Global Card Relationship (fka Global Transfers) experiences
May 7, 2017, 8:41 am
#316
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: DEN
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy Titanium, CX DM, SQ Gold
Posts: 1,607
See people talking Platinum cards... One tip for people transferring TO the US:
Consider transferring into a low-end card like the green charge card because on Global Transfer you are not always going to get the best signup offers and Amex US will not give you a signup offer for a card you have already held with them in the past 7+ years.
Hence it makes sense to establish the relationship at first with a green charge card and wait a few months and then get targeted or take advantage of juicy offers on PRG, Plat, etc.
Consider transferring into a low-end card like the green charge card because on Global Transfer you are not always going to get the best signup offers and Amex US will not give you a signup offer for a card you have already held with them in the past 7+ years.
Hence it makes sense to establish the relationship at first with a green charge card and wait a few months and then get targeted or take advantage of juicy offers on PRG, Plat, etc.
May 9, 2017, 2:39 am
#317
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Canada, USA, Europe
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 31,452
May 13, 2017, 6:07 am
#318
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 1
Just came across this forum and thought I would share my experience with Amex Global Transfer. I moved to the US from India in Jan 2016 and had no bank account or address as my company was taking care of all those needs. By the time 6 months had passed I had a SS Card, Drivers License and checking account. I tried applying for a credit card at a few big players but all denied as I had zero credit history in US. That's when I read about the Global Transfer from Amex. I did have a few credit cards back in India and two were Amex. One was a personal card and the other was a corporate card with no preset limit. The global transfer does not work for corporate Amex cards.
Applied on the Global Transfer site and the following main details were asked:
1. Existing Amex personal card account number
2. Phone number in US
3. Address in US
Got a reference number for the application in my e mail. Within a day I got a call from Amex and was asked to provide a proof of ID, address and SSN. Driver's Licence could be used as ID but not as address. Address had to be a recent bank account statement. The associate who spoke to me sounded genuinely concerned about getting the application through and talked to me about what documents I had with me and the various options I had. He sent me an email specifying all this and a link to upload these was also given. Uploaded these 3 documents at the location specified. Within a day I got another mail stating that my card was approved! The card came in the mail 4 days later. It was a very smooth process.
In my experience the US is not a good place to go looking for credit if you have no credit history. It is a classic situation of the chicken or egg, which came first? There will be no credit history for anyone unless someone agrees to provide credit first. In my situation it was Amex that came to the rescue by providing me a Blue Cash Everyday credit card with a $5k limit along with the promo offer of 0% APR for 12 months and $100 statement credit on spending $1000 in 90 days. As of today 8 months later the CL for this card stands at $10k and I am still enjoying the 0% APR. Thanks to the good credit score obtained from the Amex I now have a new car and a Mastercard and Visa card from CapitalOne and Bank of America.
Applied on the Global Transfer site and the following main details were asked:
1. Existing Amex personal card account number
2. Phone number in US
3. Address in US
Got a reference number for the application in my e mail. Within a day I got a call from Amex and was asked to provide a proof of ID, address and SSN. Driver's Licence could be used as ID but not as address. Address had to be a recent bank account statement. The associate who spoke to me sounded genuinely concerned about getting the application through and talked to me about what documents I had with me and the various options I had. He sent me an email specifying all this and a link to upload these was also given. Uploaded these 3 documents at the location specified. Within a day I got another mail stating that my card was approved! The card came in the mail 4 days later. It was a very smooth process.
In my experience the US is not a good place to go looking for credit if you have no credit history. It is a classic situation of the chicken or egg, which came first? There will be no credit history for anyone unless someone agrees to provide credit first. In my situation it was Amex that came to the rescue by providing me a Blue Cash Everyday credit card with a $5k limit along with the promo offer of 0% APR for 12 months and $100 statement credit on spending $1000 in 90 days. As of today 8 months later the CL for this card stands at $10k and I am still enjoying the 0% APR. Thanks to the good credit score obtained from the Amex I now have a new car and a Mastercard and Visa card from CapitalOne and Bank of America.
Last edited by John Abraham; May 13, 2017 at 6:13 am
Sep 2, 2017, 8:19 am
#319
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: YOW
Programs: AC SE, FOTSG Platinum
Posts: 5,725
I'm a Canadian who's legal to work in the US, but travels constantly.
So, I'm in the US about 120 days a year, but don't have a permanent address or a US phone number.
I'm happy to set up both of these things, as well as a US bank account, as all three will have benefits for me beyond the addition of US-based credit cards.
I've got solid Canadian credit history and a long relationship with Amex in Canada.
Question is, if I set up a mailing address through a mail-forwarding service, or a PO box near the border, will this affect how Amex views my application?
So, I'm in the US about 120 days a year, but don't have a permanent address or a US phone number.
I'm happy to set up both of these things, as well as a US bank account, as all three will have benefits for me beyond the addition of US-based credit cards.
I've got solid Canadian credit history and a long relationship with Amex in Canada.
Question is, if I set up a mailing address through a mail-forwarding service, or a PO box near the border, will this affect how Amex views my application?
Sep 4, 2017, 3:02 pm
#321
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 3,537
Just came across this forum and thought I would share my experience with Amex Global Transfer. I moved to the US from India in Jan 2016 and had no bank account or address as my company was taking care of all those needs. By the time 6 months had passed I had a SS Card, Drivers License and checking account. I tried applying for a credit card at a few big players but all denied as I had zero credit history in US. That's when I read about the Global Transfer from Amex. I did have a few credit cards back in India and two were Amex. One was a personal card and the other was a corporate card with no preset limit. The global transfer does not work for corporate Amex cards.
Applied on the Global Transfer site and the following main details were asked:
1. Existing Amex personal card account number
2. Phone number in US
3. Address in US
Got a reference number for the application in my e mail. Within a day I got a call from Amex and was asked to provide a proof of ID, address and SSN. Driver's Licence could be used as ID but not as address. Address had to be a recent bank account statement. The associate who spoke to me sounded genuinely concerned about getting the application through and talked to me about what documents I had with me and the various options I had. He sent me an email specifying all this and a link to upload these was also given. Uploaded these 3 documents at the location specified. Within a day I got another mail stating that my card was approved! The card came in the mail 4 days later. It was a very smooth process.
In my experience the US is not a good place to go looking for credit if you have no credit history. It is a classic situation of the chicken or egg, which came first? There will be no credit history for anyone unless someone agrees to provide credit first. In my situation it was Amex that came to the rescue by providing me a Blue Cash Everyday credit card with a $5k limit along with the promo offer of 0% APR for 12 months and $100 statement credit on spending $1000 in 90 days. As of today 8 months later the CL for this card stands at $10k and I am still enjoying the 0% APR. Thanks to the good credit score obtained from the Amex I now have a new car and a Mastercard and Visa card from CapitalOne and Bank of America.
Applied on the Global Transfer site and the following main details were asked:
1. Existing Amex personal card account number
2. Phone number in US
3. Address in US
Got a reference number for the application in my e mail. Within a day I got a call from Amex and was asked to provide a proof of ID, address and SSN. Driver's Licence could be used as ID but not as address. Address had to be a recent bank account statement. The associate who spoke to me sounded genuinely concerned about getting the application through and talked to me about what documents I had with me and the various options I had. He sent me an email specifying all this and a link to upload these was also given. Uploaded these 3 documents at the location specified. Within a day I got another mail stating that my card was approved! The card came in the mail 4 days later. It was a very smooth process.
In my experience the US is not a good place to go looking for credit if you have no credit history. It is a classic situation of the chicken or egg, which came first? There will be no credit history for anyone unless someone agrees to provide credit first. In my situation it was Amex that came to the rescue by providing me a Blue Cash Everyday credit card with a $5k limit along with the promo offer of 0% APR for 12 months and $100 statement credit on spending $1000 in 90 days. As of today 8 months later the CL for this card stands at $10k and I am still enjoying the 0% APR. Thanks to the good credit score obtained from the Amex I now have a new car and a Mastercard and Visa card from CapitalOne and Bank of America.
Sep 8, 2017, 3:10 am
#322
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Berlin
Programs: BA Bronze, AF Silver, IHG Gold, Sixt Plat,
Posts: 63
My first experience with Amex Global Transfer was pretty painless. I used the service to "transfer" to Germany as I relocated back in 2013. IIRC, I had to fill out a normal application and then call afterwords to mention that I want to use the Global Transfer Service. I had to provide proof of address and a Postident and received the card shortly after. (Amex Blue US > Amex Blue DE) I waited a bit and then did a product change to the Gold.
I am trying to use the service now for the UK and started the process last week. I received an email on Wednesday asking for a photocopy of my passport or national ID card via email or post. I replied about an hour after receiving the email with a photocopy and haven't heard back yet. (The footnotes on the Global Transfer page to the UK states 2-3 weeks, so let's see)
I am trying to use the service now for the UK and started the process last week. I received an email on Wednesday asking for a photocopy of my passport or national ID card via email or post. I replied about an hour after receiving the email with a photocopy and haven't heard back yet. (The footnotes on the Global Transfer page to the UK states 2-3 weeks, so let's see)
Sep 9, 2017, 12:20 pm
#323
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Oslo & Marbella
Programs: SK*G & Centurion
Posts: 864
See people talking Platinum cards... One tip for people transferring TO the US:
Consider transferring into a low-end card like the green charge card because on Global Transfer you are not always going to get the best signup offers and Amex US will not give you a signup offer for a card you have already held with them in the past 7+ years.
Hence it makes sense to establish the relationship at first with a green charge card and wait a few months and then get targeted or take advantage of juicy offers on PRG, Plat, etc.
Consider transferring into a low-end card like the green charge card because on Global Transfer you are not always going to get the best signup offers and Amex US will not give you a signup offer for a card you have already held with them in the past 7+ years.
Hence it makes sense to establish the relationship at first with a green charge card and wait a few months and then get targeted or take advantage of juicy offers on PRG, Plat, etc.
Sep 24, 2017, 1:07 pm
#324
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 3
I have just moved to the US. Have a long standing Virgin Atlantic Amex in the UK. Thinking about applying for a Platinum Card. I have not had a platinum card before.
Do you still get the sign up bonuses on the cards if you're doing it through global transfer? If not, am I better to take the credit card my bank is offering me, build up credit and then apply for the platinum. Feels like a waste of potential mile earning though!
Do you still get the sign up bonuses on the cards if you're doing it through global transfer? If not, am I better to take the credit card my bank is offering me, build up credit and then apply for the platinum. Feels like a waste of potential mile earning though!
Sep 24, 2017, 2:49 pm
#325
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Miami, Mpls & London
Programs: AA & Marriott Perpetual Platinum; DL & HH Gold
Posts: 48,952
Sep 24, 2017, 5:59 pm
#326
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 3
Oct 10, 2017, 10:21 pm
#327
Join Date: May 2012
Location: HEL
Programs: AY+ Platinum (OWE), HH Diamond, Marriott Platinum, AX
Posts: 190
Recently started working in the US. Transfer experience was very smooth, made the application for AX Plat over the phone (same card as I had in my home country). After that I was requested to send proof of my US address and after that it took a couple of days to get notified about the approval and to get the physical card.
I had no prior US credit history, at least Citibank told me that three month banking relationship is required before they issue cards to new customers.
I had no prior US credit history, at least Citibank told me that three month banking relationship is required before they issue cards to new customers.
Oct 23, 2017, 8:18 pm
#328
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Otherworld
Programs: *Gold
Posts: 211
I transfered Germany -> Australia. Went from Gold to Platinum Edge as there is no Gold in OZ. Whole experience was painless, got partial annual fee credit back and MR pts increased because of the Euro/Aud exchange rate 
Edit: I also got the offer on the new card, I think it was 15,000 MR at the time, technically only for new applicants.
Edit: I also got the offer on the new card, I think it was 15,000 MR at the time, technically only for new applicants.
Last edited by unityofsaints; Oct 23, 2017 at 8:28 pm
Oct 25, 2017, 12:34 pm
#329
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Berlin
Programs: BA Bronze, AF Silver, IHG Gold, Sixt Plat,
Posts: 63
Update to my last post:
Was able to go from US (using my Delta Gold) to the UK (BA Amex) without any trouble.
The processing time was exactly three weeks. Had to provide a scanned copy of my ID card (EU only) or passport to complete the process. Card arrived after that.
Was able to go from US (using my Delta Gold) to the UK (BA Amex) without any trouble.
The processing time was exactly three weeks. Had to provide a scanned copy of my ID card (EU only) or passport to complete the process. Card arrived after that.
Oct 25, 2017, 2:56 pm
#330
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 3,537
Surprised it took that long, mine took about two weeks. Still amazing way to build credit history here.