I moved country, changed iTunes stores and now my Apps can't be updated!?

So,

will receive the updates on iOS devices or NOT? Because at page 3, someone is reporting that he got a response from Apple claiming that he will NOT receive updates on the iOS devices.

Also what happens with the Mac App Store?

Does anybody tried to delete and RE-download a purchased app?

The best solution is to keep an open CC, this is what I did, not planned that way just never got around to closing my cards, and becuase I still travel back to Canada regularly I kept my bank accounts. open. Once I got an iphone and ipad it was simple to set my country to Canada inspite of living in Europe I´ve had no problems.

Also you can access any store for NON PAID stuff like pod casts etc.

Maybe Apple should go the way of Amazon, which, as long as you put in some address, will allow you to use any credit card. For example for kindle app I made up a UK address and use my Spanish credit card.

My main complaint with switching countries is language, not sure about you but I don´t care to watch videos in German or Spanish or what ever, I want my stuff in English.

Just a quick overview on (mobile) applications only:

Apple reps have mentioned that one will not receive notifications of updates on applications in iTunes, iOS or the Mac Apps Store:

When you change countries, you will no longer receive app update notifications on your iOS device or in iTunes for the apps you purchased in your original country. However, you will still be able to download those applications again for free if they are present on your new country's store (even if they are updated). You will not be charged and the download will not appear on your Purchased page. If the app is not available in your new country, you will not be able to download it again.

As for solutions:

1) Keep separate Apple ID's, which is a non-solution really

2) As Rob Madrid (https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2443094?answerId=18498828022#18498828022) pointed out, keep your creditcard, that will allow you to swap back and forth to the original country, download updates etc.

3) As outlined by the Apple Rep, automatic iTunes and iOS updates will malfunction for the original store content, but one can perfectly manually download an item. For these items, the 'Upgrade'-button will not be available, and one would have to gamble by clicking 'Buy', at which point iTunes or iOS will mention that you have already purchased this item so the upgrade is free. It seems the same holds for the Mac App Store.

4) If you'd rather not gamble with manually updating in iTunes, murilogh (https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2443094?answerId=18299908022#18299908022) mentioned a technique for tricking iTunes in providing you updates from previous stores without having to provide valid billing credentials for said country. I can confirm this works for me. Unfortunately this technique does not seem to work for the Mac App Store, so before switching countries, write down or screen cap your 'Purchased'-list, so you know which items you could potentially have eligible updates for.

Regardless of which option you go for, write down all your purchased content, whether it's iTunes or Mac App Store. Make sure you know exactly what you bought previously.

Tim,

your suggestion of "1) Keep separate Apple ID's, which is a non-solution really" is not recommended.

I tried to go this solution last time, spend thousands of USD in music, video, apps, Mac Apps etc. Then suddenly Apple terminate my ID saying that I violate the Terms. It took me weeks to convince them to reenable my ID, then luckily, they enable again my ID, and ask me to spend the rest of my store credit, then as long as I change my country.

I won't take a chance of my main ID to be disabled again. I'd rather missing some functionality rather than they terminate my Apple ID for good.

JSJ

In regards to being able to download old apps freely without being charged, BE CAREFUL. I originally purchased Sim City Deluxe on iPad for $0.99 in 2010, went to download it today on the same Apple ID and was charged $6.99 for the privilege.

Unsure why it happened with this app and not others. Have filed a support request with Apple.

It just happened to me this week with two apps (mortal kombat and sonic ) both which I bought last year or on 2010 from the US iTunes account..(I am in the DR store now ) They charged me again.. But didn't happen with other apps I also bought before (in the US iTunes store )... It could be something random or because the app has an update like 1.0 to 1.2.. But I guess they are not supposed to charge for updates but for upgrades like 1.2 to 2.0 maybe.. Orrrrrr maybe since last month and on , they will start charging for every app bought on other countries like If you never bought it ... I believe they should just make one iTunes store globally just like

Amazon is ( or at least I know ).

You could also try keeping your old Apple ID settings (not changing country or anything when you move) and keep using that account. If you don't want to keep your credit card after you leave, you could use Gift Cards to actually purchase the apps. Keep the Apple ID in the US, Canada, or wherever you're from and just buy iTunes Gift Cards in your current country and redeem them on you Apple ID. That way you still have access to all your purchased apps and can continue to update without changing Apple IDs, and you can purchase apps using the Store Credit.

Ok,

Just a quick post. I moved from london to Zurich and changed my apple id. All my purchases disappeared in my Mac App Store. However, I could re-download all of them free of charge. So my advice would be, switch your billing details to what the used to be (in my case UK) take a screenshot of your apps. Switch over again to your new billing address and download the apps again (it will prompt you asking if your sure you want to buy this, but will then say the standard you have already purchased this etc.).

I guess this means my Apps wont update anymore but at least I dont have to fork out thousands again. If you want to update it; delete it and re-download. I assume the Mac App Store downloads the latest version - which makes the whole policy even more ridiculous....

Hope it helps

Me too.

I used to study abroad in US and now I'm living in Thailand though I still use the gift cards to buy musics and applications from iTunes Store, Appstore, and Mac Appstore, also to subscribe the iTunes Match.

But this week after Apple annouced the Asian iTunes Store to sell the musics and movies I decied to change the account to Thai Store and tie it with my credit card (which means I will easily buy more contents from Apple).

No luck. The iTunes Store Support Team (?) didn't allow me to change the store due to my left out store's credit and my remaining iTunes Match subscribe also they won't let me (or anyone) to transfer what you already bought to the new store which that feel like I have to throw away what I've already paid for (about $700).

For now I will keep using US Store but waiting for the time that iTunes Store would allow user to transfer the purchased contents to new store. (who knows, they even open iTunes Store in my country which never in the Apple's world map before so may be they will change the policy too.)

I wonder if anyone at Apple even reads these comments and has any understanding of the frustration their obstructive Gestapo-like approach causes users who have to travel for their living?

Anyway, I have figured out the perfect solution ...... Apple should just hand over iTunes to Amazon.

I have an Amazon account while liviing in New Zealand, Sweden, London, Australia and now Vietnam.

In every country I opened new Bank Accounts with new Credit Cards and Amazon didn't have any problem dealing with that - still workd fine in Vietnam.

What the **** is the problem with Apple. Come on guys lift your game. This is the digital world .... oh, you should know that?

So I'm not alone... and not that it makes me happy in any way.

I purchased a Mac in 2011 and opened my first Apple ID when i was in the UAE. My Mac came with a copy of iLife, and my life seemed to be going pretty smooth (atleast until then).

Last month, I moved to Canada, and updated my Apple ID to point to the Canadian store with a Canadian credit card. (Yes, I was so-called dumb to shut my UAE bank account/credit cards)...

In anticipation of OSX-Mountain Lion, I decided to do a clean install of Lion before the upgrade. All went smooth until I tried to download the iLife that came free when I initially purchased my Mac. Some of you have mentioned above that:

(1) You can download purchased software free of cost, or

(2) You can re-purchase the apps by biting the bullet again.

In my case, neither are possible. I have a button "ACCEPT" next to iPhoto, GarageBand and iMovie. Clicking on it simply says this is purchased through another store and cannot be downloaded.

So you may thinking... Ahem, change your country ...

Nope, I cannot do that because I have iTunes Store credit that still needs to be used up and is non-transferable. And Oh, i was dumb to close my UAE credit card. Moreover, is this something i will live with until my end? First get my iLife from UAE store and then change to the store of whichever country I currently live in?

I then wrote to Apple hoping someone will offer a solution. I just realised after reading this entire thread that all I got back was a copy/paste of standard statements that do not provide any solution. In some points, it was just pure contradiction.

The final solution that Apple suggests is for me to change my Apple ID back to UAE if I want to use iPhoto application. Else, look for some other Photo application.

And this is coming from the world's top tech company? I wonder which fish-brained nitwit was behind the mechanics of Apple IDs.

That's really unacceptable. It sounds like you have it worse than a few of us. You deserve access to iLife, you paid for it. Especially as a student.

I suggest you phone apple and ask to be put through to Customer Relations (note: NOT customer service — They may fight it for a bit but they'll eventually put you through) then explain that you should have got iLife included with your iMac but you no longer have access and regular Apple support are saying your only choice is to download other photo / video editing software.

Hello everyone...

Just wanted everyone to know that it worked for me as I upgraded to ML... but only for the iLife products purchased in the previous country's store.

I downloaded OSX10.8 ML this morning, and after the install, I went to App Store. The link next to iPhoto, GarageBand and iMovie still showed up as ACCEPT.

I clicked on it again, and it gave me the same error message that this was purchased in another store, but what it also did was to revert the ACCEPT button to one with the APP PRICE so that I can buy it again.

Paying $14.99 for iPhoto would have been much better than getting used to a new software and then re-doing years of photo albums/faces/locations. So I took the plunge... but the next message was that this has already been purchased previously, and therefore its FREE....!!!

I think Apple must have transferred my purchases from the UAE store to the Canadian store (after all the rants I've had on email with Customer Support), only because it was a free product given with my Mac. I dont know; I'm guessing. None of my other UAE-purchased Apps show-up but thats something I'll just have to live it, like everyone else... For now, I atleast get to keep my Photos and Movies the same way I have for some time now.

I can now confirm that it wasn't Apple who did something about the solution I mentioned in the previous post. This morning, I received an e-mail from Apple telling me that they could not do anything regarding my support request, and that my mail was just a valuable feedback to Apple.

So then, is this something that Mountain Lion helped resolve? (Certainly it wasnt Lion, cuz I've tried the same stunts a zillion times on Lion).

In any case, its a bug that I'm now happy to live with!

Another way to go around this would be to set up another Apple ID in the new country that you reside. Does this make sense? Will this work? Provided the only mode of payment one makes is using credit cards instead of iTunes gift cards. Does this sound plausible?

In order to receive updates on the Apps that you purchase from the previous country you're in, you simply login to the first Apple ID. Will this work?