Moving to Mountain View, CA - what else do I need to do?
Nov 9th 2015, 8:26 pm
#31
in Northern California
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 284
Re: Moving to Mountain View, CA - what else do I need to do?
I was able to pull off something similar such that, as I disembarked the plane in the USA, I already had a funded bank account, US credit cards (Visa and Mastercard) and more.
A little later, I was even able to borrow $$$ in the USA secured against property I owned in the UK.
I think HSBC represents a good way for the OP to get started. It certainly doesn't preclude the possibility of him changing banks at a later date if they can better meet his needs.
Nov 9th 2015, 8:36 pm
#32
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Aug 2014
Location: Cambridge
Posts: 388
Re: Moving to Mountain View, CA - what else do I need to do?
He may also be able to obtain HSBC-US credit cards based on his relationship with HSBC-UK. Also UK to US money transfers should be easy out of gate even if he sets up and utilizes a cheaper foreign exchange service later. HSBC may have other useful ex-pat services too.
I was able to pull off something similar such that, as I disembarked the plane in the USA, I already had a funded bank account, US credit cards (Visa and Mastercard) and more.
A little later, I was even able to borrow $$$ in the USA secured against property I owned in the UK.
I think HSBC represents a good way for the OP to get started. It certainly doesn't preclude the possibility of him changing banks at a later date if they can better meet his needs.
I was able to pull off something similar such that, as I disembarked the plane in the USA, I already had a funded bank account, US credit cards (Visa and Mastercard) and more.
A little later, I was even able to borrow $$$ in the USA secured against property I owned in the UK.
I think HSBC represents a good way for the OP to get started. It certainly doesn't preclude the possibility of him changing banks at a later date if they can better meet his needs.
Nov 9th 2015, 11:18 pm
#33
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Apr 2011
Location: Ohio
Posts: 1,834
Re: Moving to Mountain View, CA - what else do I need to do?
Another success story here for 'open the HSBC pre-move and get a credit card based on a UK history, then open a convenient local bank account once you've arrived'. Works great as a system.
Nov 12th 2015, 12:19 pm
#34
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 16
Re: Moving to Mountain View, CA - what else do I need to do?
Where you able to open an HSBC credit card account before moving to the US? or after you moved but based on your UK HSBC credit history?
Nov 12th 2015, 12:31 pm
#35
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Joined: Aug 2014
Location: Cambridge
Posts: 388
Re: Moving to Mountain View, CA - what else do I need to do?
Bit of both. Opened the US account (checking+CC) whilst in the UK, but I already had a US social security number from a previous stay in the US. Don't know if that was significant.
Nov 12th 2015, 12:39 pm
#36
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Joined: Apr 2011
Location: Ohio
Posts: 1,834
Re: Moving to Mountain View, CA - what else do I need to do?
They mailed out all the bank cards and checkbooks to Switzerland, so we had them all ready to go the minute we landed in the US.
Nov 12th 2015, 1:43 pm
#37
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 16
Re: Moving to Mountain View, CA - what else do I need to do?
Before, a month or so before we moved to the US. We were actually living in Switzerland at the time, but they seemed to use some combination of our UK credit history/ us having had accounts with First Direct for many years/ hubby's future US salary, to get themselves comfortable with giving us a US credit card. It was done through some special international team, I think. We actually opened a Premier account which probably helped, but I don't remember it being a requirement; the team was more one that dealt specifically with corporate/ cross-border relocations, and they then transitioned us over to the Premier people once the accounts were opened.
They mailed out all the bank cards and checkbooks to Switzerland, so we had them all ready to go the minute we landed in the US.
They mailed out all the bank cards and checkbooks to Switzerland, so we had them all ready to go the minute we landed in the US.
Nov 12th 2015, 5:14 pm
#38
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 946
Re: Moving to Mountain View, CA - what else do I need to do?
Don't bother renting. A few months won't make any difference to your credit history and renting is expensive so it's a waste of money.
Getting a car loan is one of the easiest ways to get credit and to build up history, so buying is easy. Lease, like nearly everything without credit history, would probably require a larger down payment.
Getting a car loan is one of the easiest ways to get credit and to build up history, so buying is easy. Lease, like nearly everything without credit history, would probably require a larger down payment.
Jan 1st 2016, 7:09 pm
#39
Looking for tax advice!
Joined: Nov 2010
Location: Portsmouth, UK
Posts: 35
Re: Moving to Mountain View, CA - what else do I need to do?
Does anyone know of a good tax advisor in the Melo Park area for UK to US advice?
The branch of HSBC has been good for me, I got a mortgage with them this year and bought in Menlo Park. The call centres however are awful, but then all US banks seem to be poor compared to the UK.
The branch of HSBC has been good for me, I got a mortgage with them this year and bought in Menlo Park. The call centres however are awful, but then all US banks seem to be poor compared to the UK.
