Sinyor19

Hi

After doing some research I just applied for the British Airways basic credit card. I know that when I move to the sates building credit is a slow start.

I know AMEX can transfer your card over to the states and im hoping this means I can start building credit sooner.

1) AMEX says the account needs to be open for 12 months prior. Anyone transferred the card earlier than that?

2) Anyone actually done the same as me and benefited from it?


Thanks
Levy

Jambodj

Id be interested in this too, i have had my account for about a year and moving in August, would be interested to see how it can effect the credit score and if it is worth it....

Sinyor19

Well i know if its possible, its def better than waiting on a US bank CC. I moving towards end of year so will have to wait anyway till I complete the year. Nearer the time I will ask if they can move it earlier than 12 months..

GeoffM

1. Yes. 2. Yes. Various threads if you search for it (assuming the website's search is working today).

It's not going to improve your score, well not directly. What it does give you is a line of reportable credit, thus getting over the chicken and egg situation of not being able to build credit due to no credit.

Jambodj

Thanks Geoff!

Amex may be a good place to start then. [/threadhijack]

Sinyor19

Excellent. Thanks very much. Will continue looking at forums.
Jambodj - best of luck. I did the no annual fee british airways card

Mr Weeze

Yes. I did it. I applied to AMEX over the phone in the UK and specifically said that I would be looking to move the account to the USA and I was moving there in 6 months. When I phoned AMEX USA to move my account over they said "and you've had the account 18 months" and I didn't argue. I can only presume that someone in AMEX did something with a date in the system.

Mr Weeze

Just a word of caution - I'm not sure the ability to transfer applies to those partner cards.

username.exe

Fatbrit wrote a great Wiki article on credit and AmEx transfer.

Be warned, I had an Amex card in the UK for approximately five years, never had any nonpayment issues. I thought I would be golden to transfer when I got here.

Unfortunately when I called Amex here to get a US card it was refused because the bank that issued the Amex card in the UK was MBNA... when I complained I was then informed that I was SOL and there was nothing they could do for me.

GeoffM

You're right, though mine was a BA AMEX - obtained through AMEX itself rather than BA though, which I think is the difference.

tonrob

Don't think that can be it. Exactly the same card AFAIK.

GeoffM

I was referring more to the AMEX-issued part than the BA part. As username.exe has already pointed out (which I didn't see until just now), there is - or at least can be an issue depending on the, er, issuer.

tonrob

Yes, there are non-AMEX-issued AMEXes. The BA card isn't one of them.

username.exe

FWIW mine was the Lufthansa Miles and More card.

Sinyor19

I called AMEX and enquired about the BA card I had just got. They said its fine and I can transfer after a year. That Wiki article is very useful. Thanks