I suggest using AMEX's Global Transfer to get one going for AMEX Canada first
Hopefully you get the AMEX offers too (e.g. 25K on Gold, FYF; 40K on Biz Gold, FYF, etc...)

AMEX Global Transfer (Canada -> USA) - Don't Call the Airline!
http://dcta.boardingarea.com/2015/08...rience-can-us/

American Express - Moving Abroad - Global Card Transfer
https://www.americanexpress.com/global-card-transfers/

What is BF?

Base Fare

Definitely go through amex global transfer. I think there's a cap of one card through the program and you won't get the improved sign-up bonuses (although the gold rewards has the same bonus publicly anyways).

Alternatively you might want to pick up a no annual fee amex through global transfer to anchor your credit report. No Canadian equivalent to the everyday, best would just be the simply cash with 1.25 percent cashback

As a newcomer myself, here's some feedback:
I applied for an Amex Gold through global transfer. Amex will make you through ID verification. In my case, I had to mail a personalized cheque.
Most banks will allow newcomers to apply for a credit card. At the time, applied for the Scene Visa. Got a decent unsecured limit based on income. Most Scotia cards are available for newcomers, based on income requirements.
I will go meet a CIBC rep this month and see if I would qualify for the new Dividend Platinum Visa (4% Cashback on purchases for 6 months).
TD also offer cards to newcomers: my understanding is they offer secured cards to Temp. Foreign Workers and unsecured to Perm. Residents.

My oldest line is less than year old so I am not trying to churn much at the moment, but rather establishing a good history.
My partner is Canadian with good credit so she does the churning and I'm an authorized user :)

Thank you all of the comments.

I will definitely take advantage of AMEX Global transfer and newcomers' program.

However, I am still curious regarding the time line. Assuming that I will get a new AMEX and another card through newcomer program on day 1, when will I be able to apply for a card with good bonus (says, Chase Marriott)?

Any insights would be much appreciated!

I'd try at six months, but Chase US seems to want a year so Chase Canada might have similar policies.

Yeah Chase Canada does the same IME

How about other cards from other banks?

Not sure if this is the right place as for some reason I thought there was separate thread for AIRMILES. Anyway, I have a bunch of Airmiles that are expiring on Dec.31/16 so I need to use up. I found that the search engine on Airmiles is horrible as you have to continue to guess dates to see what is available if anything - it doesn't show you anything? I am trying to look for flights to Bali - it shows up on the listing but for the life of me I have been plugging in dates all over the place and cant find anything. Does anyone know any tricks on this or if I can even use them for Bali. I did the Chat Customer Service and other than her telling me that yes they go to Bali that is all she could help me with?? Help.

Last I checked airmiles tickets to anything but NA destinations are so overpriced in terms of miles to the actual cash value that your better off just redeeming for cash off at sobeys or something and paying your flights cash.

Airmiles 5-10 years ago had decent redemption, in 2016 it is nothing but a sad joke.

How does one redeem airmiles for cash? I've got 1300 that are useless. I was planning on using for a car rental but the cost of buying insurance makes it totally and completely worthless.

do you like eating at the keg? 190 miles = $20.

Dream miles to cash? no easy way now that BMO vouchers are gone

Cash miles to cash? just redeem at cashier checkout. 95 AM = $10 off

I've switched to CASH After cashing out all Dream miles with BMO vouchers (~$1100 in total)

I totally get that Airmiles is a joke, hence why I have these Airmiles stored up over the years and now they will expire. I honelty don't care about the valuation of them - I just want to use them for flights. So, can anybody assist in my in my original question? Thansk very much!

After I use these up I won't be collecting Airmiles anymore especially now that they expire in 5 years. I'll never collect enough to actually do anything with them other than getting gas at Shell!!! LOL.

If you don't care about the valuation and prefer the ease of booking flights, book through Marlin Travel where 95 AM= $10 off.

Milesbuzz: Canada
 

Thanks PT, did not know that. I've got 15,000+ to burn off. :(

It's hard to believe we don't have a dedicated Air Miles thread. I know it's nobody's favourite program but many of us do have accounts that we at least passively collect points in.

And for what it's worth I find the redemptions within NA to be pretty good... for those of us non-status flyers the actual available flights blow away what you can typically find using FFPs.

Sorry I'm not quite sure what you mean by this......apparently I am a little slow nor have I visited a travel agent in like 15 years! I might be way off here but are you saying Marlin Travel will book my flight for me with my Airmiles?..........sorry, or am I way off what you have communicated to me.

i think it means that they're a partner with Air Miles, and you can redeem your Air Miles for a credit towards travel booked with Marlin, at a rate of 95 AM = $10 credit

Could stay at the The Royal Orchid,Sheraton for a night in Bangkok.@:-)

Exactly.

I have done global transfer almost 2 years ago. US->Canada.

PM with questions.

This is what I did - applied for Amex platinum Canada and used a 60k MR link (put my amex plat US number in the previous card information). Called Amex US and Amex Canada both and told them I was doing a global transfer and gave them application number. Was able to get it processed in a week or two without much being done. Got 60k MR without issued. Waited 6 months and got a few other cards without issues. Never closed the US card.

For some reason, chase didn't approve my Marriott card app last year. No way I could figure out to call reconsiderations.

datapoint: im a canadian resident with no SSN/ITIN and i was able to get a secured USA credit card through Banner Bank by applying in branch in Los Angeles and then communicating with the branch staff by email (process took about a month total). they did a canadian credit check based on my SIN (pulled TU).

If pulling Canadian report, why even bother with a secured card? Banner bank jumped straight into unsecured with a 5k limit based on Canadian history. Even got a massive 10 dollar sign-up bonus

in my case they said it would have to be a secured card after checking the credit score...i have some balances on my line of credit so that might be why...but they told me it was because i had no USA credit history at all...this was a branch that was changing over from America West Bank...might be different rules there...YMMV

Shocking news, at least for me

There is a SECOND card aside from the Chase Marriot that offers no forex fees in Canada...

... The Rogers Platinum Mastercard. I mean it's a ...... 1.75% cashback card but no annual fee for Rogers customers & no Forex might actually make it worth having since there's no real harm.


I always thought the Chase Marriot was the only one...

The Chase Amazon.ca card makes it three.

And grandfathered Sears Mastercard to Scotia (cannot apply for) makes 4

Post Deleted - can't read...need more coffee..

The Amazon.ca card was my first Canadian card, but now the Rogers card is my primary for anything where I don't get 2% on the Tangerine card.

They're all mostly Chase Canada. with Rogers Bank, it's still only 2 issuers attempting to waive FX fees.

That's still two more than there were four years ago. Though as long as people are willing to patronize other cards, they have no incentive to change.

I must say the Rogers card is about to become my go to card for non-bonus categories. Until I realized the cash back could be issued as a statement credit on everything (when calling a CSR), I was considering applying for mbna Rewards WE, and hoping to get approved for a Platinum Plus 2% — I do not meet World Elite income requirements. But when doing the math (1.75%/$29AF waivable/no foreign currency fee; vs 2%/$89AF/2.5% foreign curr. fee), it's a no brainer: offsetting the $60 difference in annual fees would require an additional 24000 annual spend.

TD Aeroplan VISA has 30000 Aeroplan pts promotion (until May 27, 2016)

https://www.tdcanadatrust.com/produc...inite-card.jsp

There are dedicated TD Aeroplan FT threads

anyway, RFD/GCR has better offers

TD Aeroplan Infinite VISA - 15,000 Welcome Aeroplan miles after 1st purchase + 10K after holding for 90 days. FYF / $70 RFD cashback or $50 GCR cashback. RFD source code = CAqD7. GCR source code = NTrSD

The 90 day thing kills it for me. I don't have 90 days to spare

You can't hold a credit card for 90 days? Why not?

The card, yes. The points...Maybe