US Credit card while living in the UK?

Is it possible to get a US credit card while permanently residing in the UK? If & when husband and I plan to go back to the states, I would like to have some credit built up already. I've tried to fill some forms out online but all of them require a US address, whereas I don't have one. What do I do?

I very much doubt that you will be able to get a US credit card without a US address or US credit record.

In the small print of every credit card application I've seen it says you need to be a resident of the US.

Do you have a credit union account? Perhaps call them and ask them if you can apply for their card?

This is a way of getting a US credit union account while living in the UK. I haven't tried it myself. Perhaps they have options for applying for a credit card?

https://www.americansabroad.org/sdfcu-account/

Access to State-side banking services!  Even if you don’t have a residence or address in the US, you can have a US account, called a ACA-Members/SDFCU account. This is a US account with the State Department Federal Credit Union.  Free checking accounts, savings accounts, IRA accounts, and a wide range of banking services are available, all online.  Based on individual circumstances, these can include dollar-based credit and debit cards, lines of credit, loans, IRA accounts, and much more through ACA members-only access.

Please post back with your results if you try the credit union approach.

In the small print of every credit card application I've seen it says you need to be a resident of the US.

Do you have a credit union account? Perhaps call them and ask them if you can apply for their card?

This is a way of getting a US credit union account while living in the UK. I haven't tried it myself. Perhaps they have options for applying for a credit card?

https://www.americansabroad.org/sdfcu-account/

Please post back with your results if you try the credit union approach.

I applied last week, waiting to go through verification and then I'll find out if I am approved or not. Thank you!

I kept a US checking account with a credit union for three years after I moved to England but one day, they simply closed the account and sent me a check with what money I had left in the account. I guess they realized I was no longer in the US. I also had a credit card with Wells Fargo but as soon as I paid of my balance, they shut my account. I have been in the US for the past 13 years and my HSBC account that I opened up in Reading is still valid and my address is here in Houston. Maybe HSBC can help you out. Good luck!


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I kept a US checking account with a credit union for three years after I moved to England but one day, they simply closed the account and sent me a check with what money I had left in the account. I guess they realized I was no longer in the US. I also had a credit card with Wells Fargo but as soon as I paid of my balance, they shut my account. I have been in the US for the past 13 years and my HSBC account that I opened up in Reading is still valid and my address is here in Houston. Maybe HSBC can help you out. Good luck!


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For sure HSBC allows non- residents to retain their accounts. I kept my HSBC account for 29 years living in the USA with my US address on file with them. In the USA I opened an account with HSBC USA and they know that I am now resident in the U.K. and have my U.K. address on file.

UPDATE: I got approved for an account at SDFCU! Will let you know the progress on the next step which is getting the credit card. Thanks so much.

UPDATE: I got approved for an account at SDFCU! Will let you know the progress on the next step which is getting the credit card. Thanks so much.

Well done!!

UPDATE: I got approved for an account at SDFCU! Will let you know the progress on the next step which is getting the credit card. Thanks so much.

So far, so good!   

Glad that you got approved!

I was about to chime in and say that I still have a US credit card through my local credit union.  It is registered to my parents' address but they know perfectly well that I reside in the UK, even have a note not to block purchases in the UK attached to the card.  Hopefully you will have no problems from here on out!

As a notice for anyone wanting to get an SDFCU account....

While I did pay the $70 to join the americans abroad... there was a much cheaper route, which is going through the american consumer council ($15 LIFETIME membership)

Thank you guys for all of the help! <3

Hihi!! Another update: I was able to get the card successfully. I've read up on some forums and apparently they just give this card away to everyone who applies since there is no credit check or income verification.

How do you do this?

Here are a couple of such services I found using Google search on "virtual mail box US"

https://www.smartscandigitalmail.com/?gclid=Cj0KEQjwmcTJBRCYirao6oWPyMsBEiQA9hQPbjDz0wHP4ZJ5CT4YWTutp6AYQp6A6Ldf6P_y9FvizdUaAoWV8P8HAQ

http://www.virtualpostmail.com/

I've heard that they are popular among the perpetual RV'ers who move around the USA following the best weather.

I've heard that they are popular among the perpetual RV'ers who move around the USA following the best weather.

That's the life! 

That's the life! 

In 2014 we met such a couple in one of the National Parks (Grand Tetons) and it did seem like a good life.  They had both been teachers and had got into RV'ing many years earlier.  When they retired they sold their house and bought a big RV, and towing a small car they had been following this lifestyle for several years.  They were in the Grand Tetons after spending some time in Canada.  They had several RV sites that they stayed at regularly each year, and spent much of the winter in Arizona.  I asked about mail and they told me about the PO Box trick.  I also asked about which State they were considered resident in and they told me but I can't recall which one, but it was one that had no State income tax and was "friendly" to retirees and RV'ers.  They had to spend a few weeks in the State each year to maintain residency status.