PMCU has a Credit Builder Visa with $250-1,000 limit and no annual fee. At least according to their website, they can upgrade you to a standard Visa Classic later down the line. So I went ahead and applied, with 605 TU FAKO and 598 EQ FAKO. Not sure if I wanna follow through with it if they ask me to deposit $250.
Anyone have any experience with this card or with PMCU in general?
https://www.pmcu.org/personal/loans-and-credit-cards/visa-credit-cards/
Starting Scores: No Scores (03/2018)Just a data point update:
PMCU declined me for having too short of a credit history. Reconned via e-mail, and was declined again.
They pulled EX, the score they saw was 600. I just got the score about a week ago, and before that my credit file was blank.
Salt:
1. So much for their "Credit Builder" Visa.
2. They also declined my membership application for a really stupid reason, so I've reapplied along with a polite secure message.
I would say they declined the credit builder visa because of the membership decline.
Sorry that happened. 
IMHO sort out the membership, get that confirmed and then reapp for the visa.
Good Luck!!
CHEERS
Meh, I wish that was true, but I first applied for the Credit Builder Visa only.
Then came the decline and recon, and I figured they wanted me to show something, so I added a membership application with $300 deposit.
The reason they added this time around was that they don't do business with people outside the US. I'm in MP, which is in the ocean boonies, yes, but is definitely US. Otherwise it wouldn't have been on their application's list of states to begin with. That irks me because it's OK to not know where MP is, but the least you could do as a person that doesn't know what it is, is to check it out and learn (or ask me!) before making a decision. Shows severe laziness and lack of care, and it is obvious how much thought they put into my carefully crafted recon request (site says membership applications go to their loan department, too). Grrrrr!
Wow that's strange..
I didn't know CU's would give a visa to a non-member.. I thought it was prerequisite for credit. *shrugs*
Don't take it personally, most of these things are determined by some strange, unknown algorithm. I know it's frustrating and down-right maddening at times! Hang in there...
Have you tried any other Credit Unions? Would you qualify for NFCU or PenFed?
I you're still set on Premier Members CU, I would recon with them on your location (that you are indeed in the US) and get the membership squared.
Honestly, I would look at a different CU as others have credit builder cards.
Best of Luck-
I think CUs tend to let you apply for cards and loans first, then complete membership before they finalize. At least that's the idea I've had so far.
I'll do what you recommend and stop getting irked about them. Their only alluring point anyway was that they said (on their website) they upgrade their Credit Builder card to a regular card later, which I think is rare for CUs.
About NFCU, I asked if they take membership applications from former Korean soldiers, and they said no, obviously, haha. Lady was nice enough to ask around before telling me that, though, which I think shows what kind of standards they have. It feels like a really good CU.
Thanks for the consolation and encouragement! I do have membership at PenFed and 4 other CUs, with applications pending at 6 others. One of them has to give me an unsecured card before the year is up, right? LOL
Haha yeah, you got it right the second time. The NMI was the launch site of Little Man and Fat Boy which ended WW2, but most people don't remember this place at all. We are subject to federal laws plus our own "state" laws, we have USPS, a district court, Homeland Security, FBI and SSA offices, citizenship by birth and naturalization, pay FICA taxes, etc. Biggest plus is that all our state & federal taxes go to the "state" government and most people end up paying only 5-9% on personal income taxes because there's an awesome rebate, biggest minus is the million things that go with being rural and remote...