Bob

Just apply for a credit card with who ever and ignore the bank person.

It was the case that they stopped reporting authorised users after the credit crash, but that's not been the case for quite a while now.

TheNewYorker

Your best bet is to try getting a store card in your name (e.g. Macy's or Victoria's Secret). I did that when I had no credit.

petitefrancaise

mmmm Victoria's secret store card.... 2 birds 1 stone

bigbucks

We've been here over 10 years and the wife has signed up anything herself. She just gets a card on whatever credit card i sign up for. Is there a way to check her score for free? If not free then what is the best pay site to use?

OnwardandUpward

I found that even though my name was on things as co-user ( credit card, car loan which we immediately paid off etc ) it did nothing towards getting me a credit history of my own- and even now when I have a 775 credit score and no debt I still can't get a Kroger credit card because they can't trace my history back long enough
( I've been here since 2001, Green card since 2007, bills in my own name paid promptly for the past 7+ years, US citizen )
I don't need a Kroger credit card, it just makes buying their gas cheaper!

I got my last mortgage easy enough but I put down 25 % deposit.

Without being politically contentious it is something women emigrating on their husband's status need to consider- I found myself starting over again in my forties and was just really lucky to be able to start a viable business. And the fact I didn't have little kids to support whilst starting over- I'm not quite sure how I would proceed if I did.

I can't think that anything I did was wrong. I came here on H1B then a National Interest Waiver which was granted and soon after that I got 'permission to work' in my own right. But until I divorced my husband everything seems to have happened in his name.

But that's also almost 8 years ago so I don't know what it would mean for me now if I applied for a loan or mortgage.

scrubbedexpat091

credit karma, I've been using them to check basic report and score, it's free for that, and they don't ask for a credit card like other sites do.

Never had an issue with them, and the score and info is accurate.

scrubbedexpat091

Works the other way too with husband immigrating for the wife although not nearly as much, but does happen. I was in the same boat after divorce, no credit in my name, everything was in her name. I just now after 7 years finally got approved for a secured capital one card. (I am in Canada though)

OnwardandUpward

I wasn't trying to be sexist @Jsmth231

Hope things are better for you now.

tonrob

Given that utilization is one factor that will impact your credit score, why not get a store card for a store that you will use often? (e.g. Target). Unless you happen to buy Victoria's Secret underwear regularly, that is.

Amie06

I have been here 8 months now, married to USC, have SSN, bank account and work authorisation, yet got turned down for secured credit card with my own bank!!!!

OnwardandUpward

Wow. I didn't have that experience- my bank and my credit union both issued me credit cards. But like I say if I apply for a Kroger credit card which I have about three times because it makes buying gas cheaper- they refuse me saying they don't have enough credit history for me! And I've been here 14 years...paid off two mortgages, three car loans etc etc

I've been thinking of buying a place for my son later this year so it will be interesting to see if I'm eligible for a mortgage again.

Noorah101

How in the world can they turn down a secured card? You're putting up your own money! That is very odd.

Rene

scrubbedexpat091

Oh they do. I was turned down by my own bank when I lived in the US, secured certainly doesn't mean approved by the big banks.


If one finds they can't get approved the first time from a bank like B of A or Wells Fargo and the like, even though they are not the best, they do tend to approve people and have less stringent approval requirements, Capital One. They were the only way I could build credit, they will approve pretty much everyone for a secured card, and many times an unsecured card without any credit history.

Amie06

That is what i thought, copy of credit report showed credit rating of ZERO, which is what i expected, that's why i applied for secured card to build credit

MsElui

happened to me too. i got turned down for a kohls store card after 5 years here. they sent me a follow up letter and it essentially said it was score based and a good score was x-y, medium was a-b etc and mine was actually written as a zero lol.
so not bad credite - more NO credit.

re the credit card - i know some banks dont allow the co-owner to get in the credit reports (ie chase changed their policy in regard to this in the past few years) but OTHER credit card cos do - so shop around. mmy husband added me to about 4 cards and even though i never even got them out of my purse it did the trick