Tips for starting from zero credit - new to US!

[lanakane]

My friend moved to the US last summer and just got her SSN this week.

Today I have gone ahead and added her as an authorized user on my two best revolving accounts.  Nothing special, but clean histories and total CL of $4500.

Now what?  How soon will she have a credit score?  How soon can she apply for her own unsecured card?  And since I'm letting her be AU on my cards, can we skip the secured card route that many recommend on here for those with no credit file?

Any tips appreciated, of course I'll teach her all the card management stuff but would love to know how to grow this fast so she can finance a car, get an apartment, etc.

Thanks!

[hizzaah]

It's going to take time.. In my unprofessional opinion, I highly doubt you can skip over an unsecured card. I'd suggest letting the AU report for 6 months, and after that see if you can get one or two secured cards. 6 months after that, try for an unsecured card.

[coldnmn]

It takes 6 months to generate a credit score with the credit reporting agencies. 

[lanakane]

Six months... From when? From adding her as an AU? From her first account in her name...?

[Closingracer99]

6 months since you added her to your account as an AU

[coldnmn]

---

@Closingracer99 wrote:
6 months since you added her to your account as an AU

---

+1 and then they could try for their own card.

[dbutterworth1988]

I moved here last year as well. About a month after moving here and with no history I got a card from capital one. So maybe try that

[chrisw1968uk]

im exactly the same as the poster above, i got a bank acct with BOA which was huge to me (without even having a SSN at that point) after about a year i was getting credit card offers - i took up cap 1 with a 500 CL, treated it well and then other cards followed without problems, i was never an au on anyones card