Hi Flyertalk. This is my first post (I've lurked for a while) so I hope I'm not exhibiting bad etiquette by resurrecting this old thread.
I'm also a foreigner who has just been rejected for the Chase Mileage Plus Club Card. The difference is that I've lived in the US for five and a bit years, though it wasn't until six months ago that I decided to actually get my first credit card (a random Bank of America cashback card) since I'd never really felt any need to borrow money.
Anyway, I decided to get the Club card because I'm going to be doing a lot more flying in the near future (hoping to get Star Gold by the end of the year) and I finally decided to start collecting all my frequent flyer points with one airline. But they just sent me a message saying they'd rejected me because "Few revolving accounts opened long enough to establish credit history" and "Not enough accounts opened long enough to establish a credit history".
FFS, Chase Bank, I've got... kinda a lot of money, I think I can afford to pay off your credit card. Now I'm stuck with no red carpet club membership (and I have no desire to pay full price when I could have had it for much less) and no bonus points for joining.
Is there any way I can appeal this decision? Perhaps persuade 'em to talk to my bank back in my home country and convince 'em that I'm a worthwhile credit risk? Show 'em what my assets are? It's kinda insulting to be treated as a poor credit risk -- doesn't the fact that I *don't* borrow money on a regular basis make me a good credit risk?
Alternatively should I just apply for the regular Chase Mileage Plus card with no RCC membership? That way at least I'd get 50,000 instead of 30,000 miles for joining. But then, would I have to tick the box that says that I've been rejected by Chase for credit in the last year?
Sigh. Just when I was starting to get excited about collecting United miles.