<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Flyaway:
If you have an CAD$ Amex you might be able to get a USD$ Amex without a SSN (I know a few people who have done this).
This process is called "Global Card Transfer." For details see http://home3.americanexpress.com/can...ransfer_en.asp</font>
Hmm, interesting, I didn't know about this formal service, but when I moved to the US I was told that the easiest way to set up a US credit card was to apply for an American Express card in Canada, wait 6 months, then transfer the account to my new US address. This is exactly what I did and it worked fine. I'm pretty sure, however, that when I called to transfer the account I was asked for a SSN. As I don't have one, I provided my 9-digit ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, which is provided by IRS so folks without SSNs can still file tax returns).
AMEX doesn't deal with ITINs very well. For instance, when I wanted to apply for a second US$ American Express card, they realized they couldn't pull a credit report on me. (Most of the credit bureaus down here don't track ITINs, only SSNs.) It took the special attention of a customer service rep over the course of a couple of weeks to get the new card approved.