US citizen trying to get UK credit card
pkushp
Posts: 1 Newbie
in Credit cards
Hello, I am a US citizen who has lived in the UK for the past 3 years (as a student) and am now on a work visa so will be earning all of my income in the UK for the foreseeable future. I have been banking with Lloyd's for 3 years, paying phone bill for 3 years, broadband for 1. My equifax credit score is 349, the only real issue being that I am not on the electoral roll (and cannot be until I am a citizen which won't be the case for a while). Lloyd's said they cannot offer me a credit card and even some soft eligibility checkers seem to indicate i am not likely to be approved for even most of the entry level cards - it'll give me a likelihood of like 3/10 to be approved. Does anyone have any advice? Should I still apply for these entry level cards? Also I have gotten mixed advice on whether I should try to add a Note of Correction to my credit report re: the electoral roll and would love any additional clarification on that
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I suggest you ask your bank if they can help.0
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Remember credit scores don't work here like they do in the States. Round these parts, they ain't worth a hill of beans.0
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What US cards do you have? If you have an Amex you can transfer your account to the UK.
Being on the electoral role is not a requirement to get credit, but you'll need to shop around to find a more accommodating lender. How did you approach Lloyds? If you just did an application online it may be worth trying in branch.
A notice of correction is only for when information is incorrect.0 -
The OP already has and the OP's bank responded with that helpful attitude typical of British banks:Voyager2002 wrote: »I suggest you ask your bank if they can help.I have been banking with Lloyd's for 3 years,... Lloyd's said they cannot offer me a credit card0 -
The best option might be to open an Amex up in the US and in 6-12 months you can open a card in the UK with your US history.
Unfortunately the UK is very awkward with immigrants when it comes to credit. I recently moved to Canada and found it very easy to get credit with no history at all, but the UK is a lot more difficult.0 -
You may well find that the attitude of your bank will change once they start to receive your salary into the account.
Do you know if anything at all is being reported to credit reference agencies? Do you actually exist as far as they are concerned?
If you have any sort of overdraft facility on your current account with Lloyds that should be being reported. If you don't have one perhaps when your salary starts to be paid in try to get one, even if it is only a small one. Then don't use it at all and it will report this limit and non-use to the CRA's.
I believe that it is possible to add a note to your credit file to explain that your name does not appear on the electoral roll because you are a US citizen. However, as you cannot currently also state that you have indefinite leave to remain in the UK, adding such a note may cause more problems than it solves.
I am a bit vague about this but I have also heard that some banks are refusing US citizens as clients for some reason due to US tax laws or reporting requirements?0 -
I don't know whether it was just an anecdote, or if it still applies, but many years ago a bloke from Sierra Leone was telling me how he applied for a pre-pay credit card (where you essentially give the "credit" company your full credit limit in cash). He said that this gave him a "credit history" in terms of financial products, which meant that lenders eventually started offering him "normal" credit cards. I think it took a year or two, though.0
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I don't know whether it was just an anecdote, or if it still applies, but many years ago a bloke from Sierra Leone was telling me how he applied for a pre-pay credit card (where you essentially give the "credit" company your full credit limit in cash). He said that this gave him a "credit history" in terms of financial products, which meant that lenders eventually started offering him "normal" credit cards. I think it took a year or two, though.
Cashplus offer a facility whereby you can take out an interest-free loan to pre-pay the monthly card fee for one year. You never receive the money. The monthly fee is taken as normal from the account which becomes the loan repayment.
It appears on the credit report as a loan with payment terms of £5 X 12 months.0 -
All very naughty, I know, but some years ago a friend of mine simply put herself on the electoral roll despite not being entitled to. Seems they didn't check anything. She got a couple of cards and later took herself off again. There was an election during that time, but she didn't vote.
Once she got a couple of cards and a history, she had no problems getting credit despite no longer being on the roll.
Can't condone what she did which would have been an offence of some sort.0 -
chattychappy wrote: »All very naughty, I know, but some years ago a friend of mine simply put herself on the electoral roll despite not being entitled to. Seems they didn't check anything. She got a couple of cards and later took herself off again. There was an election during that time, but she didn't vote.
Once she got a couple of cards and a history, she had no problems getting credit despite no longer being on the roll.
Can't condone what she did which would have been an offence of some sort.
Why wasn't she entitled to?0
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