# Do Credit Cards have a foreign "billing address" that you can use? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 18, 2009, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-credit-cards-have-a-foreign-billing-address-that-you-can-use/503431 "2009-07-18T14:09:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rumor\_Watkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@Rumor\_Watkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rumor_Watkins)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2009, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-credit-cards-have-a-foreign-billing-address-that-you-can-use/503431/1 "2009-07-18T14:09:35Z")
I need to buy something from an online vendor from abroad. Problem is that their online system only allows you to put in a foreign address (i.e. the address format in the country they are located) in the credit card’s billing address Anyone know if credit card company X has foreign “dummy” address that you can input into the fields so you can make internet transactions on foreign websites? If there’s any other way to proceed it would be appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2009, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-credit-cards-have-a-foreign-billing-address-that-you-can-use/503431/2 "2009-07-18T14:21:42Z")
Oh, so you’re having the same problem many of us have encountered when buying from certain countries… So long as the problem isn’t with the shipping address, just invent one. ---
**Author:** ![Rumor\_Watkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@Rumor\_Watkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rumor_Watkins)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2009, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-credit-cards-have-a-foreign-billing-address-that-you-can-use/503431/3 "2009-07-18T14:25:21Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > Oh, so you’re having the same problem many of us have encountered when buying from certain countries… > > So long as the problem isn’t with the shipping address, just invent one. You seem to be making a vague reference to something, however I have no idea what you’re talking about. I have a friend’s address in the purchasing country (the UK) but don’t they compare the address you submit to the credit card company’s database? This isn’t something I can afford to blow back on me - if I get locked out of using the system/product, I’m screwed pretty badly. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2009, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-credit-cards-have-a-foreign-billing-address-that-you-can-use/503431/4 "2009-07-18T14:28:41Z")
No, they don’t compare anything. The billing address is _your_ address, the one that has to go on the bill. It’s not the address for, say, Visa Countrywheretheyarelocated. They don’t have access to lists of customers for CCs. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2009, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-credit-cards-have-a-foreign-billing-address-that-you-can-use/503431/5 "2009-07-18T14:32:02Z")
I doubt it will work. Now that some vendors are insisting that you provide a home address before accepting your card and then checking with the bank that issued the card, I cannot get my home address accepted because it doesn’t come with a 5 digit area code. The 6 character codes here alternate numbers and letters. When I complained to the bank, the answer was (not in precisely those words), “Fuck off!”. I could not use a card to add money to my fare card in NYC. They asked only for the ZIP code and nothing I put in satisfied them. This card was on a US bank that was perfectly happy to accept my foreign address for billing purposes, but unable to provide even a fake zip code just for this purpose. ---
**Author:** ![Rumor\_Watkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@Rumor\_Watkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rumor_Watkins)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2009, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-credit-cards-have-a-foreign-billing-address-that-you-can-use/503431/6 "2009-07-18T14:33:17Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > No, they don’t compare anything. The billing address is _your_ address, the one that has to go on the bill. It’s not the address for, say, Visa Countrywheretheyarelocated. > > They don’t have access to lists of customers for CCs. I understood the first paragraph, but the final statement is a new discovery for me… Do you have a cite for that? I always figured part of the online credit card authorization was verifying your claimed billing address with the billing address on file with the card company. That doesn’t necessarily require access to the CC’s customer list. ---
**Author:** ![BrandonR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@BrandonR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrandonR)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2009, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-credit-cards-have-a-foreign-billing-address-that-you-can-use/503431/7 "2009-07-18T14:42:33Z")
In my experiences, they only cross-check the zip code between the given billing address and the one on file for the credit card. I can see why they’d not check the actual street address (minor differences in abbreviations for streets and apartments could throw it off). ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2009, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-credit-cards-have-a-foreign-billing-address-that-you-can-use/503431/8 "2009-07-18T14:50:27Z")
Digging around on the MTA site, I found [this](http://www.mta.info/metrocard/mvms/index.htm): > [@](#): > > When a credit card is used at an MVM, the MVM will ask you to enter your zip code for verification. However, if your credit card account has a billing address outside of the United States, you are not subject to the zip code verification requirement. Instead, type in “99999” when prompted for a zip code. This will indicate to the MVM that an international credit card is being used, and the regular transaction authorization process will still take place. ---
**Author:** ![Rumor\_Watkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@Rumor\_Watkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rumor_Watkins)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2009, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-credit-cards-have-a-foreign-billing-address-that-you-can-use/503431/9 "2009-07-18T14:55:42Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > Digging around on the MTA site, I found [this](http://www.mta.info/metrocard/mvms/index.htm): Good tip… That’s kind of what I’m looking for - except for a UK post code… ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2009, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-credit-cards-have-a-foreign-billing-address-that-you-can-use/503431/10 "2009-07-18T15:18:14Z")
> [@Rumor\_Watkins](#): > > Good tip… That’s kind of what I’m looking for - except for a UK post code… Are you not in New York City trying to buy a Metropass using a credit card with a non-US billing address? If so, I misunderstood. ---
**Author:** ![Rumor\_Watkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@Rumor\_Watkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rumor_Watkins)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2009, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-credit-cards-have-a-foreign-billing-address-that-you-can-use/503431/11 "2009-07-18T15:21:57Z")
> [@Sunspace](#): > > Are you not in New York City trying to buy a Metropass using a credit card with a non-US billing address? If so, I misunderstood. I usually can respond to anything ever said to me, but this one… I just don’t know. ---
**Author:** ![BrandonR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@BrandonR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrandonR)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2009, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-credit-cards-have-a-foreign-billing-address-that-you-can-use/503431/12 "2009-07-18T15:31:18Z")
So what you’re saying is that **Sunspace** is either the world’s greatest or worst psychic? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Rumor\_Watkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@Rumor\_Watkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rumor_Watkins)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2009, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-credit-cards-have-a-foreign-billing-address-that-you-can-use/503431/13 "2009-07-18T15:34:21Z")
> [@BrandonR](#): > > So what you’re saying is that **Sunspace** is either the world’s greatest or worst psychic? 🙂 Yeah, we’re going to have to go with option #2 ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2009, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-credit-cards-have-a-foreign-billing-address-that-you-can-use/503431/14 "2009-07-18T15:37:49Z")
Sometimes it’s just a matter of the way the database is set up. I live on a street, we’ll call it, Adams. Now in a few websites, if I never 123 Adams, it won’t work. If I enter it as 123 Adams Blvd, it’s fine. AT&T is especially bad, it kicks me out and finally it says “123 Adams is not valid, Did you mean 123 Adams Blvd”? I would email them and tell them you want to buy and can’t use their system. ---
**Author:** ![Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/848f3c/32.png) [@Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuzzy_Dunlop)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2009, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-credit-cards-have-a-foreign-billing-address-that-you-can-use/503431/15 "2009-07-18T15:42:14Z")
> [@BrandonR](#): > > In my experiences, they only cross-check the zip code between the given billing address and the one on file for the credit card. I can see why they’d not check the actual street address (minor differences in abbreviations for streets and apartments could throw it off). All that’s required for a credit card authorization is the card number, and the expiration date. I don`t think the name is even checked but I could be wrong. Everything else is configurable by the merchant. I don`t know if all these options are available to all merchants but in my case I can accept all transactions where the card number and expiration date match if I want. Or I can reject transactions where any of the following occur: CCV2 security card is missing or incorrect, billing address was not submitted, the street address doesn’t match, the zip code doesn’t match, the zip+4 doesn’t match, the address information isn`t available from the bank, the card issuing bank is non-American and doesn`t support address verification, or the bank is US but doesn`t support verification. They’re all individual options and I can change them… instantly. Although you’re right, checking the actual street address would be problemative and I don’t do it. My point is more that it’s all configurable and we can if we want to. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2009, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-credit-cards-have-a-foreign-billing-address-that-you-can-use/503431/16 "2009-07-18T15:45:41Z")
So does the merchant’s terminal read the address off the card, or just read the number and then request the address from MC/Visa’s remote system? > [@Rumor\_Watkins](#): > > Yeah, we’re going to have to go with option #2 I’m good at body language, too. 🙂 [sub]Not.[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Mops](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mops/32/16494_2.png) [@Mops](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mops)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2009, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-credit-cards-have-a-foreign-billing-address-that-you-can-use/503431/17 "2009-07-18T17:01:51Z")
FWIW, when I buy something with a credit card from an US site that allows foreign billing addresses but requires a state name in the address, I usually put “Baden-Württemberg” or “BW” in the field, even if that is not properly part of my address (states do not figure in German addresses). Sometimes a form allowed foreign countries but required an _American_ state abbreviation; in these cases I chose Delaware because DE can also stand for Deutschland. In all these cases the credit card transaction went through even if the billing address I had to concoct was not identical to the address on file with the credit card company. So I conclude they either use a tolerant check on the address, or (more probably) they only check the name.