residency. You'd also have to update in your account that the UK is the country you are using the card to avoid fraud alerts.

Good luck