Applying for L1-B VISA with concerns of credit history

S

spie227

New Member
Hello all,

I am currently residing in the UK and my company wants to send me to USA on a L1-B VISA. I am really keen on making the move however I am having some concerns.
Prior to moving to the UK, I did my MS in USA and also worked there for a few years. One big mistake I made was I did not pay some credit card debt (total of $2000 across 2 different cards) post my exit. I completely should have but did not, I was horrible with my money management and pretty much spent much more than I earned. There are no excuses I should have been more financially responsible and should have known better. Now that I have an opportunity to come back, I am a bit concerned about two things:

1) Will this in any way affect my the L1-B application? I recently travelled to the USA a couple of times on a B-1 VISA sponsored by my employer.
2) Will this affect my life in the USA once I enter? (stuff like renting, leasing car, buying a house etc)
3) Will this affect green card application if I choose to stay on?

Few facts:
- If I were to come, I will be in working/living in a different state.
- Its been more than 6 years since I left USA
- I accessed my credit score on equifax, currently shows approx 550 (poor)
- It says "Accounts with Negative Information = 3" (no clue what this means)
- I do not have any public records or collections (atleast that is what equifax says)


I would really appreciate any help. Thank you.
 
Don’t know about 1 or 3, but sure, a bad credit score is going to be a problem for leasing a car or renting an apartment, or anything really where people expect you to make regular payments. (Cellphone contract for example)

Experian says generally you’d need a credit score of 670 or more to rent an apartment https://www.experian.com/blogs/ask-experian/how-to-get-apartment-with-bad-credit/

chase says you generally need a score of 700 to lease a car https://www.chase.com/personal/auto/education/leasing/what-credit-score-is-needed-to-lease-a-car

both articles have some suggestions for ways around it which generally involves more money upfront.

for something like cellphone, immigrants with no credit history often have to put a deposit down, maybe you can get something like that too.
 
Last edited:
Thank you @SusieQQQ . Based on this it seems to me that coming back and having a normal life in the USA will be difficult for me. Would you know how long will my credit score be affected for unpaid credit card debt?
 
spie227 said:
Thank you @SusieQQQ . Based on this it seems to me that coming back and having a normal life in the USA will be difficult for me. Would you know how long will my credit score be affected for unpaid credit card debt?
Click to expand...
Sorry, no idea, but I’m sure that information is available on the internet, maybe try a site like creditkarma or nerdwallet.

have you investigated the possibility of repaying the debt? I don’t really know how it works but maybe that’s a route to follow to clear the negative info.
 
spie227 said:
Hello all,

I am currently residing in the UK and my company wants to send me to USA on a L1-B VISA. I am really keen on making the move however I am having some concerns.
Prior to moving to the UK, I did my MS in USA and also worked there for a few years. One big mistake I made was I did not pay some credit card debt (total of $2000 across 2 different cards) post my exit. I completely should have but did not, I was horrible with my money management and pretty much spent much more than I earned. There are no excuses I should have been more financially responsible and should have known better. Now that I have an opportunity to come back, I am a bit concerned about two things:

1) Will this in any way affect my the L1-B application? I recently travelled to the USA a couple of times on a B-1 VISA sponsored by my employer.
2) Will this affect my life in the USA once I enter? (stuff like renting, leasing car, buying a house etc)
3) Will this affect green card application if I choose to stay on?

Few facts:
- If I were to come, I will be in working/living in a different state.
- Its been more than 6 years since I left USA
- I accessed my credit score on equifax, currently shows approx 550 (poor)
- It says "Accounts with Negative Information = 3" (no clue what this means)
- I do not have any public records or collections (atleast that is what equifax says)


I would really appreciate any help Thank you.
Click to expand...
When applying for an L1-B visa, it is essential to address any concerns related to your credit history, as it can impact your overall application process. While the primary focus of the L1-B visa is on your professional qualifications and the specifics of your intra-company transfer, your credit history can also play a role, particularly in demonstrating financial responsibility and stability. If you have any negative marks or issues in your credit history, it is advisable to proactively provide explanations or documentation that clarify the context and steps you have taken to resolve these issues.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top