Living overseas but need to access the U.S. iTunes store

Roxpat wrote:
I am a U.S. citizen with a valid U.S. address and a valid U.S. credit card. However, I currently live overseas in Qatar (Middle East) and will be here for another year or two.

I'm trying to set up an account, but the iTunes store defaults to Arabic (and presumably not the U.S. store).

Any idea on how I can get the iTunes store to provide me with the option to set up a U.S. account?

i'm afraid that you can't ! the T&Cs mandate that you would need to be geographically present in the States to access the US store.

Roxpat wrote:
Thanks for the response, Jolly Giant.

Actually, it is possible to access the U.S. iTunes Store from overseas. My husband has an account that he opened years ago - I cannot remember whether we were back home in Texas at that point or if we were in Australia or Argentina. In any case, he is definitely able to use it to purchase music.

My issue involves opening an account - perhaps that is the glitch with the T&C. 😟

i don't doubt it's possible, i doubt if it is legit

From the itunes store terms of service:

"Purchases or rentals (as applicable) from the iTunes Store are available to you only in the United States, its territories, and possessions, and are not available in any other location. You agree not to use or attempt to use the iTunes Store from outside of the available territory. Apple may use technologies to verify such compliance"

Roxpat wrote:
What a bummer.

One would think that a U.S. account would be accessible from wherever a person is - it seems odd that a business traveler, for example, couldn't access the store while on a business trip. That said, the T&C seem crystal-clear the way you've written them. Major bummer.

On the flip side, if Apple really wanted to keep U.S. travelers from using the store then it seems like they could do so automatically - I'm sure they can tell, for example, when my husband logs in from here.

Thanks again for the info, Jolly Giant, even if I don't like the answer 😉

my pleasure <Edited by Host>>

if it's any consolation, it's the content owners, not Apple, that are to blame

good computing ...

Navigate to the US iTunes store by clicking on the little flag on the bottom right of the store window.

Once there you can create a new account by entering your US address and credit card details - just make sure your credit card is issued by a US bank and the billing address matched your US address.

slickest wrote:
Navigate to the US iTunes store by clicking on the little flag on the bottom right of the store window.

Once there you can create a new account by entering your US address and credit card details - just make sure your credit card is issued by a US bank and the billing address matched your US address.

from my post avove

From the itunes store terms of service:
"Purchases or rentals (as applicable) from the iTunes Store are available to you only in the United States, its territories, and possessions, and are not available in any other location. You agree not to use or attempt to use the iTunes Store from outside of the available territory. Apple may use technologies to verify such compliance"

i think that's pretty clear. it isn't citizenship or a US credit card - it's location !

while you can technically do so, Apple may have a problem with you doing so

edited by the Jolly Green Giant (where Green stands for environmentally friendly)

Did I misunderstand the original question? I thought the post asked HOW to do it - not if it is allowed, which as you rightly point out is not.

slickest wrote:
Did I misunderstand the original question?

no, of course you are right

I thought the post asked HOW to do it

true, but you open an account to potentially purchase/download content

and, the subject reads +Living overseas but need to access the U.S. iTunes store+

edited by the Jolly Green Giant (where Green stands for environmentally friendly)

Roxpat wrote:
Grrr.

(:-)

i feel for you. sorry to be the bearer of bad news !

<Edited by Host>

Ok, well it can be done as I said in my earlier post, but keep in mind Jolly Giant's warning that you will be breaching the T&Cs. Breaching the T&Cs means you are running the risk of having Apple delete your account, thus losing access to the DRM content you have already purchased.

but surely they wouldn't punish this six-Mac, three iPod and one iPhone household

It has nothing to do with punishment or Apple not wanting you to do it.
It has to do with copyrights and who (which company/music label/movie house) has what rights to sell items in a specific country.
An item might be licensed in one country by Label A but licensed in another country by label B.
If/when the entertainment industry gets its act together and understands there are very few individual markets anymore (due to the internet), perhaps it will get cleaned up.
Until then, companies that sell these items are obliged to live by the rules and at a minimum, Apple feels confident the way they handle it meets the intent.