Amex Global Transfer

Lectral wrote: ↑ Can anyone confirm wether or not Amex global transfer does a credit inquiry with Transunion? Or if they approve based on your existing credit with Amex Canada.

Not sure which one they pull with, but the online FICO score for US based AMEX credit cards shows the data coming from Experian.

The intent of the global transfer is that they will use your credit history from your relationship with them... so yeah. The idea is that they will approve based on your Canadian history. If you are looking for a US credit card to start building your credit history, you might also look in RBC Bank (US) and/or TD Bank (US). Though I will say that unlike Canada, AMEX is pretty widely accepted in the US.

Lectral wrote: ↑ Can anyone confirm wether or not Amex global transfer does a credit inquiry with Transunion? Or if they approve based on your existing credit with Amex Canada.

Are you asking if they do a credit inquiry with TransUnion Canada? or with TransUnion USA?

I guess I should have asked if they do any sort of hard inquiry at all.

Lectral wrote: ↑ I guess I should have asked if they do any sort of hard inquiry at all.

Why does it even matter? Unless you have something to hide, a borderline credit score, or a compulsive credit seeker, a hard credit inquiry shouldn't mean anything to you. People really need to stop this madness. It's sad:

thanks for the kind reply.

coolintheshade wrote: ↑ Why does it even matter? Unless you have something to hide, a borderline credit score, or a compulsive credit seeker, a hard credit inquiry shouldn't mean anything to you. People really need to stop this madness. It's sad:

For somebody (like myself) who churns 4-6 cards per year, a hard inquiry is absolutely important and to be avoided wherever possible.

They do a hard inquiry if they can, and it makes the approval easier. Otherwise they will need a lot of other stuff like employment details, tax statements - depending on card and country.

I did US->Canada a few years ago and it was seamless. I didn't have much/any credit in Canada, and did a transfer of the platinum card and got it without issues/questions within 2-3 days.

Then tried US->India for a gold card, but too many questions, issues etc.

I had applied for Global Transfer (UK - > CA) in Sept 2016. I never had been to CA prior and thus never had a credit history. I wasn't expecting a hard check as its Global Transfer - but my TransUnion report lists a Hard check by Amex.

From what i understand - they do a hard check but regardless of the results they issue the card based on history with Amex.

rfdjugaad wrote: ↑ I had applied for Global Transfer (UK - > CA) in Sept 2016. I never had been to CA prior and thus never had a credit history. I wasn't expecting a hard check as its Global Transfer - but my TransUnion report lists a Hard check by Amex.

From what i understand - they do a hard check but regardless of the results they issue the card based on history with Amex.

So they hard pull in the destination country? You saw no such pull in UK?

If that's the way it works OP, then I would expect a hard inquiry with a US bureau, and not any Canadian one (I'm assuming here GT from CA -> US).

My US Amex free FICO score says it uses Experian data as someone else already posted ... so probably that's the one it will show up on. US Experian (there is no Canadian Experian I think )

sahiljain22 wrote: ↑ They do a hard inquiry if they can, and it makes the approval easier. Otherwise they will need a lot of other stuff like employment details, tax statements - depending on card and country.

I did US->Canada a few years ago and it was seamless. I didn't have much/any credit in Canada, and did a transfer of the platinum card and got it without issues/questions within 2-3 days.

Then tried US->India for a gold card, but too many questions, issues etc.

Blame it on Indian Amex - Amex in India work way different from other countries - incompetent & have weird policies. I had a hard time applying for a Gold charge and eventually gave up as it wasn't worth the effort.

ace604 wrote: ↑ So they hard pull in the destination country? You saw no such pull in UK?

If that's the way it works OP, then I would expect a hard inquiry with a US bureau, and not any Canadian one (I'm assuming here GT from CA -> US).

My US Amex free FICO score says it uses Experian data as someone else already posted ... so probably that's the one it will show up on. US Experian (there is no Canadian Experian I think )

I haven't checked my UK records yet.

I don't think they will do a pull on UK due to following (just my thoughts)

1. I am not applying for a UK card - so the regulations doesn't enforce Amex to do a credit check / address verification.
2. Amex already knows my spending pattern & payment history in UK - they need not rely on an external credit check to make a decision.

ace604 wrote: ↑ (there is no Canadian Experian I think )

They pulled out of Canada in 2008ish

rfdjugaad wrote: ↑ I haven't checked my UK records yet.

I don't think they will do a pull on UK due to following (just my thoughts)

1. I am not applying for a UK card - so the regulations doesn't enforce Amex to do a credit check / address verification.
2. Amex already knows my spending pattern & payment history in UK - they need not rely on an external credit check to make a decision.

I haven't checked any US reports to see if there are inquiries there from my CA -> US Global Transfer, but there are none on my Canadian TransUnion report (via CreditKarma.ca) which *does* show all the other Amex Canada inquiries for my Canadian Amex card apps.

So, OP, it seems like the destination country Amex will do a hard inquiry but not the source one.

Thank you everyone for the responses. I will be be applying at some point this week and I will let everyone know the if there are any inquiries.

Lectral wrote: ↑ Thank you everyone for the responses. I will be be applying at some point this week and I will let everyone know the if there are any inquiries.

Applying to which country?

The last time I tried to do a Global Transfer, they wanted proof of permanent residency in the other country - something such as a power bill or landline with the address and my name on it. Without that, they would not process it.

Oh, that would be a problem for me. I live on a border city to Michigan,so I go across often. I will still give it a shot and update everyone on what happens. Can't hurt to ask I guess.

Lectral wrote: ↑ Oh, that would be a problem for me. I live on a border city to Michigan,so I go across often. I will still give it a shot and update everyone on what happens. Can't hurt to ask I guess.

Search the US bank accounts for Canadian monster thread for "global transfer". Lots of example posts (including myself) of using a mailing address to get the card (at a mail forwarding/receiving place) and just giving them a 2nd address that is a "physical residence" for regulatory purposes (use a friend/relative - no need to tell them who's address it is )

You probably need to prove you have a US-soil bank account to pay the bill and they may want to confirm your US address with that. You can easily change the address on your US bank account back and forth between the US mailing one and other one if need be.

EDIT: Added link: us-bank-account-credit-card-canadians-943374/

I started the application over the phone and they said they would be in touch. A couple of hours later, I received an email from them requesting permission to access my tax information from the IRS. I phoned them back on the Global transfer line, and explained to them that I live in Canada, so I can't provide that, but I can provide proof of income either through paystubs or CRA tax summaries. They told me they require me to have a US bank account, and income proof from the IRS. I explained to them again, that I can't provide any information from the IRS. The rep said they would escalate it to the executive team, and someone would get back to me within 4-5 days. I'm not very optimistic at this point.