I started out with the same issue - I moved to the US in 2011 and had zero credit history and a very vague understanding of what a credit score even was.
My first secured card was a BoA with a $500 deposit/cl and a $39 AF. I applied at the branch, and the manager recommended that I go for one of the cash back cards and not just the regular secured one, which I did and got approved. I cancelled that card after the first year, since they wouldn't give me a CLI (can't really fault them, since I had pretty much no income coming in at that point).
About 9 months after I opened the BoA I tried applying for a Chase Amazon Visa and got denied due to "insufficient history", so my boyfriend opened one for himself and added me as an AU. Around the same time I added one of the "Shopping cart trick" cards.
Fast forward to 2013 - I got three instant approvals for much nicer cards (BCE, Freedom and BoA TravelRewards).
BoA Secured $500 (closed) | OneStopPlus $900 | Chase Amazon $4600 (AU) | Amex BCE $6000 |
Chase Freedom $3000 | BoA TravelRewards Signature Visa $5000 | CSP $17 000 | BCP $27 000
Building credit since 04/2011 | CreditKarma 763 | CreditSesame 795 | Gardening since 01/31/2014
