Originally Posted by
BackSlash3
Sorry, it seems like a US AMEX isn't going to be an easy get. AMEX US will only use history with AMEX Canada to issue you a new card.
In the meantime, I suggest getting a card issued by the US arm of a Canadian Bank. I've gotten a Visa card from TD USA and they did a Transunion pull of my Canadian credit report to issue it. It was pretty easy, just call cross-border banking support.
I don't have experience with the other banks but BMO and RBC both have US affiliate bank which should be able to get you a card to build US credit history.
Yeah I suggest this too. It was actually a pain when I first arrived in the US and tried to get a TD Visa. I kept getting dinged for insufficient credit history even though I had a pretty good Canadian credit score and a $100k+ in my Canadian TD accounts. Might've been an issue connecting me to them since I didn't have a US SSN at that point. I eventually gave up and got an Amex when I got my SSN a year later.
Your parents would have to be identified as a US resident (ie. their name has to be on a current utility bill pointing to a US address) for them to get cards.