salix

Hello,

I am moving to the US in a couple of months and hear that it can be difficult to get a credit card, due to not having any credit history there.
Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks

Patrick

You will start from zero in the US and having no credit is worse than having bad credit! There are some things you can do now - get an MBNA credit card in Europe, when you move to the US you can get a MBNA credit card in the US, they will check with MBNA europe - you have to be stubborn because they might just blow you off on the phone (they read the screen and say no - wait for the letter and ring them up and tell them what you want to do).

Put utilities in your name, Ford will cross check with Ford UK for credit on a car, try and get a store card. All good starting points for credit, it will take you about a year to build up some credit points with these things in place.

Good Luck

Patrick

NC Penguin

This topic has come up quite a number of times (and rightly so). Please do a seach on the words "credit" and "history" in the Lounge Forum. Also do the same in the US Immigration forum.

You'll find suggestions and tips there about establishing credit.

If you have a US citizen spouse, things will be easier for you. Also, if you'll be a student (university and higher) in the US you'll be more fortunate.




NC Penguin

John Murray

Just received a leaflet for MBNA platinum plus card - with free Olympus Trip AF50 Camera (RRP £39.99)

What perfect timing!!!!!

karieb

Hello I found American Express to be wonderful, I rang them and told tham I was moving to teh USA (obviously I had an existing UK account) and they delivered a new US card to me on my first day of work in NY.
Good Luck!