I intend to use my US credit cards in Qatar rather than apply for Qatari ones. In your opinion is that going to be a hasstle or any drawbacks I should be aware of.
Well, I plan to stay for a while, actually I will working in Qatar. I do all my banking on-line and no paper statements. I have the Capital one card and I will consider having a local card, I am just trying not to cancel all these cards that I have and I want to maintain my credit score.
If you intend staying here for a while, then a locally issued local currency denominated card is recommended. Using an overseas card will attract high exchange exposure and transaction costs.
Just make sure its a visa or mastercard. AMEX and Discover are less accepted over here.
Call the credit card company and ask what their international transaction fees are. Some are only 1%, but will often apply to even debit cards at ATM machines when getting cash.
Other things to consider:
What is the length of your stay?
Do you plan to open any local accounts (checking, savings)? If so, a credit card from the local bank might also be easy to manage.
Do you currently manage your accounts electronically? Making everything "no paper" will save you from having to worry about statements getting lost between here and there.
I'm currently in the process of planning a move to Qatar myself; while people who are already there may be able to give you more details, I would offer a couple of points for you to consider. For one thing, most of the US credit card companies add a 2-3% currency conversion fee on transactions made in foreign currencies. (I think Capital One is an exception and either doesn't assess such fees or has a much lower rate.) That can add up in a hurry. Another potential concern is that you may have trouble using the credit card (assuming you keep a US billing address) if you try to do online shopping from Qatar.
I believe that HSBC offers a credit card with no currency conversion charges in connection with its expat packages; I'm still looking into it, but that might be an option for you.
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Well, I plan to stay for a while, actually I will working in Qatar. I do all my banking on-line and no paper statements. I have the Capital one card and I will consider having a local card, I am just trying not to cancel all these cards that I have and I want to maintain my credit score.
It is always, better to use a local credit card, otherwise u might face a huge amount different çox of conversion rate. U end up paying huge amt.
So apply for a credit card in Qatar.
From my experience.
If you intend staying here for a while, then a locally issued local currency denominated card is recommended. Using an overseas card will attract high exchange exposure and transaction costs.
Just make sure its a visa or mastercard. AMEX and Discover are less accepted over here.
Call the credit card company and ask what their international transaction fees are. Some are only 1%, but will often apply to even debit cards at ATM machines when getting cash.
Other things to consider:
What is the length of your stay?
Do you plan to open any local accounts (checking, savings)? If so, a credit card from the local bank might also be easy to manage.
Do you currently manage your accounts electronically? Making everything "no paper" will save you from having to worry about statements getting lost between here and there.
Las Vegas,
I'm currently in the process of planning a move to Qatar myself; while people who are already there may be able to give you more details, I would offer a couple of points for you to consider. For one thing, most of the US credit card companies add a 2-3% currency conversion fee on transactions made in foreign currencies. (I think Capital One is an exception and either doesn't assess such fees or has a much lower rate.) That can add up in a hurry. Another potential concern is that you may have trouble using the credit card (assuming you keep a US billing address) if you try to do online shopping from Qatar.
I believe that HSBC offers a credit card with no currency conversion charges in connection with its expat packages; I'm still looking into it, but that might be an option for you.
Hope this helps.