Credit Cards

Amex address verification

  • Last Updated:
  • Jul 27th, 2021 11:50 am
Tags:
None
[OP]
Newbie
Feb 7, 2011
28 posts
18 upvotes

Amex address verification

Hi, my wife applied for an Amex card and they want to do a two-step authentication. First step is easy - confirm an existing bank account.

Second step they want one of the following documents:
-Notice of assessment (she immigrated this year, so doesn't have one yet)
-T4 (same as above)
-Canada Pension Plan statement (not receiving pension)
-Utility bill (all in my name as she moved in with me and I pay the utilities, and she's on my Bell mobility account, but her name doesn't show up on the bill)
-Property tax bill (we rent)
-Vehicle registration (we don't own a car)

Anyone been able to convince them to do some other kinds of ID verification? Changing utility bills costs money and will take some time to get a new bill.
9 replies
Sr. Member
User avatar
Mar 28, 2008
735 posts
688 upvotes
What about an ID card? Anyone who does not have a driver's licence should have an ID card.
[OP]
Newbie
Feb 7, 2011
28 posts
18 upvotes
She has her PR card, but it doesn't have an address on it. And driver's licence isn't even one of the options. They would only accept vehicle registration documents.
Deal Fanatic
Jan 19, 2017
8496 posts
4994 upvotes
If she works, how about a pay slip. If she doesn’t work, then no credit card company would give her a credit card.
Sr. Member
User avatar
Mar 28, 2008
735 posts
688 upvotes
An ID card is not equal to PR card, for example Ontario has Photo Card

https://www.ontario.ca/page/ontario-photo-card

Different province has a similar card like this, only with a different name. I guess you should explain this to Amex and ask them to accept ID card. (An ID card will have address and photo for the applicant, this should be sufficient enough)
Deal Fanatic
Jan 19, 2017
8496 posts
4994 upvotes
ml88888888 wrote: If she works, how about a pay slip. If she doesn’t work, then no credit card company would give her a credit card.
Since she has no credit history because she is a new immigrant, she will most likely not be approved for a cc. Why not get a card under your name and get a secondary card for her.
Last edited by ml88888888 on Jul 26th, 2021 10:22 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Deal Addict
Feb 26, 2006
4347 posts
2923 upvotes
Ottawa
Kiraly wrote: Does your home rental agreement have her name on it? Try that. For this purpose it is equivalent to a property tax statement for renters.
This, tenants have had me add their wives to the lease for some reason or other. At least one who immigrated here
Sr. Member
Mar 25, 2015
875 posts
794 upvotes
As credit history is being built individually, she might have to get secured card from big bank first, prove that its being paid off to then graduate to unsecured card area (by which moment she will already have some history).
Secured card from TD is one of such options...

Amex won't give cc to person without any credit history. They ask for this prove because they need it to request credit file from credit agency (and they won't find any if its ground zero)
[OP]
Newbie
Feb 7, 2011
28 posts
18 upvotes
Amex told us they have approved her so that's not the issue. They said all they need to issue the card are these proofs of ID. She does have a short credit history as she got a no-fee unsecured Visa from CIBC right when she arrived. We did find a document from CRA entitled "Notice of (re)assessment" for a GST refund she applied for with her name and address. We submitted that and hope it works.

Top