A free digital nomad credit card finder that shows cards with no foreign transaction fee, and which of them you can get from where you live.
5.0(1 rating)Find credit cards with no foreign transaction fee for life on the move, with lounges, annual fees, and which you can get from where you live.
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This free finder shows the best credit cards for digital nomads: cards with no foreign transaction fee, what each one costs a year, which include airport lounges, and whether you can get them from where you live.
Pick where you live, and the finder puts the cards you can get first, with what each one asks for.
Here's what makes a card good for life on the move, the cards with no foreign fee, and how to build a small set of cards that covers you anywhere.
What is a digital nomad credit card?
It's a credit card that doesn't punish you for living abroad.
Here's what to look for:
- No foreign transaction fee – every payment in another currency at the network's rate, with nothing added
- Travel rewards – points or miles you can use for flights and hotels
- Lounges and protections – airport lounges and travel cover, on the cards that include them
- A card you can keep – issuers set their own rules for where you must live to apply
A fee on every payment adds up when you spend in a new currency each month.
How to use the digital nomad credit card finder
Your choices stay in this browser, so the list is ready when you come back.
The best credit cards for digital nomads
These cards charge no foreign transaction fee.
All of them come from US issuers:
Sapphire Preferred- Annual fee
- $95 a year
- Foreign fee
- None
- Lounges
- Not listed
Sapphire Reserve- Annual fee
- $795 a year
- Foreign fee
- None
- Lounges
- Priority Pass, Sapphire Lounges
Venture X- Annual fee
- $395 a year
- Foreign fee
- None
- Lounges
- Priority Pass, Capital One Lounges
Venture- Annual fee
- $95 a year
- Foreign fee
- None
- Lounges
- Not listed
Bonvoy Boundless- Annual fee
- $95 a year
- Foreign fee
- None
- Lounges
- Not listed
Bonvoy Bold- Annual fee
- No annual fee
- Foreign fee
- None
- Lounges
- Not listed
Amex Platinum- Annual fee
- $895 a year
- Foreign fee
- None
- Lounges
- Global Lounge Collection
Amex Gold- Annual fee
- $325 a year
- Foreign fee
- None
- Lounges
- Not listed
Bonvoy Brilliant- Annual fee
- $650 a year
- Foreign fee
- None
- Lounges
- Priority Pass, unlimited
Bonvoy Bevy- Annual fee
- $250 a year
- Foreign fee
- None
- Lounges
- Not listed
Hilton Honors- Annual fee
- No annual fee
- Foreign fee
- None
- Lounges
- Not listed
Hilton Surpass- Annual fee
- Free in year 1, then $150 a year
- Foreign fee
- None
- Lounges
- Not listed
Hilton Aspire- Annual fee
- $550 a year
- Foreign fee
- None
- Lounges
- Not listed
World of Hyatt- Annual fee
- $95 a year
- Foreign fee
- None
- Lounges
- Not listed
IHG Premier- Annual fee
- $99 a year
- Foreign fee
- None
- Lounges
- Not listed
IHG Traveler- Annual fee
- No annual fee
- Foreign fee
- None
- Lounges
- Not listed
FAB Travel Credit Card- Annual fee
- AED 1,575 a year
- Foreign fee
- None
- Lounges
- You and up to 2 guests
Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite- Annual fee
- CAD 150 a year
- Foreign fee
- None
- Lounges
- 6 passes a year
Chase's guide to applying says card applications ask for a Social Security number or an ITIN, and generally a physical US address.
So these cards suit nomads with ties to the US.
The cards I track in the UK and the UAE do charge a fee abroad:
| Card | Foreign fee |
|---|---|
 Amex Platinum (UK) | 2.99% |
 Marriott Bonvoy (UK) | 2.99% |
 Marriott Bonvoy (UAE) | 1.99% + about 1.15% |
 Skywards Infinite (UAE) | 1.99% + about 1.15% |
 Amex Platinum (UAE) | 2.94% + VAT |
 Amex Platinum Credit (UAE) | 2.94% + VAT |
 Citi Cash Back (UAE) | 2.99% (3% back) |
 HSBC Emirates Skywards Infinite Credit Card (UAE) | 2% |
If you live there, pair a local card with a bank account that has no foreign fee, like the ones in the digital nomad bank account finder.
Build your card kit
One card is one point of failure.
A small kit covers you when a card is lost, blocked or turned down:
- A card to spend with – no foreign transaction fee, for everyday payments
- A way to get cash – a debit card with free withdrawals abroad or ATM fees refunded
- A backup on another network – kept apart from the others, so one problem never stops everything
Pick them from different accounts, and keep the backup somewhere separate from your wallet.
Credit history and digital nomad credit card approval
Being able to apply isn't the same as being approved.
Card issuers look at your credit history, and it's kept country by country, so a history built in one country usually doesn't show up in another.
A few official lines show how this works:
- Chase – sets each card's interest rate "based on your creditworthiness and other factors", and says it requires a Social Security number for its business cards
- American Express UK – asks for no history of bad debt, a permanent UK home address and a UK bank account
- American Express Global Card Relationship – lets Card Members who move apply for a card in their new country, in select countries, using their existing Amex relationship
That's why the finder counts a local credit history as something you may not have yet, and marks those cards medium for you.
The digital nomad credit cards, one by one
Chase Sapphire Preferred
Chase · Credit cardTravel points with no foreign fee, for $95- Annual fee
- $95 a year
- Welcome bonus
- 75,000 points after $5,000 in 3 months
- Foreign fee
- None
- Rewards
- Up to 5x points
- Lounges
- Not listed
- Interest
- 19.49% to 27.74%
It charges no foreign transaction fees, earns 5x points on Chase Travel and 2x on other travel, and its points move to airline and hotel programs.
- No foreign transaction fees
- Points transfer to airline and hotel programs
- Trip cancellation and delay cover
- $95 a year
What you need to apply: A Social Security number or an ITIN; a physical US address (generally required); 18 or over
Visit ChaseChase Sapphire Reserve
Chase · Credit cardLounges and a $300 travel credit every year- Annual fee
- $795 a year
- Welcome bonus
- 100,000 points after $6,000 in 3 months
- Foreign fee
- None
- Rewards
- Up to 8x points
- Lounges
- Priority Pass, Sapphire Lounges
- Interest
- 19.74% to 28.24%
It includes Priority Pass and Chase's own Sapphire Lounges with up to 2 guests, a $300 travel credit every year, and no foreign transaction fees.
- No foreign transaction fees
- Priority Pass and Sapphire Lounge access with 2 guests
- $300 travel credit every year
- $795 a year, plus $195 per authorized user
What you need to apply: A Social Security number or an ITIN; a physical US address (generally required); 18 or over
Visit ChaseCapital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Capital One · Credit cardLounges and 2x miles on everything, for $395- Annual fee
- $395 a year
- Welcome bonus
- 75,000 miles after $4,000 in 3 months
- Foreign fee
- None
- Rewards
- 2x miles on everything
- Lounges
- Priority Pass, Capital One Lounges
- Interest
- 19.49% to 28.49%
Its main cardholder gets Capital One Lounges and 1,300+ Priority Pass lounges, it earns 2x miles on everything, and it adds 10,000 bonus miles every anniversary.
- No foreign transaction fees
- Capital One Lounges and 1,300+ Priority Pass lounges
- 10,000 bonus miles every anniversary
- $395 a year
- The higher travel rates need Capital One Travel
Visit Capital OneCapital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Capital One · Credit cardSimple 2x miles on every purchase- Annual fee
- $95 a year
- Welcome bonus
- 75,000 miles + $300 travel credit after $4,000 in 3 months
- Foreign fee
- None
- Rewards
- 2x miles on everything
- Lounges
- Not listed
- Interest
- 19.49% to 28.49%
It earns 2x miles on every purchase, charges no foreign transaction fees, and its miles don't expire while the account is open.
- No foreign transaction fees
- Unlimited 2x miles on every purchase
- Miles don't expire
- $95 a year
Visit Capital OneMarriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card
Chase · Credit cardA free Marriott night every year, for $95- Annual fee
- $95 a year
- Welcome bonus
- 3 Free Night Awards after $3,000 in 3 months
- Foreign fee
- None
- Rewards
- Up to 17x at Marriott
- Lounges
- Not listed
- Interest
- 19.49% to 27.99%
It gives a Free Night Award every anniversary, automatic Silver Elite status and 15 Elite Night Credits a year, with no foreign transaction fees.
- No foreign transaction fees
- A Free Night Award every anniversary
- Silver Elite status and 15 Elite Night Credits a year
- $95 a year
What you need to apply: A Social Security number or an ITIN; a physical US address (generally required); 18 or over
Visit ChaseMarriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card
Chase · Credit cardMarriott points with no annual fee- Annual fee
- No annual fee
- Welcome bonus
- 45,000 Marriott Bonvoy points after $1,000 in 3 months
- Foreign fee
- None
- Rewards
- Up to 14x at Marriott
- Lounges
- Not listed
- Interest
- 19.49% to 27.99%
It has no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees, with automatic Silver Elite status and 5 Elite Night Credits a year.
- No annual fee
- No foreign transaction fees
- Silver Elite status
- Up to 14x at Marriott, fewer than the Boundless
What you need to apply: A Social Security number or an ITIN; a physical US address (generally required); 18 or over
Visit ChaseAmerican Express Platinum Card
American Express · Charge cardLounges and travel credits- Annual fee
- $895 a year
- Welcome bonus
- As high as 175,000 Membership Rewards points after $12,000 in 6 months
- Foreign fee
- None
- Rewards
- 5x on flights and hotels
- Lounges
- Global Lounge Collection
- Interest
- 19.74% to 28.74%
It opens the Global Lounge Collection, earns 5x points on flights and prepaid hotels, and adds statement credits such as Uber Cash and CLEAR+.
- No foreign transaction fees
- The Global Lounge Collection
- Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite and Hilton Honors Gold status
- Carries your Amex history to cards in other countries (Global Card Relationship)
- $895 a year
Visit American ExpressAmerican Express Gold Card
American Express · Charge cardPoints on dining and groceries- Annual fee
- $325 a year
- Welcome bonus
- As high as 100,000 Membership Rewards points after $8,000 in 6 months
- Foreign fee
- None
- Rewards
- 4x at restaurants
- Lounges
- Not listed
- Interest
- 19.74% to 28.74%
It earns 4x points at restaurants worldwide and at US supermarkets, charges no foreign transaction fees, and its points move to 20 airline and hotel partners.
- No foreign transaction fees
- 4x points at restaurants worldwide
- Points transfer to 20 airline and hotel partners
- $325 a year
Visit American ExpressMarriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card
American Express · Credit cardMarriott Platinum Elite status and unlimited lounges- Annual fee
- $650 a year
- Welcome bonus
- 150,000 Marriott Bonvoy points + $250 credit after $6,000 in 6 months
- Foreign fee
- None
- Rewards
- 6x at Marriott hotels
- Lounges
- Priority Pass, unlimited
- Interest
- Not listed
It includes Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status, 25 Elite Night Credits a year, a Free Night Award every year, and unlimited Priority Pass visits.
- Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status
- Unlimited Priority Pass lounge visits
- No foreign transaction fees
- A Free Night Award every year
- $650 a year
Visit American ExpressMarriott Bonvoy Bevy American Express Card
American Express · Credit cardMarriott Gold Elite status- Annual fee
- $250 a year
- Welcome bonus
- 125,000 Marriott Bonvoy points + $150 credit after $5,000 in 6 months
- Foreign fee
- None
- Rewards
- 6x at Marriott hotels
- Lounges
- Not listed
- Interest
- Not listed
It includes Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status, 15 Elite Night Credits a year, and 1,000 bonus points for each paid stay booked with Marriott.
- Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status
- No foreign transaction fees
- 1,000 bonus points per paid stay
- $250 a year
Visit American ExpressHilton Honors American Express Card
American Express · Credit cardHilton points with no annual fee- Annual fee
- No annual fee
- Welcome bonus
- 70,000 Hilton Honors points + a free night after $2,000 in 6 months
- Foreign fee
- None
- Rewards
- 7x at Hilton hotels
- Lounges
- Not listed
- Interest
- 19.74% to 28.74%
It has no annual fee, includes Hilton Honors Silver status, earns 7x points at Hilton hotels, and charges no foreign transaction fees.
- No annual fee
- Hilton Honors Silver status
- No foreign transaction fees
- Gold status needs $20,000 of spending in a year
Visit American ExpressHilton Honors American Express Surpass Card
American Express · Credit cardHilton Gold status and yearly Hilton credits- Annual fee
- Free in year 1, then $150 a year
- Welcome bonus
- 130,000 Hilton Honors points + a free night after $3,000 in 6 months
- Foreign fee
- None
- Rewards
- 12x at Hilton hotels
- Lounges
- Not listed
- Interest
- 19.74% to 28.74%
It includes Hilton Honors Gold status, up to $200 a year in Hilton credits, and a Free Night Reward after $15,000 of spending in a calendar year, with no foreign transaction fees.
- Hilton Honors Gold status
- Up to $200 a year in Hilton credits
- No foreign transaction fees
- $150 a year after the first year
Visit American ExpressHilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
American Express · Credit cardHilton Diamond status and a free night every year- Annual fee
- $550 a year
- Welcome bonus
- 200,000 Hilton Honors points after $6,000 in 6 months
- Foreign fee
- None
- Rewards
- 14x at Hilton hotels
- Lounges
- Not listed
- Interest
- 19.74% to 28.74%
It includes Hilton Honors Diamond status, a Free Night Reward every year, up to $400 a year in Hilton Resort credits and up to $200 in flight credits, with no foreign transaction fees.
- Hilton Honors Diamond status
- A Free Night Reward every year
- Up to $400 a year in Hilton Resort credits
- $550 a year
Visit American ExpressWorld of Hyatt Credit Card
Chase · Credit cardA Hyatt free night every year, for $95- Annual fee
- $95 a year
- Welcome bonus
- 30,000 World of Hyatt points + up to 30,000 more after $3,000 in 3 months
- Foreign fee
- None
- Rewards
- Up to 9x at Hyatt
- Lounges
- Not listed
- Interest
- Not listed
It gives a free night at a Category 1-4 Hyatt every year, Discoverist status, and 5 tier-qualifying night credits a year plus 2 more for every $5,000 you spend, with no foreign transaction fees.
- A free night every year
- Discoverist status and 5 night credits a year
- No foreign transaction fees
- $95 a year
What you need to apply: A Social Security number or an ITIN; a physical US address (generally required); 18 or over
Visit ChaseIHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card
Chase · Credit cardIHG Platinum Elite and an anniversary free night- Annual fee
- $99 a year
- Welcome bonus
- 140,000 IHG One Rewards points after $3,000 in 3 months
- Foreign fee
- None
- Rewards
- Up to 26x at IHG
- Lounges
- Not listed
- Interest
- Not listed
It includes IHG Platinum Elite status, an Anniversary Free Night every year, and the 4th night free on 4-night reward stays, with no foreign transaction fees.
- IHG Platinum Elite status
- An Anniversary Free Night every year
- No foreign transaction fees
- $99 a year
What you need to apply: A Social Security number or an ITIN; a physical US address (generally required); 18 or over
Visit ChaseIHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card
Chase · Credit cardIHG points with no annual fee- Annual fee
- No annual fee
- Welcome bonus
- 80,000 IHG One Rewards points after $2,000 in 3 months
- Foreign fee
- None
- Rewards
- Up to 17x at IHG
- Lounges
- Not listed
- Interest
- Not listed
It has no annual fee, includes IHG Silver Elite status, and gives the 4th night free on 4-night reward stays, with no foreign transaction fees.
- No annual fee
- IHG Silver Elite status
- No foreign transaction fees
- No yearly free night
What you need to apply: A Social Security number or an ITIN; a physical US address (generally required); 18 or over
Visit ChaseFAB Travel Credit Card
First Abu Dhabi Bank · Credit card- Annual fee
- AED 1,575 a year
- Welcome bonus
- Not listed
- Foreign fee
- None
- Rewards
- Not listed
- Lounges
- You and up to 2 guests
- Interest
- Not listed
People living in the UAE who travel often and want no fees abroad.
- A true 0% fee on foreign currency spending
- 12% back on flights and hotels
- A free return flight each year when you pay the fee
- AED 20,000 monthly salary
- AED 1,575 a year
Visit First Abu Dhabi BankScotiabank Passport Visa Infinite
Scotiabank · Credit card- Annual fee
- CAD 150 a year
- Welcome bonus
- Not listed
- Foreign fee
- None
- Rewards
- Not listed
- Lounges
- 6 passes a year
- Interest
- Not listed
Canadians who travel and want a card with no foreign transaction fee.
- No foreign transaction fee
- Six lounge passes a year
- 150 CAD a year
- Income or assets threshold
Visit ScotiabankThe bank accounts and cards I use
I'm not a US citizen, and I bank with Chase: I have Chase Private Client and Chase Business Complete Checking. Private Client has no foreign exchange fees and no ATM fees worldwide, and Chase waives its $35 monthly fee when you keep $150,000 or more with it.
Private Client is great if you qualify, but it's harder to get. You need proof of a US address, which you can get without living in the US, by staying there for a while or getting a short contract there. After that it's usually easy, especially with a good relationship with your banker. It depends on the banker and what they think: one turned me down, and another in the same city said yes.
Most people start with a regular account like Chase Total Checking, and I think it's still better than most other US banks. For a US company, I also like Mercury.
I keep a big bank on purpose. A neobank like Wise or Mercury can shut an account down, and with Chase that's very hard. And if JPMorgan Chase ever went under, I think we'd have bigger problems to worry about: it would be the end of the American economy, and in many ways the world's.
I use Wise to hold and convert other currencies, and I bank with HSBC in the UK. I've had American Express cards in the US and in the UK, where I had the Platinum, personal and business. I'm Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite.
In Dubai, I banked with Emirates NBD and Mashreq, and had Emirates NBD's Marriott and Emirates cards. I'd recommend Wio Personal and Wio Business there, because they have by far the best UI, but I'd still try to get an Emirates NBD account too.
That's my own mix, not a ranking. I haven't lived everywhere, so the digital nomad credit card finder stays objective: the order comes from the rules above, never from what I use.
The Wise link is an affiliate link, so I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Where the facts on these digital nomad credit cards come from
Every fee, rule and requirement comes from the provider's own pages: its product page, fee schedule, pricing and terms, or eligibility page.
Deposit protection comes from each scheme's own site, and each digital nomad credit card lists its sources with the date I read them.
When a provider doesn't publish something, the finder leaves it empty and says so, rather than filling it in from a comparison site.
Fees change, so check the provider before you apply.
It's information, not financial advice.
Who is the digital nomad credit card finder for?
It's for anyone paying their way across countries, and each of them has a next step:
- Travel credit card finder – every travel card, country by country
- Card fees abroad calculator – what a payment abroad costs on each card
- Currency converter – checking a charge against the day's rate
- Digital nomad visa finder – choosing where to live next
Check each issuer's page before you apply, since rules and fees change.
Digital Nomad Credit Card Finder FAQs
Questions about banks and cards abroad? Here's what to know.
One with no foreign transaction fee that you can get and keep from where you live.
In the US, cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred and the Capital One Venture X charge no foreign fee.
It's hard, because issuers ask where you live.
Chase's guide says US card applications generally need a physical US address, and the UK and UAE cards I track are for residents of those countries.
Every US personal card I track charges none, including the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Reserve, the Capital One Venture and Venture X, and the American Express Platinum and Gold.
The UK and UAE cards I track charge 1.99% to 2.99%.
It helps to have a backup from a different account.
If one card is lost or blocked, the other still works.
I did. I'm Navid Moazzez, and the digital nomad credit card finder is one of my free tools on navid.me.
Read about me, or see my creator profile.
Navid Moazzez
AI business strategist & AI OS builder
Navid Moazzez helps creators and founders master AI and build their own AI Operating System (AI OS) to automate their business and life.
Navid.me is reader-supported. When you buy through links on this site, I may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more.
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