iTune US Account with foreign CC?

Question

Level 1

1 points

iTune US Account with foreign CC?

(Sorry, I couldn't find a more appropriate section for my question).

Hi everyone,

I have a US iTunes account. I'm currently working overseas and would like to change my payment credit card to a local one - Saudi Arabia.

If I change my credit card to the Saudi credit card, will that change my account from a US to a Saudi store account?

If yes, what will happen to the apps I've already purchased/downloaded that are exclusive to the US iTunes store?

Thanks a lot for your help,
David

iMac, MacBook Pro

Posted on Aug 1, 2010 1:10 AM

Reply

Answer 1

q-bit

Level 1

34 points

Sep 10, 2017 9:20 PM in response to Dawood82

I can confirm. This is a frustrating Rube Goldberg conundrum.

I am a US citizen and have been working and living in New Zealand (as well as Saudi in 2015). I changed my mailing address with my US bank credit card issuer to a New Zealand address so I could still receive paper statements from the bank. Apple stopped accepting payments from that US credit card, because the mailing address was in NZ.

NO ONE at Apple customer support knew or could figure this out. It took 4 days of frustration and intentional calls, before I just switched the mailing address on file with the bank back to a USA address.

Payments immediately began working again. But, now I can't get mail from my bank.

This is really, really bad customer billing processing for those US citizens who travel extensively and for extended periods. It is very disruptive, and feels kind of spiteful that Apple gets to dictate the terms of your relationship and correspondence with your banking institutions.

I basically have to choose between paying Apple (to keep all my iCloud service) and getting mail on time from my bank.

Reply

Answer 2

Aug 1, 2010 7:45 AM in response to Dawood82

No you cannot use a Saudi Bank CC with the USA iTS. You must have a CC that is from your iTS country - meaning that you have a USA iTS account hence the CC must come from a USA CC issuing entity.

You can open a second account from the Saudi iTS but I suspect that the only content available will be apps.

If you have apps and media from the USA iTS they should continue to work even if you have iTS Saudi content.

MJ

Reply

Answer 3

kuzkoo

Level 1

9 points

Aug 1, 2010 11:05 AM in response to Dawood82

Hi David,

May I ask why you want to use a local CC instead? Well I mean I am in the same situation. I opened my iTS account in England with a UK CC and then moved over to Cameroon for work. I still maintain my UK CC and do my purchases on the iTS normally. I do have a CC issued here in Cameroon but for starters, they have no dedicated iTS. I would advice to simply maintain your US card (you could maintain a card with a relatively small balance as this may be easier to manage) and do your purchases normally as every time you open the iTS, it'll automatically take you to the US store. Plus I do not get charged extra as if this was an overseas transaction.

Reply

Answer 4

roaminggnome

Level 10

106,401 points

Aug 1, 2010 11:08 AM in response to Dawood82

You are not allowed to use the U.S. itunes store from outside the U.S.:

"Tunes Store

TERMS OF SALE

U.S. SALES ONLY

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."

http://www.apple.com/legal/itunes/us/terms.html

Reply