Renewing Credit Cards

[curtklay]

I'm wondering what the best way is to maintain US credit card accounts after retiring to Thailand. I can have my US mailing address and phone number changed to my brother's, but when they send out a new card to replace an expiring one, the sticker usually says "you must activate this card from your home phone". OK, no problem, but usually I will get transferred to an agent who will ask several security questions that my brother may not be able to answer. So, I'm wondering is it better to just call the card issuer and tell them I'm living in Thailand and request they send the card to my Thai address? From other posts, it seems they may not go for that even though I pay online and have a solid history. I would certainly like to keep my cards active for things such as airline tickets and web shopping. Any advice will be appreciated.

[gotlost]

My US credit cards are sent to me at my Thailand address and activation is done by phone and there has never been a problem.

[Jingthing]

My US credit cards are sent to me at my Thailand address and activation is done by phone and there has never been a problem.

Did you tell them this is your permanent address or do you maintain a US billing address? I have also heard many stories of people running into problems telling them you live in Thailand. Edited December 27, 2009 by Jingthing

[allane]

Different credit card companies have different policies. You don't have to start with the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, but try this:

Have someone still in your home country phone in and make a general enquiry on behalf of a friend/relative (you) who is currently travelling abroad.... "What if he is away for 3 months...?, What if he is away for 6 months...?" This should prompt the person taking the call to give a general statement of the company's policy. Once you have heard it, you can then decide what to do next. Don't make the initial call yourself, if you are already abroad. They have call display, and can see where you are calling from.

This next part is a bit off-topic, but I mention it anyway to help others. Maintain all of your home country credit cards if you can. You never know when some unforseen mix-up can result in one of them being cancelled. I once did what the OP is planning, selecting as my contact a stable, married couple who had been in the same house for 15 years or so. Unbeknownst to me, they decided, a short time later, to move to a new city, of course forgetting to tell me. My new credit card landed in the mailbox of an empty house, with a notice on the outside saying "Do not forward, if the addressee has moved."

[Jingthing]

I use the friend method. I activate the cards myself using a US Vonage phone number from Thailand. The problem is getting the physical cards. ATM cards too. I think its too risky to mail them and I understand it is forbidden to mail them by Fedex (except if from the issuer). So I don't get them until a physical trip.

Another question is banks. If you come out to your cc companies, well they share this info on your credit record. Wouldn't some US banks cancel your account if you moved abroad?

Edited December 27, 2009 by Jingthing

[ballbreaker]

I have three of the major cards and all have Thai address as my home. The only company that will not send card to that address is American Express but they do arrange for me to pick up at their Bangkok office. Never had any problems.

[curtklay]

My US credit cards are sent to me at my Thailand address and activation is done by phone and there has never been a problem.

Any issuers in particular that are receptive to this? I have Cap 1, Bank of America, Citibank, Wells Fargo, and Chase Visa cards, as well as American Express.

[allane]

Again, a bit of an off-topic digression, but a further thought which I had meant to include in my first post above, particularly for anyone who keeps a credit card for emergency use only: Use your home country credit card at least once every 364 days. Some companies have a policy of cancelling a card (with no prior notice), if it has not been used for a year. Keep the subsequent statement and some sort of calendar or diary, so you will remember to use it again before the next 12 months are up.

[JusMe]

Excellent point, allane. And I'm not sure if once a year is enough. Maybe six months? One can sometimes check their policies on inactivity and cancellation of the card. I hold mine for emergency or big purchases, but sure as H don't want it cancelled!

At one time, I ensured that I maintained a positive balance with my credit card company. They couldn't cancel it if they actually held fifty or a hundred dollars of mine. However, as my card is now paid automatically by bank debit, it's difficult to arrange a credit balance on it.

I remember last time I had to activate my card (from North America, not here), all I had to do was phone and go through a phone menu. Never spoke to a real person.

[Jingthing]

They are actually canceling more often than before for most any reason they can think of. Part of the credit card crunch and credit card companies being hot and bothered.

[givenall]

I have no problem with my Visa card that has my Thailand address as billing address. Have already gotten a renew card at my address over here. I had lots of problem with AmExp. They accepted my Thailand address as billing address but refused to send the card over here. They wanted a US address to send the card to even when I had my billing address over here. I cancelled it and no big loss

[phetaroi]

I don't know the answer to your question. But, much to my surprise, I have notified all three American credit card issuers, and each one said fine, no problem that you are now a retiree living in Thailand. I do still have an American mailing address.

[Jingthing]

I don't know the answer to your question. But, much to my surprise, I have notified all three American credit card issuers, and each one said fine, no problem that you are now a retiree living in Thailand. I do still have an American mailing address.

Could you be more specific? So they have both a Thai address and a US address on file? Which is classified as your billing address?

[MrRichard2009]

This might not be the greatest advice but .... If you say your card was "lost"( a month or so before expire) and request they send you another, assuming they send to Thailand, it will come with several more years on it than the old one. Just get one that activates by ATM

[Pakboong]

I have used both a Thai address and a US address with not that much difficulty. I have had to have my cards fed exed by my family from the US address but activation can be done by phone from Thailand. I just did it with my Capitol One card a few days ago.

[allane]

This is an awfully hard topic to summarize in a few words. Different credit card issuers in the same country (to say nothing of different countries) have different policies. Credit is a privilege, not a right, and there is no requirement for standardization. Read the fine print of your Cardholder Agreement. If you are still in your home country, make some telephone enquiries. If you are already abroad, you may want to have someone in the home country do it on your behalf. Remember that whomever you are talking to has call display on their telephone, and can easily put a note on your file if they suspect that the caller is being economical with the truth. That note will then be visible to everyone in that call centre if you call again.

[KhunG]

Is this a Thailand only issue? I've had no problems transferring my billing address/phone number for US credit cards to other countries when I moved overseas for work.

Also, does anyone have any experience with using a mail forwarding service to maintain a US address and using a US VOIP phone number? I'm also considering that when we make the move back to LOS.

Edited December 28, 2009 by KhunG

[lopburi3]

I changed from US to Thai address for Chase card many years ago with the only issue being there is no provision for this using automated systems. You will have to make change by phone. And you will not have access to on-line account payment options (I have linked to US checking account for automatic payment).

[speicher]

I have used both a Thai address and a US address with not that much difficulty. I have had to have my cards fed exed by my family from the US address but activation can be done by phone from Thailand. I just did it with my Capitol One card a few days ago.

I did exact same thing except have only US billing address, activated here, no problem

[vagabond48]

I don't know the answer to your question. But, much to my surprise, I have notified all three American credit card issuers, and each one said fine, no problem that you are now a retiree living in Thailand. I do still have an American mailing address.

Could you be more specific? So they have both a Thai address and a US address on file? Which is classified as your billing address?

When US financial institutions (most) allow a mailing foreign address, I use my Thailand PO box. From my personal experience, the mailing address that appears on your CC statement is considered your billing address.

Edited December 30, 2009 by vagabond48

[JimGant]

I think its too risky to mail them

What's the risk? If the card is stolen in the mail, it can't be used since you haven't activated it.

I guess it could be removed and copied during transit -- but a close look at the envelope could reveal resealing. In any event, the copy-in-transit risk is no greater than other methods of theft -- a non risk, actually, since 100% is covered, if reported in a timely manner.

Some banks, USAA anyway, give you the option to activate on their website.

Edited January 1, 2010 by JimGant