redarmy990

so after arriving in the usa on 30/06/2012.

today i received my social security number.

now i declare my self well and truly landed, just green card to come.

Noorah101

Congratulations!

But if you want to be considered well and truly landed, you have to write the date like this: 06/30/2012.

Rene

redarmy990

bugger

must try harder

ryanayr

lol

Denise and Dan

blinkgoddess

Congratulations!! How are you and the missus enjoying this be-yooooou-tee-ful MD weather?

redarmy990

its fantastic. didnt think so on saturday 30th when i arrived with no power anywhere.


my mother in law has a apartment at ocean city md so we were there over this last weekend.
it was so warm and a nice breeze blowing in off the atlantic.

think i might go sit round the community pool when it opens at 11

now wheres that ambre solario

redarmy990

just one more thing to help the newbies to usa.

yesterday i applied for and was approved for a green american express card.

its a start for my us credit history.
so another epic day

Noorah101

It is highly unusual for a new immigrant with no credit history in the USA to get approved for a credit card like AmEx. Did you by any chance have an AmEx in the UK?

Rene

MrsWaring

How did you manage to get a credit card so quickly? Did you happen to use your wifes credit history? I'm only curious because we will have no kind of credit history there and are trying to figure out the best way to start one... I was under the impression that the only chance we had right away was through a secure credit card.

Noorah101

You are correct...the best (and sometimes only) way is to get a secured credit card first.

If you had AmEx back in the UK, I think there is a way of transferring that credit history to a US AmEx card...that's why I asked if he had the UK AmEx card.

Rene

redarmy990

hi i was all set to get a secured card but just thought i would try with amex.

i didnt have any credit cards back in the uk.

just filled in application including my nice new ss number and checked email 4 hours later,which said i had been approved.
until card arrives i wont believe it.

MrsWaring

Sounds interesting and worth a shot! Keep us posted on if the card arrives...

My mum (UKC) said when she first married my dad and moved to the USA, she got a VISA credit card right away to build up her credit history. But things have changed in the 30 years since then lol

Leyther

I agree, that is pretty unusual.

I received my SSN at the end of April and thought I would just go ahead and apply for Capitol One's Newcomers credit card, since it is supposed to be designed to help those who are new to the U.S. to build credit-- I was denied, I guess it isn't for all newcomers then

My wife, a USC who has spent all of her life here and also has zero credit history decided to try and apply for the Chase Slate CC-- we have over 3 years of financial (checking & savings) history with Chase, so figured why not try with a bank that "knows" us-- she was also denied due to "few revolving accounts opened long enough" and "not enough accounts opened long enough to establish history".

I will likely apply for a Target CC, since they are my current employer and also head down the secured credit card route.

The Earl of Drumer

I've been in the US since mid-Jan (K-1) and am still waiting for green card activity, however after reading this thread and the surprise outcome I decided to try and sign up for the American Express (green) credit card online too, since I'd not pursued this yet in the States and know it can be tough for expats to secure one.

(Late edit: I should pop back and say I never had a card in the UK either.)

To my astonishment I too have been approved, according to the e-mail. Has shocked the hell out of me, since although I have money in the bank I have no job, annual income or past credit history here and stated as such.

Like redarmy990 I'll believe it when it comes, but still... cool. Maybe it's because with this card you have to pay it off every single month, and so you accrue far less debt.

On a side note the site was kind of weird - I had to enter my SSN about three times, for whatever reason, but it worked in the end.