Question: Whats the deal with credit for a person new to the states? I'll be moving to the states from England to live with my husband and was wondering if anyone knew what credit will be like for me? I know that my credit history will not be passed from England but it I'm wondering how hard it will be for me to apply for bank accounts, credit cards etc etc. Thanks

Answer: My cousins are coming from overseas and imigrating to the U.S. So I have a general idea. It's very difficult for them right now to get credit cards due to their lack of any credit history. The only ones available are either bank cards that they open an account with, or other credit card companies that will give them a small credit line and require annual fees.\n\nTo quickly build credit, I would recommend opening a bank account of course, start paying some sort of bills (utlities) quickly to get a record of on-time payments. You will quickly establish a history and your credit situation will improve. I hope that helps!\n\nGood luck!\n\n**EDIT:\n\nI just noticed you said you were moving to the U.S. to join your husband. If he already has credit, then you might want to also consider opening joint credit cards with his name on the card. This will also help you establish credit without having to start from the ground up. You'll get a "boost" from his credit.
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