The 60-second version
Keeping every US or UK card after return bleeds FX fees and fraud exposure. I close most, keep one no-FTX travel card, and move subscriptions to Indian UPI or cards.
Close most, keep one
Foreign cards charge FX markup on every Indian rupee spend. After return, 90% of my swipes are INR — foreign cards are expensive legacy.
Closing US cards does not hurt India CIBIL. US credit history remains on US bureaus for future US visits or property.
Migrate Netflix, iCloud, and SaaS to Indian card or UPI before closure — foreign card failures cause silent subscription loss.
India credit building: credit score after return.
Keep vs close decision
| Card type | Typical action | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| US travel rewards | Keep one, close rest | Emergency US trip + no FTX variants |
| UK Amex/Visa | Close after UK address gone | Address mismatch fraud flags |
| UAE no-annual-fee | Close | No INR benefit |
| Corporate card | Employer reclaims | Not personal decision |
| Authorized user cards | Remove self | Primary holder liability |
Closure sequence
List recurring charges
Export last 12 months statements for merchants.
Migrate to Indian payment
UPI autopay or Indian Visa/Mastercard.
Pay zero balance
Pending tips and holds clear in 7 days.
Call issuer confirm closure
Get closure confirmation number.
Shred physical cards
Digital wallet tokens remove in app.
Payment migration
Card wind-down kit
- Zero balance confirmation.
- Recurring charge migration log.
- Rewards points redeemed.
- Autopay cancelled.
- Credit report pull 60 days later (US).
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Keep US card if no annual fee and no FTX
One US card helps for US travel insurance and car rental holds. Do not keep five.
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Will closing hurt US credit score?
May reduce available credit and average age slightly — usually minor if other accounts remain.
Can I use US card in India?
Yes but FX markup 2–5% plus poor rewards on INR spend.
What about Apple Card?
US-only ecosystem — close or minimal use from India.
India CIBIL from foreign cards?
Foreign issuers do not report to CIBIL — build India history separately.
Authorized user on spouse card?
Remove yourself when spouse still US-resident — fraud address mismatch risk.
LRS for foreign card payment?
Paying foreign card bill from India may use LRS — track ₹50L TCS threshold.
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