mia

The purpose of Global Transfers is to allow you to be approved for an American Express card based on your history in other countries. I do not think that American Express promises to backdate your credit history when reporting to credit bureaus. Even if Amex was able to do this in other countries, it may not be permitted in the UK.

The Member Since date printed on the card is not always the same as the date reported to credit bureaus. Have you verified which date American Express is reporting?

ChocolateFactory

I don't think the "member since" date as any influence whatsoever on your credit history. As far as I know, it's only used by Amex internally.

olivedel

Thanks for your reply.
However, just feels weird that they updated my wife’s (which is in the exact same situation as me) Member Since Date on her cards when she requested, and not mine.

olivedel

it clearly does. When I transferred to the US, it built my credit history immediately as I carried 5 years of pristine history from France.

ChocolateFactory

It's the first time I'm hearing that they would backdate your credit history. I have only heard about this with authorized users.
When I transferred from Germany to the US, despite getting the "member since" date adjusted, Chase still did not see any longer credit history than what I had built with my US card(s).
However, they will approve you for a higher credit limit, and that's what helps build credit faster.

I would just try talking to another agent. The "member since" date really isn't very relevant, so I'm pretty sure a different agent would be more willing to adjust it.

mia

Until 2015, American Express (USA) backdated newly opened accounts to the year in which the oldest account was opened. When they started reporting the actual year for new accounts they still used the old date for Member Since shown on the card. This means that since 2015 the Member Since date has been decoupled from the date reported to credit bureaus in the USA. I cannot say if they have made the same change in other countries, but it is the reported date that matters, not the embossed date.

Amex no longer backdating new accounts to credit bureaus?

olivedel

My experience in the US was from 2012.
but still I want my member since to be updated, as the account history (not really the credit score) has an impact on the spending limit (it’s a charge card not a credit card)

mia

For context, I used Global Transfer to open a UK account in 2005, and that's the Member Since year shown on my UK card. They did not use my USA Member Since date, and I did not ask about it.

uktiger

Hey, won't waste too much time.

UK resident, with a successful business.

Travel alot, in need of a US Credit card with good points scheme, as most transactions I make are USD.

Currently using UK credits cards, but as we all know the points schemes aren't amazing.

Is there anyway I could get a US AMEX?

I have tried myself but Amex are claiming I need a US residential address.

I do have a US business registered over there, but they're claiming it's not enough.

Any tips would be great.

Thanks

mia

1. You can apply for an International Dollar Card. This is issued in the UK, but billed in US Dollars. It has its own version of Membership Rewards, which is similar the UK version, not the USA version. Start here: https://www.americanexpress.com/icc/

2. The Global Transfers program allows you to use your UK history to apply for an American Express card in another country (it does not "transfer" a card from one market to another). The USA requirements are here: https://www.americanexpress.com/glob...ed-states.html

uktiger

Thanks, yeah the UK version of the international card isn't great for points,

And if I want the US one as you mention, I still need a residential address then!

What checks do they do on this? If I was renting somewhere etc

mia

I suggest that you use Search this Thread with the term address .

ng1265

Hi folks,
If you ever wondered about changing the country of residence on your Amex, here's a firsthand account on how it went sour, and the rigmarole that went along with it.
I changed my country of residence from UK to France last August, after 9 years as a Plat member in the UK. To be 100% sure about the process to follow, I called the Card services on my Plat who told me to use the dedicated page then to apply for a new card while logged in.
I did so late August, and my application got denied.
After a few calls with different services, including being redirected to the Amex Swiss call centre for some reason, I finally managed to get through the card services in France who told me that actually Global transfer does not work since any French application requires a proof of tax document (equivalent to the P60 in the UK). I was told to reapply no earlier than November.
In the meantime, not willing to pay for benefits and offers I would not have been able to use, I had to cancel my Platinum card and downgraded it to Gold.

Fast-forward to December, I try to reapply online (Plat card), only to be denied again, since there is a minimum income necessary to get the Plat card.
I called the French services (again), who asserted I need to apply using a paper form, and for the Gold card only. They also mentioned it would take at least a couple of months to get everything sorted out.

I tried emailing a complaint to Amex, but apparently the only way to raise a grievance is now either by phone or post...In the meantime, my Gold card is in a drawer (fortunately I am not paying anything until August) and I cannot benefit from the offers in my new country of residence, nor from the benefits that a normal Platinum transfer could have generated.

Any tips on how to get through quicker with this process and obtain the Platinum card?
Thanks in advance!

mia

There seems to be a fundamental misunderstanding. Global Transfers allows you to use your UK history to apply for a card in France, subject to French regulations and requirements. It does not allow you to transfer your UK card to another country. Do you meet the income requirement for a French Platinum card?

ng1265

Yes, there's a minimum income on the Plat indeed, apologies if this wasn't clear, let me reword what happened:
August: used UK Plat history to apply for FR Gold (Plat min requirements not met due to job change, but OK for Gold). Denied, was told to wait 3 months
August: Downgraded UK Plat to UK Gold
December: Applied for French Plat using UK history (min requirement now OK). Denied
January: Applied for French Gold using history, denied. Called to enquire and got told I need to use paper form.