topic Re: Applying for a Credit Card without SSN in Credit Card Applications

Applying for a Credit Card without SSN

Anonymous — Sun, 17 Mar 2019 19:52:43 GMT

Hey guys,

My roommate, who doesn't have SSN, is an AU on my Platinum card for 3 months now. Prior to that he has no credit history. And he applied for Amex Bonvoy Brilliant on the phone with Amex. Now they said he need to wait for them to get back to him. It's been a week and we still hear nothing.

So what are the chances of him getting the card?

Thanks.

Re: Applying for a Credit Card without SSN

CreditInspired — Sun, 17 Mar 2019 20:41:52 GMT

Can we get more info?

Re: Applying for a Credit Card without SSN

Anonymous — Sun, 17 Mar 2019 20:45:55 GMT

I think that’s all there is. He got a card called Deserve with 500, unsecured. Been using that for 2 months. Not sure what else you will need.

Re: Applying for a Credit Card without SSN

rbentley — Sun, 17 Mar 2019 20:51:12 GMT

He has absolutely no chance of getting a high end prime card with no SSN and only 2 months of credit history.

Re: Applying for a Credit Card without SSN

Anonymous — Sun, 17 Mar 2019 20:53:48 GMT

@rbentley wrote:
He has absolutely no chance of getting a high end prime card with no SSN and only 2 months of credit history.

That's not necessarily true; there are several credit card issuers, including American Express, that will approve a card with a valid foreign passport and/or ITIN.

OP, is your friend a student?

Re: Applying for a Credit Card without SSN

Deuter — Sun, 17 Mar 2019 20:54:58 GMT

@rbentley wrote:
He has absolutely no chance of getting a high end prime card with no SSN and only 2 months of credit history.

I think you have to update !

I have a Citi Prestige without SSN OR ITIN.

Your friend can be approved for a good card without SSN. Go Amex route or open an account with Citibank. Have a banking relationship of at least 3 months and you have a good shot.

Re: Applying for a Credit Card without SSN

Anonymous — Sun, 17 Mar 2019 20:59:03 GMT

He is student. No ITIN either. Income 70k from family support and “side jobs”
He wants 100k points so he has no tome to build relationship .

Re: Applying for a Credit Card without SSN

Anonymous — Sun, 17 Mar 2019 21:07:50 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
He is student. No ITIN either. Income 70k from family support and “side jobs”
He wants 100k points so he has no tome to build relationship .

Hmmm..."family support" for a student does not qualify as income for credit purposes (see the CARD Act), and since he's not legally authorized to work in the U.S. I can't see how he can claim income from side jobs.

Is he under the age of 21? There are possible work arounds but the pursuit of rewards make the endeavour sound dubious to me.

Re: Applying for a Credit Card without SSN

Deuter — Sun, 17 Mar 2019 21:10:09 GMT

100K Points now now??!

I see that difficult. Look i even reached AMEX as an International customer because i saw a 75K offer on the Amex Plat to apply... and impossible.... AMEX told me that i could apply but i should do it over the phone as i don't have an SSN or ITIN. I asked about the Signup bonus and how i was "targeted" , or well seeing that bonus on their website.... and they told me they couldn't honor that SignUp bonus.... that if i wanted to apply would be for 50K.

I let it pass, because i'm confident that with time i will be properly targeted to a higher bonus once my credit history matures a bit. Also other card fit best the strategy for me. I think being an student and showing 70K of income with Citi or AMEX will also get him an approval if he tries. Let us now what happens with that AMEX app.

Re: Applying for a Credit Card without SSN

rbentley — Sun, 17 Mar 2019 21:23:17 GMT

@Deuter wrote:
I
@rbentley wrote:
He has absolutely no chance of getting a high end prime card with no SSN and only 2 months of credit history.
I think you have to update !

I have a Citi Prestige without SSN OR ITIN.

Your friend can be approved for a good card without SSN. Go Amex route or open an account with Citibank. Have a banking relationship of at least 3 months and you have a good shot.

I stand by my comment that he has no chance on that particularr AmEx card with no SSN and only 2 months of credit history. I don't doubt that you got a Citi Prestige card but I am willing to bet you had much more than two months of history at the time. True?

Re: Applying for a Credit Card without SSN

Deuter — Sun, 17 Mar 2019 21:37:11 GMT

@rbentley wrote:
I stand by my comment that he has no chance on that particularr AmEx card with no SSN and only 2 months of credit history. I don't doubt that you got a Citi Prestige card but I am willing to bet you had much more than two months of history at the time. True?

I have had 10 months with my the first card i got that was the AA. AFTER i had the AA for 10 months is that i decided to give it a try for the higher end card that is the Prestige. I know there was a risk as i have read that you usually need 1 year with a card at Citi to apply for the higher end ones, but i was in the USA Now. And as i can only apply in-person, in branch.. i couldn't wait until month 13, so i took a risk.

I don't know what is my true history, shall i say i started in May 2018 or Nov 2018?

This card that i first got started giving me a FICO score in November 2018.

But it's True. You're right.... i didn't read the card this fellow was applying to.... its the Bonvoy... it's kinda high end... and if you ask me specifically with 2 months ... I don't think that they are going to approve.

Re: Applying for a Credit Card without SSN

Anonymous — Sun, 17 Mar 2019 22:47:09 GMT

Well, I guess it is settled then, no chance.

He’s 22.

Re: Applying for a Credit Card without SSN

Anonymous — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 03:31:12 GMT

Hold up. Why do you have your ROOMMATE as an AU on your account? He/ she can max out your CL and not be held liable for a single cent.

Re: Applying for a Credit Card without SSN

Anonymous — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 06:05:19 GMT

Without an SSN, how can they pull your credit history? I am curious about that.

Re: Applying for a Credit Card without SSN

SBR249 — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 06:09:56 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Without an SSN, how can they pull your credit history? I am curious about that.

Your SSN isn't the only identifier on your CR. It happens to be a very convenient unique identifier (though they are not supposed to use it as such) but your CR can be pulled using a variety of info combinations like name/address/DOB etc.

Re: Applying for a Credit Card without SSN

Five6Two — Tue, 19 Mar 2019 16:47:53 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Hold up. Why do you have your ROOMMATE as an AU on your account? He/ she can max out your CL and not be held liable for a single cent.

+1 THIS...unless OP added as AU but did not give him the actual card or virtual number...