MidAtlantic

My understanding is that Amex use your UK history as the basis for issuing an account in the US. I don't think they "move your points/account over". This is internal decision making by Amex and does not directly affect your credit score, but obviously, having and using the US card then enables you to start building your history here.

I'm not sure what you mean by "build/accelerate your history" but, no, Amex cannot do anything to directly give your score here a jump start.

mrken30

Take a look at their website

https://www.americanexpress.com/global-card-transfers/

Bob

It does give you a credit history dated back with when you first signed with them though.

hungryhorace

No, they don't. The account shows as being open from the date it was open in the UK, but your credit history starts from when your first US account was opened and the creditor starts reporting to the CRAs.

mrken30

Mine went back to the date I opened my account in the UK, so my credit history is older than my residency in the US. This does cause some people to ask questions. I think that has changed now. It also did boost my score to around 760 ish , again that may have changed.

livinginnyc

Thanks for the feedback guys!

Sorry if I'm stating the obvious here Mrken, but does that mean you went through the country change with Amex? and if so, did your points transfer (aside from building a credit history in the UK, my main swing to them was the points that I've horded for future travel).

TIA!

mrken30

I didn't get the points, they stayed on my UK card, exactly the same as they would have if I had applied for a second AMEX card in the UK.

Harveyspecter

Good to know, thank you. My bank hasn't gotten back to me yet so I'll pursue this option if so. That said, my wife got a job today so I might be able to use that income. I'll ask them.

Thank again all, much appreciated.

petitefrancaise

you are allowed to use that as income

The CFPB Amends Card Act Rule to Make it Easier for Stay-at-Home Spouses and Partners to Get Credit Cards | Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

MsElui

without a job it may be hard. i stayed at home for the first 4 years here, and built no credit. Then i got a job with a large bank. whilst they were happy to give me a debit card even my own employer declined me for a credit card at first.

i ended up going on my husbands cards as a signer and 'borrowing' his credit - and now i have all manner of store and credit cards and ni issues. but it ook a while.

brewdog

Hey all, Ive just taken out a CC with BofA. My experience thus far. Stump up $500 for $500 credit. Just had annual fee of $39 taken out. So in essence, the whole thing has cost me $539 (+ losses in exchange) for a line of credit that i have financed. Oh and the APR is 16.7%. Its banking par excellence!
For anyone interested, all i needed was my UK driving licence and passport for opening bank account and CC. Took about 1hr though.

Harveyspecter

Hi All,

Thank you for the responses, I don't know why I missed the recent ones. Still job hunting but have a few promising leads now, so fingers crossed the new year brings something...new! Employment is my priority now, then I'll look at CC's, but on that subject:

I was in Seattle last week and stopped in a branch of HSBC (My UK bank) to see if, given I was a good customer over there, they could open up an account for me here with a credit card so I could at least begin to build a credit score. They said they would ask someone and get back to me but never did sadly.

Anyway, around that time I was told that you can have joint credit cards (A co-signee), I.E You can have someone with a good credit score basically validate you and who would make any payments should you fail to. I asked my Father in law about this as he has an excellent credit score and he said he would be happy to, but is there such a thing?

MidAtlantic

Good luck with the job hunt.

Yes there is such a thing as co-signers but not all credit card issuers allow them. This may be helpful:
https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/cred...uers-cosigner/

mrken30

You can be added as a named user on a card. For most cards, not all this will give you the advantage of the primary users credit history on that card. I think you may technically need to live at the same address.

Harveyspecter

Thanks guys, I will look into it. I know there is no shortcut to establishing credit but just looking at some options. Once I'm working a secured CC won't be an issue anyway.