topic Re: Amex Global Transfer in Credit Cards

Amex Global Transfer

Anonymous — Wed, 07 Dec 2016 02:00:31 GMT

Hello all, I am not the largest fan of Amex, but I have found an interesting program that has piqued my interest. I am hoping to relocate abroad fairly soon, and apparently this program will allow you to get credit with Amex overseas without having any credit established in your new country. Has anyone had experience with this?

Re: Amex Global Transfer

thummel — Wed, 07 Dec 2016 02:05:46 GMT

I'm curious about this too as I might be moving out of the us in the future. I know someone on here from Canada that moved to the us was able to do a global transfer to here.

Re: Amex Global Transfer

azguy13 — Wed, 07 Dec 2016 02:12:15 GMT

This program has been mentioned a few times throughout the years. I do not remember anyone actually reporting on using it though. It seems pretty easy with them calling after the submission for additional documentation for identity and other things.

Re: Amex Global Transfer

fltireguy — Wed, 07 Dec 2016 02:35:45 GMT

Someone was talking about moving to the US from another country, and using this a few months back...

Re: Amex Global Transfer

Anonymous — Wed, 07 Dec 2016 04:14:49 GMT

@thummel wrote:
I'm curious about this too as I might be moving out of the us in the future. I know someone on here from Canada that moved to the us was able to do a global transfer to here.

I *love* Amex for this program. Anyone who ever thinks they MIGHT one day move to another country should go open an Amex right now. Stop reading this message. Go apply.

It's fantastic.

I moved to the US from Canada and used this program to kick-start my US credit history. I started out on day 1 with a $10k Amex which I have since CLI'd up to $25k. And not some crappy card. They gave me the BCE out of the gate--that's a decent card! I put a lot of spending through it in my first year and still use it for groceries. I had that plus a crappy card I was able to get from my Canadian bank's US subsidiary--nice to have a second bank card, but basially no rewards. Never really used it. Amex though--awesome!

Moving to the US and using this program they wanted two things from my to prove I was really in the US: They wanted my SSN, and they wanted a statement or something from my bank showing my US address. I would expect some sort of similar requirement in other countries--I think the actual requirements are on their website.

I didn't actually have a bank statement yet in my first month so Amex's CSR--being so incredibly awesome about these things--sat on hold with me on a call to my bank for 45 min until my useless Canadian bank finally answered the phone and confirmed my address.

Yes, you read right: the Amex CSR stayed on the line with me for FORTY FIVE MINUTES listening to "your call is important to us, please wait" in the hold queue so that I wouldn't have to wait a month for a statement to cut with my address on it. Finally my bank answered, Amex CSR confirmed my address with the bank's CSR and issued the card right away.

Really. They are that awesome.

Oh--and I wasn't even a great customer in Canada. My Canadian Amex sat in my sock drawer without getting any use for at least five years before I used it through the transfer program. Didn't matter. I was a customer.

I know that people have other gripes about Amex but for me because of this experience they will always be great.

Re: Amex Global Transfer

Anonymous — Wed, 07 Dec 2016 04:36:23 GMT

Thanks for the reply Canadian, was your limit on your Canadian card $10k or was it higher and then adjusted for the exchange rate? I presume you had a credit card rather than a charge card in Canada?

Re: Amex Global Transfer

rlx01 — Wed, 07 Dec 2016 08:36:21 GMT

This is an amazing program to jump start your credit in any of the supported countries.

I was able to get Amex to backdate my MSD to 2001 based on my Amex in Australia. This was back when that mattered.

I'm thinking of relocating again next year and will be using the global transfer program.

Re: Amex Global Transfer

wasCB14 — Wed, 07 Dec 2016 18:23:01 GMT

I've heard (and I'm not sure if it's true or not) that Amex only looks at old-country Amex charge card history when giving new-country credit. Old-country Amex credit card history is supposedly not helpful.

Does anyone know if this is true or not?

Re: Amex Global Transfer

Anonymous — Wed, 07 Dec 2016 18:45:15 GMT

In my case I never had a charge card with Amex in Canada, they issued my BCE in the US based on my Amex credit card in Canada.

My understanding is that they will set you up with an "equivalent" card in the destination. So if you were a charge card customer in the source they might give you a charge card in the destination. In my case I was a credit card customer in the source and I got a BCE in the US.

Re: Amex Global Transfer

Anonymous — Wed, 07 Dec 2016 19:41:30 GMT

OT, but you would think there should be some way I could, for example, give permission to Experian US to share my data with Experian UK. If I choose not to, then, as today, I would start out with a blank credit file in the new country. (OK, Experian UK might make some assumptions as to why I didn't want my info shared, but not really actionable).

As there is no such mechanism, Amex Global Transfer is a great substitute.

Re: Amex Global Transfer

sjt — Thu, 08 Dec 2016 19:30:33 GMT

Its a great program. Note that each country has slightly different criteria.