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OP, as a reminder, the minimum credit line for the CSR is $10k so as a good rule of thumb, if you don't have any other card with that kind of credit line, I wouldn't go for the CSR yet.
From my perspective, you should get the CSP first and then upgrade to the CSR as the CSP is easier to get and the minimum credit line is around $5k.
@longtimelurker wrote:
@jdbkiang wrote:
@longtimelurker wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
Dec 2020. Apply for CSR.
The OP expects to be out of the US by then, so that's probably too late to apply. The OP will have to calculate if a partial year (say getting it in Jan 2020) will give enough benefits to offset the AF. (Although the card might be useful in the home country as there is no FTF and "foreign" dining is covered.)
What would stop the OP from applying for the CSR from outside the country?
Terms and Conditions: "You must have a valid permanent home address within the 50 United States, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, or the US Virgin Islands, or have a United States military address."
OP could still have a home address in the States.
If OP gets a CSP with a $5K limit, he may get another HP when upgrading to CSR anyway.
@jdbkiang wrote:
@longtimelurker wrote:
@jdbkiang wrote:
@longtimelurker wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
Dec 2020. Apply for CSR.
The OP expects to be out of the US by then, so that's probably too late to apply. The OP will have to calculate if a partial year (say getting it in Jan 2020) will give enough benefits to offset the AF. (Although the card might be useful in the home country as there is no FTF and "foreign" dining is covered.)
What would stop the OP from applying for the CSR from outside the country?
Terms and Conditions: "You must have a valid permanent home address within the 50 United States, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, or the US Virgin Islands, or have a United States military address."
OP could still have a home address in the States.
If OP gets a CSP with a $5K limit, he may get another HP when upgrading to CSR anyway.
On a J visa OP "shouldn't" have a permanent address in the US. Now of course a friend address could be used etc, but strictly speaking this would be wrong.
@longtimelurker wrote:
@jdbkiang wrote:
@longtimelurker wrote:
@jdbkiang wrote:
@longtimelurker wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
Dec 2020. Apply for CSR.
The OP expects to be out of the US by then, so that's probably too late to apply. The OP will have to calculate if a partial year (say getting it in Jan 2020) will give enough benefits to offset the AF. (Although the card might be useful in the home country as there is no FTF and "foreign" dining is covered.)
What would stop the OP from applying for the CSR from outside the country?
Terms and Conditions: "You must have a valid permanent home address within the 50 United States, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, or the US Virgin Islands, or have a United States military address."
OP could still have a home address in the States.
If OP gets a CSP with a $5K limit, he may get another HP when upgrading to CSR anyway.
On a J visa OP "shouldn't" have a permanent address in the US. Now of course a friend address could be used etc, but strictly speaking this would be wrong.
I don't think its wrong.
If Chase requires card holder to be a PR or citizen, iy could clearly say so. Since it doesn't state such requirement, I think a valid permanent address of a friend should work and satisfy the requirement.
As to OP's question, it seems quite hard to get that card quickly. Whats so attractive of it?
@Anonymous wrote:Terms and Conditions: "You must have a valid permanent home address within the 50 United States, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, or the US Virgin Islands, or have a United States military address."
OP could still have a home address in the States.
If OP gets a CSP with a $5K limit, he may get another HP when upgrading to CSR anyway.
On a J visa OP "shouldn't" have a permanent address in the US. Now of course a friend address could be used etc, but strictly speaking this would be wrong.
I don't think its wrong.
If Chase requires card holder to be a PR or citizen, iy could clearly say so. Since it doesn't state such requirement, I think a valid permanent address of a friend should work and satisfy the requirement.
It states a valid permanent home address, not a US address of a friend. It's not requiring PR or citizen so it doesn't say so, but it does say what it means! IMO, it's a slight but real risk if you plan to return to the US after the required home-country J period in case all this info gets matched up with federal systems as part of Know Your Customer. But each to their own.
Thank you all for your comments and suggestions! I find them very useful.
As a side note, I have found a new card, the Creditstacks Mastercard, which says it's aimed at professionals relocating to the US, who don't have credit scores yet, and need to build them from scratch. Creditstacks say they evaluate your application based on income, education and professional background, including your online presence (whatever that means).
The upsides are no AF, a CL up to $5000, travel and rental car insurance, phone insurance, and they report to at least Equifax. The downsides are an application waitlist (which I am currently on), no rewards for use and that I am still not sure if the card is legit, since reviews are limited (it's featured on Nerdwallet and Creditcardinsider, but that's it).
Anyway, my thinking is that getting this card now gives me an additional decent CL credit line for free with no HP, such that my FICO score, when I get it, will look better than with only one small, secured credit line on it.
I am happy to hear if you anyone has thoughts on the Creditstacks credit card.
Also take a look at the Deserve credit card. I got it when I had absolutely no credit history. It reports to TU and EX.