# credit cards



## tracey69 (May 20, 2012)

moved over 8 weeks ago have a bank account got a car on finance and mobile phones for myself and hubbie on contract but cannot get a credit card anyone know how to get one or a store card ?????


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## Jrge (Mar 22, 2011)

Hi,


tracey69 said:


> moved over 8 weeks ago have a bank account got a car on finance and mobile phones for myself and hubbie on contract but cannot get a credit card anyone know how to get one or a store card ?????


When I opened my accounts they approved me on the spot. Same happened to my wife and son when they opened their accounts.

Now my wife went to Sears, applied for one and got it. Not happy with it, went to the bank and got the one for Target. She's telling me the only document she has brought was her letter of employment.

Animo
(Cheers)


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## EVHB (Feb 11, 2008)

Store credit cards are difficult. Ask your bank to give you a secured credit card; you give them $500 or $1,000 deposit, in return you get a CC with a $500 or $1,000 limit. (not all banks want to do this, so ask somewhere else if your current bank doesn't want to cooperate).


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## Caz n Neil (Oct 6, 2010)

Try and get a secured credit card each, then both of you will get credit rating points, that is separate cards not principal and second card. HSBC do secured credit card and TD bank I believe


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## Sarah_anne (May 6, 2013)

I guess you are not an immigrant (do not have the PR) because if you are, the banks must give you credit cards.

I know that TD used to give credit cards with a 500$ deposit to non immigrants and after sometime you would be able to change it to a normal one.

There is also the option of credit-debit cards which work like credit cards, u can use them for online shopping and etc. but you don't have the 'credit' in a sense that you cannot spend more than what you already have in your account.


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## thinkering (Apr 24, 2013)

Sarah_anne said:


> I guess you are not an immigrant (do not have the PR) because if you are, the banks must give you credit cards.
> .


Even if someone has a low credit score, history of non payment, or undischarged bankruptcy?

I've never heard of legislation or other rules requiring financial institutions to give credit cards to every person with PR status, but I may have missed it.

I have heard of banks being more flexible for new immigrants who do not have any credit score, as that could be a new lifetime customer. Some banks target new immigrants specifically.


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## EVHB (Feb 11, 2008)

Banks don't have to give you a credit card.


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## Jrge (Mar 22, 2011)

Hi,

Never heard of Banks must issuing credit cards to anyone. Anyhow, OP, go and talk to your banking rep. They should be able to help you out, especially if y'all are newcomers. 

Animo
(Cheers)


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## Sarah_anne (May 6, 2013)

thinkering said:


> Even if someone has a low credit score, history of non payment, or undischarged bankruptcy?
> 
> I've never heard of legislation or other rules requiring financial institutions to give credit cards to every person with PR status, but I may have missed it.
> 
> I have heard of banks being more flexible for new immigrants who do not have any credit score, as that could be a new lifetime customer. Some banks target new immigrants specifically.



From Tracey69 comment it didn't look like he was refused to get a credit card after doing the background check, I assumed he was told that they cannot even start the application. Otherwise it is definitely true that one might be rejected on the credit card application due to having a low score or bad history.

In general some banks refuse to give credit cards to non immigrant new comers during the first months of their arrival depending on their nationality, etc.


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## EVHB (Feb 11, 2008)

How it went with us: we went to the bank, and ended up with the bank manager. We talked about our plans to buy a house in the near future and our wish to establish a good credit rating asap. She asked one of the tellers to come in and handle our application. That application would come back negative (so no credit card), but than the teller could refer us to the bank manager, and she had the power to overrule that refusal.  (that's why she could not do the initial application)
We both got unsecured credit cards with a $1,000 limit each, none of us had a job in Canada at that moment because we went to the bank within the week after our landing.
I must say we had a substantial amount of money in our account with that bank. But if that's not the case, it can be helpful to ask for a secured credit card.
Also important regarding the utility bills: take some in your name, some in your partners name. That way both of you get a record that is good for your credit score.


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