Hi everyone,

I'm new to the boards, and joined as I will be a new traveling consultant starting mid January! I'm looking to make the most out of these reward programs!

One of many questions I have is... Can I apply for both a Canadian and a US Marriott Rewards VISA? And get sign-up benefits from both? I'm thinking maybe not since both are run by JP Morgan Chase, but I am unsure since they are from two different countries.

I ask because I am a Canadian who will be starting employment in the US. I have no credit history in the US, so I am afraid I won't qualify for any rewards cards in the US. Since the Marriott Visa (Canada) has no transaction fee, I feel that the benefits will outweigh the cost (exchange fees). In fact, since both cards give 5 points per $1 USD/CAD spent, I would in fact be getting ~40% more points by using a Canadian card paying for US billed hotel nights with the current exchange rate. I at one point will want to get a US card though.

If I cannot have both cards at a time, do you know if I can apply for the Canadian card, and then call Chase to change it to the American one (assuming they are not separate entities. both seem to be JP Morgan Chase NA)?

Just trying to figure out what's the best way to take advantage of these rewards despite having no credit history in the US, but a fairly good credit history in Canada. Any input would help me out!

Thanks again! I look forward to be a contributing member to these forums.

EDIT: By the way, I saw a link here for 50,000 reward sign-up bonus. Can anyone chime in whether this is in fact the greatest amount right now? Great to know that I'll be able to get at least 20,000 more points than the standard 30,000!

Yes, you can have both. This is assuming, of course, that you will have a US SSN (or ITIN) and an address there. I have both the Canadian and the US version right now. But you will have trouble getting a US Chase card with no US credit history. Try for a different card first and move up to Chase once you've established a good credit history.

My first US card was a Capital One and my husbands was a Discover card. We had been turned down several times before that due to the lack of credit history. Once we got that first card, we put $50-ish on it every month, paid it off, repeat. After 3 months, I applied for a Chase card and was approved after calling in to to recon and faxing in copies of id documents to them. That was 2 years ago and once the floodgates were open, I have been approved for every card I've applied for since then and have a Fico score of almost 800. I have no US income and no visa (working visa, that is).

Chase Canada and Chase US are completely separate so you can't migrate to a US card but I believe American Express will transfer your Canadian credit history to the US. Others here will chime in on that, I'm sure. But once you establish a good credit history, you can definitely have both versions of the Marriott card.

Wow, thank you so much for your experience and detailed answer! You hit everything right on the nail for me!

If others can confirm the American Express transfer, I would appreciate it very much!

I had spoke with AmEx online chat before and they had mentioned the possibility of my Canadian credit score maybe being taken into consideration if their credit check "propagated" my Canadian credit history. I asked if she could elaborate by what she meant by "propagate," and if it was standard / if there was anything I can submit to do that. She said that she could not comment on (which is reasonable) details of how I would be reviewed to qualify.

Thanks again, Finkface!

You're welcome. And you may want to check out this thread. It was started a few years ago but there are some recent posts and the info is still valid. Good luck!
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/credi...solidated.html

edit: Somehow didn't show until later...

This is reaaaalllly helpful! Thanks!! I see you contributed a lot to these threads as well

Finkface: "Chase Canada and Chase US are completely separate so you can't migrate to a US card but I believe American Express will transfer your Canadian credit history to the US."

Agree with above!

However, if you open now a Chase Bank account, your personal banker will surely sponsor you a Marriott Visa (get also a Freedom card, while at it...) even w/o a SSN (you have to fill a non-resident form).

FWIW, 16 years ago I used the Amex "door" to obtain my different US Skymiles/SPG/Hilton Amex cards => and those got me my present US credit history. Shortly after, I could get any other US cards.

Then, they made the SSN compulsory for CC applications, due to Home Land Security. I had to open that Chase account in order to obtain new CCs again (and continue my CC churning, while still keeping my "old" amex cards, but changed my Skymiles into a no fee version)

Still don't have a US SSN # as of now...

_