recent move from the UK to USA with Gold amex points. Stay with amex or open chase instead?

[Anonymous]

I have moved from the UK to the USA and 200k amex points that i could transfer over.  Should i open a gold / plat amex or start fresh with Chase prefered.  I do not mind the yearly fee.  Currently, i have an offer of 100k points with Amex platinum, or 100k with chase Saphire prefered.  or get both the gold and the chase??

[Remedios]

Do you have any US credit history? 

If not, CSP isn't going to be a starter card.

[Anonymous]

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@Remedios wrote:

Do you have any US credit history? 

If not, CSP isn't going to be a starter card.

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I second @Remedios's advice above. If you haven't previously built credit in the U.S. (e.g., U.S. credit card, U.S. car loan, U.S. mortgage) then you are effectively starting at square one. Unfortunately our credit issuers are a bit provincial and will not take your previous U.K. credit history into account. So, the recommendation would be to look to "starter" credit cards with less-picky issuers, such as Discover, Capital One, maybe Synchrony. You would not be able to get a CSP with no previous U.S. credit history.

The one potential shortcut is if you have an existing relationship with a U.K. bank that also has U.S. operations. In that case, I'm not an expert, but that bank might be willing to take your U.K. history into account. I know that, for instance, Canadians with a relationship with TD in Canada have had good luck getting started with TD here in the U.S. as TD's U.S. banking operation is willing to consider their Canadian credit history.

I guess the other potential shortcut is - you mentioned a potential ability to transfer an AmEx account to a U.S. AmEx card? If that's true, that would be a good move to make, as that would allow you to start building your U.S. credit profile with a great card right from the beginning. Then, once a ~year or so has elapsed with healthy utilization and on-time payments, then you'd be in a good position to apply for other valuable U.S. cards.

[Red1Blue]

There are several other cards desiged for people like you who are moving to US with out US Credit History. Try Tomo Card. Also there are couple of other cards that specificallly tailored for students and others coming from different countires. Once you start establiihing your report with in few months you should be able to start getting prime cards.

[longtimelurker]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@Remedios wrote:

Do you have any US credit history? 

If not, CSP isn't going to be a starter card.

---

I second @Remedios's advice above. If you haven't previously built credit in the U.S. (e.g., U.S. credit card, U.S. car loan, U.S. mortgage) then you are effectively starting at square one. Unfortunately our credit issuers are a bit provincial and will not take your previous U.K. credit history into account. So, the recommendation would be to look to "starter" credit cards with less-picky issuers, such as Discover, Capital One, maybe Synchrony. You would not be able to get a CSP with no previous U.S. credit history.

The one potential shortcut is if you have an existing relationship with a U.K. bank that also has U.S. operations. In that case, I'm not an expert, but that bank might be willing to take your U.K. history into account. I know that, for instance, Canadians with a relationship with TD in Canada have had good luck getting started with TD here in the U.S. as TD's U.S. banking operation is willing to consider their Canadian credit history.

I guess the other potential shortcut is - you mentioned a potential ability to transfer an AmEx account to a U.S. AmEx card? 

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American express has a global transfer program.    This allows the OP to get a US Amex card based on the UK history.   Doesn't always work, my daughter wasn't able to get a UK one going the other way, but often does

[UncleB]

Hi @Anonymous, and welcome to myFICO!

I 'second' the advice above, specifically I would avoid going for a CSP right away, and I would explore the American Express Global Transfer option as well.

My previous understanding was that the Amex Global Transfer process closed the account in the previous country (i.e. it was a true "transfer"), but looking over the landing page on the Amex site it seems the history from the old account is simply used to approve a new account.  Also, it appears the old account can be left open if you would like.

More info here:  https://www.americanexpress.com/global-card-transfers/united-states.html 

[Anonymous]

Hi Thank you all for your help!

Sorry I forgot to mention, which I should have done earlier,  My wife is from the US and has a credit history. She is already pre-approved for the CSP, and I could be added as a second person on that card.    

I myself have no credit history but have already open up the capital one pre-paid card (to start building credit etc) + be the second card holder on my wifes freedom flex mastercard.

what I would like to have is a single mid /high end card that we use.   that would either be, Amex G/P in my name with her as secondary, transferred from the UK (and we keep the Freedom flex) , or CSP in her name (with me as a second hard holder).  Or, have both the gold and the CSP in either names?  The slight downside of having both is that I will unlikely meet the spending thresholds of both cards together to get maximum points at the same time. 

[longtimelurker]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Hi Thank you all for your help!

Sorry I forgot to mention, which I should have done earlier,  My wife is from the US and has a credit history. She is already pre-approved for the CSP, and I could be added as a second person on that card.    

I myself have no credit history but have already open up the capital one pre-paid card (to start building credit etc) + be the second card holder on my wifes freedom flex mastercard.

what I would like to have is a single mid /high end card that we use.   that would either be, Amex G/P in my name with her as secondary, transferred from the UK (and we keep the Freedom flex) , or CSP in her name (with me as a second hard holder).  Or, have both the gold and the CSP in either names?  The slight downside of having both is that I will unlikely meet the spending thresholds of both cards together to get maximum points at the same time. 

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You can always get one later if that is a concern.   But raises a point I don't know the answer to!   If you global transfer and get a new card , is this more like a product change where you are not eligible for the sign up bonus, or does it count as a plain new card, so you are.    I would guess the latter, but the former makes logical sense.

[Anonymous]

as an FYI for anyone who is in the same position, when you use the global transfer program with Amex, you ARE eligable for the new sign up offers.    My aim is to stick to 1 points format for the foreseeable future. What would you suggest i do from the options below:

1) Amex Platinum in my name 125,000 intro points (steep annual fee / keep my 200k points from england)  + keep the freedom flex

2) Amex gold in my name 75k intro points (lower annual fee) + keep freedom flex 

2) Open a CSP in my wifes name, 100k new points (me as addition / low annual fee) + Amex gold later on...?

I am leaning towards option 2 (becuase of the earnings on non travel like restaurants etc)

Thanks in advance