Are there problems for Visa Credit Card Application Form?

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Q. Are there problems for Visa Credit Card Application Form? I am currently doing a practical training in the states. The company where I am doing that training is interested in hiring me. The job description is "software engineer" in the field of Web development. But there are some problems: - I don't have a B.A / B.S. because we don't have such degrees in Germany and I do not have a German diploma (M.S.), yet. Has anybody experiences, if INS accepts some years of study plus work experience, instead? - It looks like it is hard to get a credit card, a loan or to lease a car without permant residence in the U.S.. With a H1B I wouldn't have permanent residency in the States (right?!?). Has anybody with a H1B experiences with credit, loan, lease ?????? Is a Green Card a lot more expensive than a H1B? What are the reasons to aply for H1B instead of applying for Green Card and vice versa?!? How long does it usually take to get a H1B or a Green Card? - And anyone know Application Form?

A. - There are two ways to get a credit card: 1. Open a credit card in a department store (JCPenny, Sears, etc.) Make a couple of purchases - it will start your credit record. A month later apply for a credit card (not Discover with a non- immigrant visa) 2. Apply for a credit card with a kind of security deposit that is frozen in your name. - In my experience, INS does accept study plus work experience if you can prove to them that it is equivalent of bachelor's degree and qualifies you for the job position. If my memory serves me correctly, at the time I applied for H-1B, my lawyer told me that 1 year of work experience roughly amounts to 3 month worth of college study. To make the case, my lawyer had a university professor (who I've never met) in a relevant field review my work experience and college records. Note that this was several years ago, and I'm not sure if the rules have changed since then. As for credit card, some banks issue you secured credit cards if you are employed even though you don't have permanent residency. If you keep prompt payments and good credit history, the banks would give you back the deposit (and the card becomes non-secured, regular one) - in my case, it took about two years. Another way is to get someone else to guarantee or be co-borrower of your loan/lease/credit card - that person has to be credit worthy. - Even getting a department store cards can be difficult. It can be refused on the basis of information from a credit reporting agency - and that is checked for most department store cards. If you are new to the US you will have no credit history, no credit report and that is tantamount to bad credit. Credit cards with security deposit or account are usually debit cards, i.e. they work like signing checks, the sum must be present in a bank account and is immediately withdrawn from the bank account as the purchase is made. These DO NOT build up credit history. Banks are usually reluctant to grant EVEN debit cards to aliens, as these are checked for available funds real time, which does not always work outside the US, and banks fear that aliens might go back to their home countries and exceed their bank account funds with their debit cards. In other words aliens are asked for CREDIT history even for DEBIT cards. - here is my experience for credit card application. I applied to Secured Visa card from Citibank in July 1994, the second year I came to U.S. You can call Citibank to get an application form for Secured Visa/Master card. No previous credit history is required. No permanent residence status is required. The qualified applicants must have at least $8,000 annual income. However, you do not have to provide W-2 form, paycheck slip or any other document to support your claim about your salary. You are better not to have record of credit delinqency or cirminal record. You must have a street address so that your bill can be mailed to this address. A P.O.Box address which you rent from a postal office is not sufficient. You have to have been staying at this address for at least 6 months although more than a year is even better. You'd better have stayed with your current job for at least one year, although it is very unlikely the bank will verify this. If you currently have a phone servie under your name, it is even more convicing evidence. It tooke 6-8 weeks for me to get a secured credit card with a credit line of $300. Actually, the credit line is the amount of the check which you mail to the bank along with your application form. You choose the amount of your credit line when you decide how much deposit you want to send to the bank. The deposit has a term of one and half year with an annual interest rate around 4%. You can choose a deposit amount ranging from $300--$5,000 . There is $20 annual membership fee for secured visa card. It is very reasonable. I paid my bill in full each month. No late payment and no overdraw. By Dec. 1995, the Citibank returned my $300 deposit and reissued a regular visa card. The new card had no annual fee and did have a new credit line of $1,000. Half years late, Citibank increased by visa card credit line to $1,700. Later, they lowered by interest rate from 19% to 15%. This was my experience with Citibank. This was my first achievement in the U.S. I successfully assisted my other friends to get secured credit even though they are newcomers, know no English and have no credit history. But they are hard-working, have a regular bank account, and always keep their promises. So, I think appying for a credit card is really no big deal. You just got to be a little bit patient and be a law-abiding person. Now, I am studying in the nation's #2 best accounting Program toward my master degree. I hold a full scholarship and, also, got a handful of credit cards. But I still think it is my first Citibank visa card that, for the first time, brought me the sense of achievement in U.S. and gave me great encouragement to do better in this strange but wonderful new land.

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