No wonder people like to shop at Lazada.

[flying]

Sorry I tried a search as I know I have seen info here before.

I was not able to find it although it could be buried in one of the banking threads with 100's of replies.

Anyway ......Question is how to maintain a US credit card in Thailand when living full time in Thailand.

Do US banks allow it? Do they require a US mailing address?

Of course I will check directly but just wondered what others who already moved have found.

These are mainly cards in my business name... But I also have some in my name alone.

Thanks for any info/experiences

[villagefarang]

My US credit card company had no problem with me changing my address to Thailand but I had trouble using it. When filling out an online form the transaction would sometimes get blocked once I entered my Thailand address. It doesn’t show up as a refusal back at the credit card company so they think there is no problem. I had to switch back to using a US address. Just my own experience.

[flying]

My US credit card company had no problem with me changing my address to Thailand but I had trouble using it. When filling out an online form the transaction would sometimes get blocked once I entered my Thailand address. It doesn’t show up as a refusal back at the credit card company so they think there is no problem. I had to switch back to using a US address. Just my own experience.

Thank You for that info.

For your US address does it (or a service) forward mail periodically or do you have someone do that for you?

Also if I may ask what about when your new yearly cards come? Do you have them mailed to Thailand or the US & forwarded?

Thanks

Edited February 21, 2012 by flying

[villagefarang]

My US credit card company had no problem with me changing my address to Thailand but I had trouble using it. When filling out an online form the transaction would sometimes get blocked once I entered my Thailand address. It doesn’t show up as a refusal back at the credit card company so they think there is no problem. I had to switch back to using a US address. Just my own experience.

Thank You for that info.

For your US address does it (or a service) forward mail periodically or do you have someone do that for you?

Also if I may ask what about when your new yearly cards come? Do you have them mailed to Thailand or the US & forwarded?

Thanks

Fortunately I have the option to have all mail delivered electronically. My cards are not yearly, thankfully, and in the past they would send a duplicate here if I requested. I have also had cards forwarded from the US as there is someone who can do that for me.

[tonititan]

I've never had a problem with maintaining a US credit card. If you can receive & pay your bills online, then the address isn't an issue. I kept my US address on my accounts because I knew this wasn't a permanent move, so when I make purchases, I continue to provide my US billing address. All correspondence is delivered to me electronically, but the address listed on my account is my permanent address (relatives live there), so they get anything that slips by. I've had both my family & my credit card company send new cards in the mail to Thailand, and so far, no problems.

[Jingthing]

I use a U.S. address of a friend. I wouldn't risk changing my address to Thailand on my U.S. bank, credit card, or brokerage accounts if I could help it. Obviously, results are going to be different with different people and companies. Also, I reckon changing to mailing service address will be a red flag for some firms. It's rather a mine field, I think. One reason I maintain multiple bank relationships as backups.

[lovetotravel]

If you can, try USAA. They deal with thousands and thousands of members who don't have permanent addresses in the US.

[givenall]

My US credit card company had no problem with me changing my address to Thailand but I had trouble using it. When filling out an online form the transaction would sometimes get blocked once I entered my Thailand address. It doesn’t show up as a refusal back at the credit card company so they think there is no problem. I had to switch back to using a US address. Just my own experience.

I also have a US credit card with Thailand address and had no issue at all. I also made sure the security department know i live in Thailand and had never problem being blocked

[mstribling]

Like the others, I maintain an US address. I have my Thai residence listed as residential address,and my US address listed as mailing/billing.

Use of the Thai billing address forces you to use Thai iTunes, which is unsatisfactory.

[flying]

I also have a US credit card with Thailand address and had no issue at all. I also made sure the security department know i live in Thailand and had never problem being blocked

This is something I assume I have to do also. When ever I am in Thailand a few months a year I always notify the CC company.

Not that I use my cards but in case I do they do not think it is odd/fraud

I am thinking as most said a US address & let them also know I am in Thailand

Thanks for all the replies

[mstribling]

Good point. My bank is notorious for freezing my card at inopportune moments. Certainly keep them abreast of where your going.

[TongueThaied]

I will just add that you should BEWARE of adding a Thai address as your permanent address with any US financial institution. The euphemistically named Patriot Act will constantly screw with you if you do.

For example, I live here permanently and was trying to wean myself off reliance on US friends and relatives. I changed to my Thai address, then noticed my electronic bill pay services were cut off. I called my financial institution and they thought it was the fault of some website updating and assured me everything should be in order the following day. It wasn't. I called back and the representative seemed puzzled and said they would have to investigate. The following day, the representative called me back and very apologetically reported that the US Patriot Act prohibited this kind of financial transaction without a permanent physical US address, and that, accordingly, their computers had blocked the service. I told him to change back to my US address. He did so and the services were restored.

I also know that regardless of income or net worth, it is impossible to open a new financial account without a physical US address becasue of the Patriot Act. I have heard tales of people using remailing services for this purpose, but haven't tried it. I just use a friend's address. I get everything electronically, including tax statements, and have instructed him to simply shred anything that comes in the mail.

The upshot is that some of you may have an existing credit card and have registered a Thai address with it and have no problems. But if you want to err on the side of safety, it is better to let sleeping dogs lie. During the period where I was trying to change everything over to my Thai address, it triggered a massive cut in my credit limit on one card and I had another cancelled entirely. I have AAA credit with no blemishes, and had maintained several credit cards (four) as hedges against possibble short term emergency. The Patriot Act has really been a financial thorn in my side.

I also tried to change my US PayPal account to my Thai address. Impossible. I then opened a Thai PayPal account, but could not put in a US credit card; I had to use my Thai debit card with that one. So I have two PayPal accounts, one US and one Thai. I have tried to use the Thai PayPal account for transactions in the US. Sometimes it works and sometimes the transaction is denied. Nowadays, I just keep them separate: US accounts for US transactions and Thai accounts for Thai transactions. This has simplified things and eliminated a lot of frustration.

All this is a real pain. If my friend dies suddenly, for example, I am faced with quickly finding a new US confidant and changing all the addresses. On top of everything else, using a permanent address at which I have never resided nor ever intend to reside is probably somehow fraudulent or otherwise illegal, but what can I do? Life for a US expat has some bullshit challenges.

I have no plans to ever again set foot on US soil.

[Naam]

forget any US card in Thailand (or any other country including the US) if the card is not used regularly. that is my experience.

[flying]

I will just add that you should BEWARE of adding a Thai address as your permanent address with any US financial institution. The euphemistically named Patriot Act will constantly screw with you if you do.

I have no plans to ever again set foot on US soil.

You bring up some interesting points in regards to the Patriot<sic> Act ..that I have also thought about.....Also like you I do not plan to return but am not ready to close all doors just yet.

Thanks for the tips

[flying]

forget any US card in Thailand (or any other country including the US) if the card is not used regularly. that is my experience.

Yes that is another thing....as the years roll by I find I use a card less & less. Even when I do to book travel, I pay it off immediately & never carry a balance.

So like you say I am guessing they would eventually close/downgrade it.

Edited February 22, 2012 by flying

[lopburi3]

I have had a Chase card changed to Thai address for the last decade and have automatic payments made from this without issue to several parties and last was done today. I also have USAA card with Thai address and no issues. What can be an issue is filling in US on-line payment information so good to have a US address card for some of them where they require a valid zip code to match address and even insist on US phone number and such. Bad software is more of an issue than having foreign address.

[curtklay]

I have had a Chase card changed to Thai address for the last decade and have automatic payments made from this without issue to several parties and last was done today. I also have USAA card with Thai address and no issues. What can be an issue is filling in US on-line payment information so good to have a US address card for some of them where they require a valid zip code to match address and even insist on US phone number and such. Bad software is more of an issue than having foreign address.

Absolutely correct. I have had no problems with any credit card companies using my Thai address. They all send renewal cards here as well. The only thing is, you have to use the cards periodically or else thay are liable to cancel the account due to "non-use".

My US Paypal account would not work, but all I had to do was open a new Paypal account with my Thai address. There was no problem linking a US credit card to it. I purchase from Ebay and other online companies regularly. As Lopburi3 says, the only glitch is some order forms don't let you enter a country other than US, usually because they don't ship outside the US.

[Naam]

forget any US card in Thailand (or any other country including the US) if the card is not used regularly. that is my experience.

Yes that is another thing....as the years roll by I find I use a card less & less. Even when I do to book travel, I pay it off immediately & never carry a balance.

So like you say I am guessing they would eventually close/downgrade it.

that's not the problem i experienced. what happened was (among others) a silly phone call in the middle of the night

-did you just charge £ 86.50?

-no i did not, i was sleeping.

-then we have to freeze your card.

-....................................................

-WAIT! my wife is presently in London. she must have used it.

and then the usual phone calls after spending a couple of months out of the U.S. and the Mrs stocked fridge, freezer and larder

"did you make today purchases in WinnDixie for $ 38.96, in Publix for $ 61.43, in bla-bla for in bla-bla for and in bla-bla for...???"

[flying]

that's not the problem i experienced. what happened was (among others) a silly phone call in the middle of the night

-did you just charge £ 86.50?

-no i did not, i was sleeping.

-then we have to freeze your card.

-....................................................

-WAIT! my wife is presently in London. she must have used it.

Hope you stopped it in time

Edited February 22, 2012 by flying

[ericthai]

As other stated, i too use a US address but have everything sent Electronic. I use my mother's address and she forwards new cards to me. My capital one works here but my local bank credit card will not work. Last time i was in the US i went and talked to them and they will not release the block on Thailand. This card has protection on it for fraud so the bank is responsibility to reimburse me on any charges not made by me. So they are protecting themselves. Capital one is pretty good, exchange rate is not bad and no extra fees for using in Thailand.

Eric

[Javabear]

As other stated, i too use a US address but have everything sent Electronic. I use my mother's address and she forwards new cards to me. My capital one works here but my local bank credit card will not work. Last time i was in the US i went and talked to them and they will not release the block on Thailand. This card has protection on it for fraud so the bank is responsibility to reimburse me on any charges not made by me. So they are protecting themselves. Capital one is pretty good, exchange rate is not bad and no extra fees for using in Thailand.

Eric

I use Capital One here also. No foreign transaction fees and a decent exchange rate. Customer service and fraud protection are A-1.

[4evermaat]

it is possible to have different billing and mailing addresses. military/overseas-friendly banks like USAA, Navy Federal, BoA (Military), etc are well familiar with this process. USAA even allowed you to call in a do a temporary change to clear a charge and then it would revert back to the previous address on file at midnight (similar to a temporary limit increase).

[Jingthing]

Basically, there is no simple answer here. It's a case by case with lots of variables. I think its fair to say though in some cases there is some risk of causing a problem if you change to a Thai address for some U.S. financial institutions. BTW, one of my credit cards has been kept open for years and I have gone three years one time with no use. So again, it's hard to make simple blanket statements about these matters, and of course, policies change over time.

[TongueThaied]

I have had a Chase card changed to Thai address for the last decade and have automatic payments made from this without issue to several parties and last was done today. I also have USAA card with Thai address and no issues. What can be an issue is filling in US on-line payment information so good to have a US address card for some of them where they require a valid zip code to match address and even insist on US phone number and such. Bad software is more of an issue than having foreign address.

Absolutely correct. I have had no problems with any credit card companies using my Thai address. They all send renewal cards here as well. The only thing is, you have to use the cards periodically or else thay are liable to cancel the account due to "non-use".

My US Paypal account would not work, but all I had to do was open a new Paypal account with my Thai address. There was no problem linking a US credit card to it. I purchase from Ebay and other online companies regularly. As Lopburi3 says, the only glitch is some order forms don't let you enter a country other than US, usually because they don't ship outside the US.

Are you guys using your US Credit/debit cards with Thai address with a "billpay" service, which is NOT the same as "automatic payments''? Automatic payments are usually to "recogniized payees," whereas with billpay service, you go online and direct a payment to anybody anywhere. I was specifically told that because of the Patriot Act, I could not have the billpay service on an account that did not include a US physical address (no PO box). I guess the theory is that I could send a payment to somebody that Uncle Sam doesn't like. I'm just curious.

It seems like a fine distinction between an automatic payment and billpay, but I sure experienced the problem. I'll also mention that the financial institution was Charles Schwab, a company that gets my absolute highest praises. They were very apologetic.

I was also unable to link my Thai PayPal account to a US credit card, becasue I could not enter a US billing address. I suppose if I had a US credit card that had a Thai address, like some of you have, it might have worked.

My feet are on Thai soil, but I seem forced to live in two worlds. Even if I forego every US financial service, I still have to file my annual FBAR report. You can run but you can't hide!

Edited February 22, 2012 by TongueThaied

[lopburi3]

I have used only for monthly chage to several USNET providers over the years. As for paying bills have done that also but directly to payee not using any "service".

[curtklay]

I have used only for monthly chage to several USNET providers over the years. As for paying bills have done that also but directly to payee not using any "service".

Same here. I pay my bills directly to the creditor online. I pay all my credit cards online linked to my US checking account. All card issuers have only my Thai address as my residence. My Paypal account is linked to one of those cards. Never a problem, except that sometimes PayPal sends my payment confirmation in Thai. Capital One is the only card that requires a mailing address in the US, so they send new cards to a friend who forwards them to me. They know I live in Thailand, and have no issue, other than they won't send the new cards overseas. All billing and payments are done electronically. They are also the only card I have that doesn't charge a foreign transaction fee. So, their logic escapes me.

Edited February 22, 2012 by curtklay

[redsox44]

American Express is the only U S credit card that has any problem. By that I mean when the card expires they refuse to mail a new card to a Thai address. They claim too many were lost / stolen. I have mine sent to my sister and she then forwards it to me. Went this route twice.

[pomchop]

As other stated, i too use a US address but have everything sent Electronic. I use my mother's address and she forwards new cards to me. My capital one works here but my local bank credit card will not work. Last time i was in the US i went and talked to them and they will not release the block on Thailand. This card has protection on it for fraud so the bank is responsibility to reimburse me on any charges not made by me. So they are protecting themselves. Capital one is pretty good, exchange rate is not bad and no extra fees for using in Thailand.

Eric

Agreed capital one is very user friendly as no foreign exchange fees, no declines, and on mine i even get 3% cash back on all purchases. Chase Mileage plus card which i had for twenty years was endless hassles, charged an extra 2% on purchases and got declined even with a 25k credit limit and me telling the morons in advance i would be in thailand. Then of course they want you to call them in usa and sit on hold so they can ask you your mothers maiden name....for YOUR protection...which of course is total BS as it is for THEIR protection...I tried to verify for them online but NO you have to call them...i once asked them WHAT do you recognize my voice? DUH...I once asked them do you people not notice that i have been in thaiand the same months every year for the last ten years so why would you be surprised that i am once again in thailand...they don't have a clue but love to refer you to their "security" who also seems oblivious to ever look at your past charges and spending patterns.

So i solved the problem by cancelling the chase card and i now have no hassles and am 5 % better off than with Chase. Chase is not the least bit user friendly for foreign travel on a united airlines mileage card....uh duh, the airline mileage card might be a CLUE that your customers might travel??

[curtklay]

As other stated, i too use a US address but have everything sent Electronic. I use my mother's address and she forwards new cards to me. My capital one works here but my local bank credit card will not work. Last time i was in the US i went and talked to them and they will not release the block on Thailand. This card has protection on it for fraud so the bank is responsibility to reimburse me on any charges not made by me. So they are protecting themselves. Capital one is pretty good, exchange rate is not bad and no extra fees for using in Thailand.

Eric

Agreed capital one is very user friendly as no foreign exchange fees, no declines, and on mine i even get 3% cash back on all purchases. Chase Mileage plus card which i had for twenty years was endless hassles, charged an extra 2% on purchases and got declined even with a 25k credit limit and me telling the morons in advance i would be in thailand. Then of course they want you to call them in usa and sit on hold so they can ask you your mothers maiden name....for YOUR protection...which of course is total BS as it is for THEIR protection...I tried to verify for them online but NO you have to call them...i once asked them WHAT do you recognize my voice? DUH...I once asked them do you people not notice that i have been in thaiand the same months every year for the last ten years so why would you be surprised that i am once again in thailand...they don't have a clue but love to refer you to their "security" who also seems oblivious to ever look at your past charges and spending patterns.

So i solved the problem by cancelling the chase card and i now have no hassles and am 5 % better off than with Chase. Chase is not the least bit user friendly for foreign travel on a united airlines mileage card....uh duh, the airline mileage card might be a CLUE that your customers might travel??

I have 3 Chase cards. I use them all in Thailand. Never had a problem.

[curtklay]

American Express is the only U S credit card that has any problem. By that I mean when the card expires they refuse to mail a new card to a Thai address. They claim too many were lost / stolen. I have mine sent to my sister and she then forwards it to me. Went this route twice.

Am Ex told me they would send new cards to their Bangkok office where I could pick them up. Way to far for me, so I had to cancel the card.