Best Credit Cards for Expats

The AMEX Platinum is a top-tier credit card that comes with a fantastic welcome bonus, luxurious perks, and a range of additional value-add services. It's my go-to card for no foreign transaction fees, airport lounges (Centurion FTW), and concierge service.

Cardholders get to enjoy Uber credits, discounts on airfare, bonus points, cashback, and a whole lot more. One standout feature of this card is its extensive list of annual statement credits, which make your travel experience more comfortable and help you save money on your everyday purchases.

How to apply:

• Minimum income requirement: at least $50,000 or higher
• Good credit score (690 - 850) recommended in order to be approved for the card

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is a premium travel rewards card that offers a compelling value proposition for frequent flyers and travelers who want to maximize their spending. I've used it for its no foreign transaction fees and rich miles rewards program.

It's known to offer a more generous rewards program than its closest competitor, the American Express Platinum Card®, and it has a lower annual fee. In addition, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® comes with a number of premium perks, such as travel credits, airport lounge access, and primary rental car insurance.

How to apply:

• Chase does not publicly disclose a minimum income requirement for the Chase Sapphire Reserve card
• However, from what I found here, they recommend the minimum income requirement is $75,000
• Good credit score (720 - 850) recommendedin order to be approved for the card

The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card is a good all-around card that offers a variety of benefits, including a welcome bonus, a flat rewards rate, no annual fee, and a good introductory APR offer.

While the individual benefits may not be the best in their class, they are still valuable and make the card a worthwhile option for many people.

I personally bring my Quicksilver everywhere in case as a back-up card.

How to apply:

• Good credit score (690 - 850) recommended in order to be approved for the card

The DBS Altitude Visa card is a top-notch travel credit card in Singapore for business travelers who want to earn air miles and enjoy perks without sacrificing quality. Cardholders earn 1.2 miles per SGD 1 spent locally, 2 miles per SGD 1 spent overseas, and 3 miles per SGD 1 spent on online flight, hotel, and shopping bookings.

How to apply:

You can apply online with following required info/documents:

• Minimum annual income of S$45,000 for foreigner
• Valid employment pass or work permit
• At least 6 months of employment history in Singapore
• Passport
• Proof of income and residency

The Wise card is a versatile debit card that can be used to spend and withdraw money in over 160 countries around the world. It is accepted at any merchant or ATM that accepts Visa or Mastercard.

The Wise card offers the mid-market exchange rate on all foreign currency transactions, with low fees of just 0.43%. This means that you can save money on your travel expenses by using the Wise card instead of a traditional bank card.

How to apply:

• Create a Wise account. You can do this on the Wise website or app
• Verify your identity. You will need to upload a copy of your ID and proof of address
• Add funds to your account. You can do this by bank transfer or debit card
• Order your card. You can order your card for a one-time fee of S$8.5
• No minimum income required

Instarem Amaze is a prepaid card that allows you to make overseas payments without foreign exchange (FX) fees. It also offers its own rewards programme called InstaPoints, which can be redeemed for cashback or travel.

The Citi Rewards Card is a cashback card that earns 4 miles per dollar (4 mpd) on the first S$1,000 per statement month spent on offline retail shopping and online transactions excluding travel.

When you link the Citi Rewards Card to your Amaze card, all transactions made with the Amaze card will be converted into online transactions, so you can earn the full 4 mpd on all your spending, even on offline transactions.

How to apply:

• You need to download the app in order to register for the card
• If you have signed up with Instarem using eKYC (electronic KYC), there are no documents required, as the necessary data is extracted from MyInfo
• However, for manual KYC (where you have not used MyInfo), you will need to submit Proof of Identity in the form of your passport or national ID, as well as Proof of Address
• No minimum income required