Personal Finance

Non-PR/Citizen credit limit increase question [BMO]

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  • Jun 21st, 2015 11:19 am
Newbie
User avatar
Mar 27, 2012
79 posts
38 upvotes
Vancouver

Non-PR/Citizen credit limit increase question [BMO]

I am a non-PR/Citizen and was approved a BMO world elite mastercard. However the credit limit stuck at 1.5k which is not enough that I need to prepay my master card all the time. I have daily banking + mortgage all through BMO. Given I have a TD Visa limit 10k for a couple years.

I called BMO MasterCard 3 times in the past months:
  • 1st teller said BMO won't increase my limit until I become a residence. I said I am a temporary residence holding a permit valid over 10 years. But they said No, only permanent residence is residence.
  • 2nd teller just said it's not approved. When I ask why, they said probably because I have a mortgage (and monthly income blah blah.)
  • 3rd teller said it's increased. however it is not. When I call back to ask, they say they don't know what happens and encourage me to apply again.

I walked into branch and a teller said they can't help with MasterCard issues.
I did it online, it just simply shows "failed. Call to know more detail" and gave me the exactly same number that I called.
When I applied my mortgage, they "changed" my name to "NON RESIDENCE" because they want me to pay 35% down payment.

Any advice how I may increase my limit?

Any comment is appreciated!
13 replies
Member
Mar 19, 2015
293 posts
58 upvotes
Sounds like you have a hard time accepting the word no
eonibm wrote: Quite a few people don't know what they are talking about and someone has to put them in line.
Deal Addict
Dec 10, 2012
3886 posts
1527 upvotes
Canada
better question is why are you a non-PR/citizen?
Newbie
User avatar
Mar 27, 2012
79 posts
38 upvotes
Vancouver
Thanks badsha. I was an international student and now on work permit. waiting in the line of the new express entry immigration system.
Deal Fanatic
User avatar
Jan 31, 2006
8541 posts
2655 upvotes
Toronto
There is another way, overpaid your BMO MC by the amount you need to spend. Let say you need $3,000 so you pay extra $1500.
Deal Fanatic
Apr 16, 2007
8134 posts
3485 upvotes
Financial District B…
wozent wrote: I am a non-PR/Citizen and was approved a BMO world elite mastercard. However the credit limit stuck at 1.5k which is not enough that I need to prepay my master card all the time. I have daily banking + mortgage all through BMO. Given I have a TD Visa limit 10k for a couple years.

I called BMO MasterCard 3 times in the past months:
  • 1st teller said BMO won't increase my limit until I become a residence. I said I am a temporary residence holding a permit valid over 10 years. But they said No, only permanent residence is residence.
  • 2nd teller just said it's not approved. When I ask why, they said probably because I have a mortgage (and monthly income blah blah.)
  • 3rd teller said it's increased. however it is not. When I call back to ask, they say they don't know what happens and encourage me to apply again.

I walked into branch and a teller said they can't help with MasterCard issues.
I did it online, it just simply shows "failed. Call to know more detail" and gave me the exactly same number that I called.
When I applied my mortgage, they "changed" my name to "NON RESIDENCE" because they want me to pay 35% down payment.

Any advice how I may increase my limit?

Any comment is appreciated!
As long as you're a non-PR(9 SIN) you will have difficulties obtaining any unsecured credit.
The 'changed' is suspect. It suggests something other that what's been discovered as disclosure.
----------------------------Licensed Credit Bureau member, S1, FI Automotive, CCP forums most banned = x 13 and counting, guess who that is?... stomped to the curb once again
Sr. Member
Mar 3, 2015
699 posts
95 upvotes
Scarborough, ON
u r lucky to be non pr and citzen and get credit card.

i had to wait until becoming pr to get one.
Sr. Member
Mar 3, 2015
699 posts
95 upvotes
Scarborough, ON
wozent wrote: I am a non-PR/Citizen and was approved a BMO world elite mastercard. However the credit limit stuck at 1.5k which is not enough that I need to prepay my master card all the time. I have daily banking + mortgage all through BMO. Given I have a TD Visa limit 10k for a couple years.

I called BMO MasterCard 3 times in the past months:
  • 1st teller said BMO won't increase my limit until I become a residence. I said I am a temporary residence holding a permit valid over 10 years. But they said No, only permanent residence is residence.
  • 2nd teller just said it's not approved. When I ask why, they said probably because I have a mortgage (and monthly income blah blah.)
  • 3rd teller said it's increased. however it is not. When I call back to ask, they say they don't know what happens and encourage me to apply again.

I walked into branch and a teller said they can't help with MasterCard issues.
I did it online, it just simply shows "failed. Call to know more detail" and gave me the exactly same number that I called.
When I applied my mortgage, they "changed" my name to "NON RESIDENCE" because they want me to pay 35% down payment.

Any advice how I may increase my limit?

Any comment is appreciated!
if u commit a crime u can be deported easily than pr person and highly likely u to max credit card account once returned.

bmo is right to extend your limit and think 1.5 is generous.
Jr. Member
Dec 27, 2012
125 posts
47 upvotes
OTTAWA
supertronic wrote: if u commit a crime u can be deported easily than pr person and highly likely u to max credit card account once returned.

bmo is right to extend your limit and think 1.5 is generous.
Not true. With latest bill C-24 even citizens can be deported.

OP, don't go with banks , they have this policy of not giving big credit to people with temporary sin no. Go with Store credit cards like Canadian Tire. I got $500 credit card from scotia when i first landed a job on a work permit and refused to bump up the credit limit, Canadian Tire gave me 3k credit limit and with in 6 months CT bumped it up to 12k.

I recommend you walk into a CT store with your driving license and apply the credit card there. But first build at least 1 year of credit history with your BMO card, before going to apply to CT
Deal Expert
User avatar
Jan 27, 2004
52935 posts
18144 upvotes
ONTARIO
Big 5 banks have a certain lend criteria. Being a non-PR will hurt you in that regards. But they will give you a small credit limit if you have good solid income for a few years in a professional field or making a decent amount... and you have been here a while.

You'd have to go to the more B lender type credit cards like someone above mentioned... Think MBNA, Capital One, Canadian Tire, Sears, Hudson Bay etc...

MBNA and CApital one has pretty good cards and rewards.
Home Trust Visa is also known to have a lower lending criteria...
Sr. Member
Aug 16, 2013
624 posts
309 upvotes
Toronto
wozent wrote: I am a non-PR/Citizen and was approved a BMO world elite mastercard. However the credit limit stuck at 1.5k which is not enough that I need to prepay my master card all the time. I have daily banking + mortgage all through BMO. Given I have a TD Visa limit 10k for a couple years.

I called BMO MasterCard 3 times in the past months:
  • 1st teller said BMO won't increase my limit until I become a residence. I said I am a temporary residence holding a permit valid over 10 years. But they said No, only permanent residence is residence.
  • 2nd teller just said it's not approved. When I ask why, they said probably because I have a mortgage (and monthly income blah blah.)
  • 3rd teller said it's increased. however it is not. When I call back to ask, they say they don't know what happens and encourage me to apply again.

I walked into branch and a teller said they can't help with MasterCard issues.
I did it online, it just simply shows "failed. Call to know more detail" and gave me the exactly same number that I called.
When I applied my mortgage, they "changed" my name to "NON RESIDENCE" because they want me to pay 35% down payment.

Any advice how I may increase my limit?

Any comment is appreciated!


Call BMO and tell CSR you would like your SIN to be removed from the file. Do the same with your bank records if with the same bank. It's not compulsory to provide SIN to your financial institution like in US.

Order Free Credit Reports from TransUnion and Equifax to make sure your SIN is not listed with them either. If so, try to get it removed as well.

Once done, they'll offer you a credit limit increase themselves Or you can call them and ask for one.

If not, submit a new credit card application to some other creditor and get increased limit from them. If your credit history is not that old (less than 3 years), your information will not get matched automatically while applying online with the backend system OR they'll match with wrong credit file in some case. Go for a paper application in that case as creditor would then manually pull your information from bureau using your name and date of birth etc. Hope this helps.
Sr. Member
Aug 14, 2013
548 posts
51 upvotes
Montreal, QC
How come banks give World or Elite class cc with such a limit? I think World class gives at least $5000.
Deal Addict
Nov 18, 2012
1733 posts
727 upvotes
Toronto
If I was OP, I will prefer change to another bank CC, BMO WE master is not much better than TD, OP mention you already had 10K limited with TD, so why not change your TD CC to First class (1.5% reward) / Aeroplan infinite (1.5%~2% reward).

0.5% different reward rate is not a big issue unless you spend over 100K per year. Especially BMO had a annual fee for the WE.
Simple is the best.
Member
Oct 27, 2009
318 posts
64 upvotes
Change banks or put security collateral to increase your limit. I've done that with BMO when I was international student/worker.

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