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How to Get Your First US Amex Credit Card—No SSN or ITIN Required!
- Thread starter TechnoFino
- Start date
- Replies 82
- Views 6K
shubhank008
TF Select
I applied for a Business Gold card instead (have a US company in my name), although I could apply for it directly using my passport through phone (confirmed by Amex) and I wouldn't need a address proof for US (as company one works), I actually found a sweet 200k MR points Sign up bonus for Amex Business Gold but that can only be applied online, not through phone (phone is default 100k offer).
So I asked a friend of mine to use his SSN instead for the application verification, basically application is still in US company name and I as founder, but hes shown as a General Manager and the applicant for the card, for ID/KYC proof verification.
The verification went smoothly, business verification was done over call and now I am just pending Business Owner verification (my passport), I was told to expect a update this week so lets see.
200k SUB + 0% APR for 6 months, quite sweet deal so went through extra trouble of having friend apply instead, even though I will still get card in my name too (employee/owner card).
Right now there was a Business Blue Plus card offer too, 75k SUB and 0% APR for 12 months, $0 annual fee. But only for existing US card owners 🙂 So lets see if Gold approves, I will go for that too.
It sucks so bad that Indian cards have 2:1 ratio, while not only US cards do 1:1 but each month even get transfer bonuses. Last month or before that there were 50% transfer bonus to Marriott, virgin and one more.
but everyone cant get lucky or have a friend or start a company there bro.. u r lucky .. enjoy!!
shubhank008
TF Select
I mean that's for obvious reasons that one isn't able to apply for a overseas card without actual use/relevant for it, cannot even call it lucky but rather Flexibility from Amex, considering a lot of these methods are in grey area since the application/card is meant for "when" you move or live in US and have a US address, yet people were applying for them.
My fingers are crossed even for the business card whether I will get it or not, so lets see.
Lately Amex is insisting on Address Proof (US) in your name to ascertain that you are actually living in the states, and most of these online-service bills are not being accepted, I was asked for gov id/document or a utility bill and even then was rejected for online phone/voip, etc. service provider bills.
shubhank008
TF Select
Oh sh*t, just got it approved 😀 Hopefully arrives in time to also apply for the BBP offer going on right now (75k MR points and 0 card fees).
Also, I asked them just now during acceptance call if the card can be delivered internationally, and they said the initial card needs to be delivered on application address, but after activating it I can give a callback for additional Employee Cards and they might be able to deliver it internationally, but they can only confirm this at that time as a different team handles it.
Was going to try the VoIP route. Can you plz let me know which providers they rejected for you. Will not even attempt in that case.
shubhank008
TF Select
Just to update, card was approved on 26 March and received (my friend's address) on 2nd April. Received two cards, one in my name (employee card) and one in my friend's name (since he was the applicant).
I just confirmed with Amex that after 10 days, they can even send a replacement card (for mine) internationally to India if I want, completely free of cost.
I plan to apply for Amex BBP and one of the Chase cards too pretty soon. So weird that a lot of US cards provide 0% APR for 6-12 months.
Have gotten a US e-sim number from Tello for $5/month, 100mins and unlimited texts, using like a actual sim in my phone. Loaded $20 credits (no expiration as long as plan active) to enable Int Roaming so I don't need Wifi Calling (basically without int roaming you need wifi calling enabled to receive text or make calls, but in bad wifi service fails).
Just made a phone call to Amex through the new number and able to receive all messages too 🙂
Sorry seems to have missed your message, I tried Tello and one more but both's statement were not accepted, basically I was told they need a utility bill for the address like a gas/water/landline, something tied to the address itself and no internet service provider or even mobile statement would work.
I am still thinking of some way to arrange for a address proof so I can apply by myself instead of needing my friend's help, one way I am thinking is to change my mailing address for my addon/employee card and use the next month's card statement as a proof instead.
I also activated Planet Express account since they can forward credit cards for you (confirming via mail too) via Fedex and cost like $30 so not bad.
I just confirmed with Amex that after 10 days, they can even send a replacement card (for mine) internationally to India if I want, completely free of cost.
I plan to apply for Amex BBP and one of the Chase cards too pretty soon. So weird that a lot of US cards provide 0% APR for 6-12 months.
Have gotten a US e-sim number from Tello for $5/month, 100mins and unlimited texts, using like a actual sim in my phone. Loaded $20 credits (no expiration as long as plan active) to enable Int Roaming so I don't need Wifi Calling (basically without int roaming you need wifi calling enabled to receive text or make calls, but in bad wifi service fails).
Just made a phone call to Amex through the new number and able to receive all messages too 🙂
Sorry seems to have missed your message, I tried Tello and one more but both's statement were not accepted, basically I was told they need a utility bill for the address like a gas/water/landline, something tied to the address itself and no internet service provider or even mobile statement would work.
I am still thinking of some way to arrange for a address proof so I can apply by myself instead of needing my friend's help, one way I am thinking is to change my mailing address for my addon/employee card and use the next month's card statement as a proof instead.
I also activated Planet Express account since they can forward credit cards for you (confirming via mail too) via Fedex and cost like $30 so not bad.
How did you apply for tello from india? Can you guide me
shubhank008
TF Select
Eh ? I think thats the most straightforward part, just sign up, purchase the plan you want, I got $5 which includes unlimited text and 100 mins call (even when international, you can use their app for VOIP/WiFi Calling so it doesnt count roaming).
After signup, they will send you instructions to install and activate the esim in your phone, and it works within 10 mins.
PS: Without adding pay-as-you-go credits and activating international roaming, you will not get any service outside USA without being connected to a Wifi network, as they use Wifi Calling for text/calls instead.
However, after facing a outage by Jio yesterday night, I highly recommend to top up your account with $20 to activate int. roaming too. You donot use any credits unless you make a call or send a SMS, but get to use the esim like a actual sim, without relying on Wifi Calling or Wifi network.
When making any calls, I just connect to Wifi or use their app to not incur roaming charges 🙂
For $5/month its pretty cheap and even unlimited calls plan is like $8 or $10
PS: There are no verification done if you are concerned about that, its as straight forward as signing up for a email id.
But your friend will be responsible to pay the bills & MR points will also get credited to his account right?
shubhank008
TF Select
1. Business card, so I pay the bill using my company account (US)
2. The MR points credited to the Amex account can be transferred to either of the employee (card) accounts, so either his or mine.
The initial application was done using his ID but its a business card/account, so as the business owner I also got a (employee) card and can transfer MR points to my linked accounts.
When you try to transfer MR points, it asks/lists all the employees you can link or transfer to.
bro one question, did they ask for your ssn or itin? i think its mandatory to provide that of every founder who have more then 25% in the company right? or you dont need that?
Prob not via global program, you can select "business card" in that page.
But only 1 card per country is allowed through global program i think because i was denied 2nd one. But if you apply fast enough you can prob get 3.
shubhank008
TF Select
You cannot apply business card online via GT (passport route), you need to call them to apply using your passport and GT.
Even for the online application in my case using my friend's SSN, I had to provide my details as the beneficial owner and later the card couldn't activate as kept asking SSN/ITIN, so had to call them to manually activate the card using my passport details (verification).
Look up on Amex Global Transfer, you can apply personal card using GT/Passport but you do need a valid address proof in US, Amex has gotten strict about it and will insist on a utility bill or similar hard proof.
I applied for Business Gold . I already hold Personal US CCs . They rejected the application stating low FICO score.
And we can't apply using GT for Business cards.
Is there any other way to get this card
shubhank008
TF Select
From my knowledge, you can apply for business cards using GT/passport but only through call (they have a GT page with phone number for application).
And my friend's FICO was 780 when I applied
Actually in your application your friend is main applicant.
My FICO is 650 , not enough to get approved for Gold
Whats the range of FICO and whats a good score?
Most probably more than 700
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