Credit cards/loans
These pages are not only for official immigration issues. An alien in the
U.S.A. faces many other problems as well. One of those is getting
credit. In U.S.A. it is very difficult to get a credit card if
you don't have credit history in the U.S.A. Even if you make good
money in your job and have good credit history in your own country
it doesn't help much. You don't have credit history in the U.S.A.
You need credit. You need it for car loan, to get a credit card,
to get a cellular phone or to rent a car. For example for me it took
almost a year to get the first credit card... even if I am in
permanent position and having reasonable salary.
I tried to get credit card few times before succeeded.
First try was Bank of America's
Gold Visa. They denied it - I got pissed off
and since then they haven't received my pay checks. I changed to
Patelco Credit Union
that is sponsored by my employer. From them I got my first credit card
after being member for 6 months. I wanted to wait for a while and not to
apply for the card immediately after becoming a member as I didn't want
to be dissapointed. Basically what I am trying to say... don't
use big banks... they don't care about you. You are a small client
to them. Go to credit unions if you can... they are smaller and
usually owned by members and can take care of you better.
Debit cards
Well the fact is that in the beginning I was not in need of getting
a real credit card. I had applied for it twice and I was denied
twice. I had a VISA debit card and it was enough for me then.
It can be used like VISA credit card expect that amount
will be taken from your checking immediately - usually next day.
So if you can't get credit card, get a debit card - it works.
Secured credit cards
Widely used way to get a credit card is secured credit card. You
can ask if your bank or credit union has it. It is the card where
you deposit some amount... for example $500 and that will be your credit
limit. After 18 months or so - and if you have paid all your bills
at time they will give you real, unsecured card.
Sears, Chevron, ...
Many stores have their own "credit card". The system in U.S.A. works
so that if you have credit - you will get more credit. But how to
start if you don't have any credit to start with? Some have suggested
to me to apply for some easy-to-get credit cards like Chevron gas card
or something like that. I really would like to hear your experiences
about this. I can say that not all super market credit cards are easy to get:
I didn't get Sears card so they won't get my money either.