What happens to your credit if you move to a new city? Not much other than updated address. If you move to a new state? Still not much. If you move to a new country? Watch out! Credit reporting systems are different in each country and your credit history doesn&39;t usually make the move. Here&39;s a question about establishing credit in a new country from one of our readers:

My name is Leanne and my husband and I moved from Australia to the USA in August 2005.  Doug is a USA citizen and I am a permanent resident.

We are in the process of trying to buy a home and are having a very difficult time because we do not have an established credit history.  Back in Australia, we had a mortgage that we were paying off and credit cards.  They have obviously now been paid out.

We currently have a Bank of America/Alaska Airlines secured credit card.  However, we have been advised that it takes 6 – 9 months for any credit score to be generated.

My first question is this.  We have family who are prepared to add us to their credit cards (ie. obtain additional cards for us).  The family members have very good credit scores and are financially stable.   Do you know whether adding us to their credit cards will have a positive impact on our credit score?  And if so, do you know how much of their credit score we “take on” and how quickly it will show on our credit report?   Does the credit card need to be used each month in order for the credit provider to report to the Credit Agencies?

Secondly, do you know of any other ways we may be able to “quickly” establish a credit score?

Thirdly, are you aware of any way we can transfer our credit history from Australia to the USA?

I have benefited greatly from your website.  Thank you.

Opening up a secured credit card is a great first step for Leanne and Doug. Secured credit cards are very easy to open and can help to establish your credit history within just a few months. Leanne and Doug should first check their credit reports to see if the account is reporting monthly and to see if they even have a credit report yet.  It is possible that they have seen some improvement already just from using this card each month. Let&39;s answer the rest of their questions:

1. Being added to someone else&39;s credit cards can be a good way to establish credit. You&39;ll basically get score "credit" for having more accounts than you really do. However, it is a bit risky. You are basically tying your credit histories together. If someone misses a payment on the card, every one associated with the card will get a credit score ding. The card will appear on your credit report even if it is not being used every month, but it is much better if it is used and paid off regularly. I would suggest joining one of their accounts but otherwise focusing on establishing your own accounts.
2. There&39;s a great article online here by our credit scoring expert all about how to establish credit. This article is geared toward 20 year olds, but the tips work for Leanne and Doug&39;s situation too.
3. There isn&39;t a way to transfer your credit history to the United States unfortunately. Each country has a very different credit reporting system and they don&39;t translate well. However, it wouldn&39;t hurt to print out a copy of your Australian credit history and share it with your mortgage lender. It could help you get a better deal, especially if you are working with a smaller lender or a credit union.  I&39;ve heard of lenders referencing Canadian credit records before.

Leanne and Doug are well on their way to establishing their credit. Once they get their credit scores above the 700 range, they should be able to get pretty decent mortgage rates. Have you worked to establish your credit in a new country? Share your tips and stories in the comments section.