American Express Membership Rewards - Free International Dollar or Euro Green Card

http://www.americanexpress.com/lacidc/iccsite/free_american_express_green_card.shtml

Available in either US dollars or euros, the Card allows you to spend in either currency and then pay your bill direct from your US dollar or euro bank account. This not only minimises the risk of carrying foreign currency but could also save you money on Foreign Exchange charges. Plus you get all the support of American Express at home or abroad. The American Express cards in US dollars and euros are international, which means we have different credit requirements to normal card issuers and we welcome international applicants.

Receive a FREE Green American Express Card in US dollars or euros. Apply before 30 October 2007 and receive it free for life. Offer is limited to the American Express Green card only. The offer of a free Green US$ or euro Card for life will cease if/when the Account is closed for any reason.


Customer Service available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year from the UK
Earn points redeemable on frequent flyer programmes with free enrolment in our Membership Reward programme for the first year.

Easy access to cash in 200 countries

Funds for the unexpected - Emergency Cheque Cashing Service

Global Assist when you need assistance in an emergency whilst travelling
Emergency Card Replacement

While the primary card is free any supplementary cards and Membership Rewards enrollment after the first year would incur fees.

US residents should be aware these cards operate outside the US credit reporting and consumer protection systems.

Information about the ICC version of Membership Rewards in this thread...

http://flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=719741

Is this offer valid for US citizens only or can anyone apply?

Is this offer valid for US citizens only or can anyone apply?

The American Express cards in US dollars and euros are international, which means we have different credit requirements to normal card issuers and we welcome international applicants.

nice ^

if they didnt charge for MR, i might be more tempted. id also be concerned there is a loophole that will allow them to change the "life" part later.

Thanks mia

Thanks MIA. Your posts are always extremely informative. May be a silly question, but if using Euro card (billed in Euros), can you pay the bill with dollars? If so, at what exchange rate? Can you pay online? Thanks.

if using Euro card (billed in Euros), can you pay the bill with dollars? If so, at what exchange rate? Can you pay online?

This would reduce or eliminate the primary benefit of having this type of account which assumes that you have a bank account in the billing currency. These cards are most beneficial if the transactions and payments are all in the billing currency because these cards charge a 2.5% currency conversion fee. This is more than the fee associated with USA issued cards (2%), but less than the fee assessed by UK cards (2.73%)..

Payment options are explained here...

http://www.americanexpress.com/lacidc/iccsite/american_express_payment_options.shtml

If you were to send payment in Dollars for a Euro card account American Express would assess an unspecified fee...

For cards in euros: Cheques drawn on accounts not held in the UK, Switzerland or countries in which the euro is the official currency, or which are not denominated in euros, may incur a handling fee.

Unless your Euro transactions are large I expect it is less expensive to continue using a USA issued card and pay the 2% conversion fee.

http://www.americanexpress.com/lacidc/iccsite/free_american_express_green_card.shtml

Available in either US dollars or euros, the Card allows you to spend in either currency and then pay your bill direct from your US dollar or euro bank account. This not only minimises the risk of carrying foreign currency but could also save you money on Foreign Exchange charges....

Thanks - very intersting. But read this:

PRE-CONTRACTUAL DISCLOSURE OF TERMS AND CONDITIONS
AMERICAN EXPRESS® INTERNATIONAL CURRENCY CARDS

[I]6 Payment
a) You must pay all charges in full when you receive your card account statement. You must pay us in US dollars.

Thanks - very intersting. But read this:


There are two separate card accounts. One is denominated in US Dollars, the other is denominated in Euros. The Dollar card must be paid in Dollars. The Euro card must be paid in Euros.

There are two separate card accounts. One is denominated in US Dollars, the other is denominated in Euros. The Dollar card must be paid in Dollars. The Euro card must be paid in Euros.

Thanks!

I have to read the "PRE-CONTRACTUAL DISCLOSURE OF TERMS AND CONDITIONS AMERICAN EXPRESS® INTERNATIONAL CURRENCY CARDS"
again. This time word-for-word....

Did you read all the question they ask? ... that might be more then I really want to disclose. Next, I know Uncle Sam, IRS that is, has some problems with such cards .. it looks like it's an off-shore-account.

We have had one of these accounts for a few years. I do not know if USA residents are asked to justify the "need" for such an account. In our circumstances the application was straightforward because we also have a residence in the UK.

To be sure there is no misunderstanding, I am not "advocating" these accounts, merely publicizing the fact that they are currently available without the recurring annual fee.

We have had one of these accounts for a few years. I do not know if USA residents are asked to justify the "need" for such an account. In our circumstances the application was straightforward because we also have a residence in the UK.

To be sure there is no misunderstanding, I am not "advocating" these accounts, merely publicizing the fact that they are currently available without the recurring annual fee.

I understand.... I am sending this to some of my friends ... it might be of interest for them, they live in Europe and the US.
Thanks again!

This would reduce or eliminate the primary benefit of having this type of account which assumes that you have a bank account in the billing currency. These cards are most beneficial if the transactions and payments are all in the billing currency because these cards charge a 2.5% currency conversion fee. This is more than the fee associated with USA issued cards (2%), but less than the fee assessed by UK cards (2.73%)..

Payment options are explained here...

http://www.americanexpress.com/lacidc/iccsite/american_express_payment_options.shtml

If you were to send payment in Dollars for a Euro card account American Express would assess an unspecified fee...

For cards in euros: Cheques drawn on accounts not held in the UK, Switzerland or countries in which the euro is the official currency, or which are not denominated in euros, may incur a handling fee.

Unless your Euro transactions are large I expect it is less expensive to continue using a USA issued card and pay the 2% conversion fee.

Mia,

Thanks for this useful thread and information about a free international/dollar card. I thought I might add a couple of useful additional pointers:

--The current application with the free membership for life mentions only U.S. dollar foreign currency conversion and does not discuss Euros. The International Currency Card charges 2.5% for foreign currency conversions to U.S. Dollars (higher than the 2% U.S. fee and a level I have always assumed is higher because of the added costs of collecting and dealing with U.S. dollars through a European billing center). However, I believe the ICC Euro card which is billed through AMEX in Frankfurt is only 2% foreign conversion fee for currencies converted into Euros (the same currency as the Frankfurt billing center in contrast to the U.S. dollar card which is billed through London, where Pounds Sterling is the main currency). Thus, the free ICC Euro card for life may be more competitive to those whose income is in Euros or for U.S. citizens who would like a second Euro account that bills in Euros and can be settled in Euros.

--Normally ICC cardholders in one currency ($ or Euros) can obtain an account in the other currency for a 50% discount off the annual fee. Obtaining the free green card for life is an attractive alternative for those who already have or wish a second account in the other currency-- i.e. they already receive the Plat or Centurion ICC benefits through the primary account, so why not use the free for life offer to obtain the second account in the other currency.

--Membership rewards downside: ICC Customer Service tells me if you have both a $ and Euro ICC account, you must maintain two MR accounts because the main accounts are in different currencies. Thus, unlike the U.S. where you can combine all cards in the same account, it appears that the free for life offer would not necessarily waive the annual MR membership fee for the green card, even if you have an ICC Plat or Cent in the other currency.

These issues are written off the top of my head so I would double check with ICC if any of these issues play a role in your decision to apply for an account.

I thought about a Euro Amex but I found that in the UK, the best bet for foreign transactions is the Nationwide Visa Credit Card (http://www.nationwide.co.uk/creditcard/goldcard/apply.htm) because there is no exchange rate conversion fee. Also, the Nationwide Current account (http://www.nationwide.co.uk/current_account/default.htm) has a Visa debit card which gives cash advances with NO fees whatsoever - you get the interbank rate when you withdraw money at the ATM.

Quite aside from anything else, Amex is not accepted anywhere near as widely as Visa in Europe... :(

Is there a minimum spent? For example, if you don't use the card for a year, will it be suspended?

Anyone know if this offer is available to existing ICC [eg, Platinum] cardholders?

My Platinum IDC is soon up for renewal, and while I would like to retain the IDC MR account (as among other reasons, MR points from a GBP MR account can be converted into the account at a current GBP/USD rate), I rarely use the card, and would overall get greater utility from a UK platinum card--but have no need to pay the annual fee on both (and I have plenty other US-issued credit cards for when I am incurring USD expenses).

If I'm going to be living in Tokyo, should I apply for an International Dollar Card or just continue to use my Platinum Card?

Is American Express even widely accepted in Japan?

...Tokyo, should I apply for an International Dollar Card ...

If you do decide to use an International Dollar Card you may prefer the Asian version...

http://www.americanexpress.com/apaidc/personal_main.shtml

So, if I (a U.S. citizen with 99% of my spending done in the U.S.) were to obtain the U.S ICC, what sort of MR account would I have. Would having this card and accompanying MR account allow for me to earn and transfer MR points to BMI?

That would seem like a great benefit, even if there was a charge for the MR on the ICC card.

Would having this card and accompanying MR account allow for me to earn and transfer MR points to BMI?


Yes, but the BMI transfer rate is 2:1 which means you will need to spend $2 to earn one mile.

I finally applied and got the card within 2 weeks.

If applying for both cards, will both be free?

I'm so bummed I missed this deal by a measily 18 months. Now the euro card costs 100 euros annually.

Are there any other credit cards billed in euros, and available to Americans?

If you have got a German bank account, you could try to apply for a Lufthansa Miles&More Mastercard.

If you have got a German bank account, you could try to apply for a Lufthansa Miles&More Mastercard.

Why? Only when you are SEN or HON it's free, otherwise it's an expensive card. Only when use it frequently it makes sense, otherwise there are cheaper (non-earning) cards available.

And ofcourse, there are quite a few possibilities in other countries.