Best Dutch Credit Cards for Expats 2026

Which Is the Best Credit Card in the Netherlands for Expats?

The best credit card in the Netherlands for most expats is the one they can actually get approved for, and that usually means an ICS card or the card of their own bank. ICS charges EUR 42.95 a year for the Visa World Card and asks for a net income of EUR 1,500 a month; the World Card Platinum costs EUR 175 a year and adds continuous travel insurance (icscards.nl, checked 28 September 2026). ABN AMRO customers can apply for the ABN AMRO Credit Card at EUR 2.55 a month with a net income of at least EUR 1,350, but not on a temporary residence permit (abnamro.nl, checked 28 September 2026).

Dutch credit-card acceptance criteria and application processes vary by issuer. Check current income, account and identification requirements before applying.

💡 Setting up your finances? Read best banking for expats in the Netherlands 2026 — covers debit accounts, salary banking, and the fastest setup options.

The Netherlands runs primarily on debit cards (Maestro and V Pay). Credit cards are seen as a niche product, often used only for travel and online shopping. Banks require a Dutch bank account, BSN, registered address, and usually proof of regular Dutch income before issuing one. New arrivals frequently get rejected on their first application.

Why the Netherlands does not love credit cards

In the US, a credit card is your primary payment method, your credit score builder, and your travel insurance. In the Netherlands, a credit card is a niche product. Dutch culture is debt-averse. The phrase “op de pof” (buying on credit) carries social weight. Most daily transactions happen on iDEAL bank transfers or Maestro debit.

Three consequences for expats:

Issuance is conservative. Banks issue credit cards reluctantly and with strict income requirements. Default rates in the Netherlands are very low precisely because the gating is tight.

Limits are modest. ICS lets you choose a monthly spending limit between €1,000 and €5,000 on its Visa cards and lowers it if it does not fit your finances (icscards.nl, checked 28 September 2026).

This is not a problem if you adjust your expectations. Treat a Dutch credit card as a travel and online-shopping tool, not as your primary payment method. Use your debit card for everyday spending.

What to use before you can get a credit card

In your first 3 to 6 months in the Netherlands, you almost certainly will not qualify for a Dutch credit card. Here is what to do instead.

Keep your home country credit card active. Pay it off monthly in full from a Wise or Revolut account. The FX fees on a UK or US card used in euros are typically 2.5 to 3 percent — not great but workable for occasional purchases.

That covers the main situations where you need a credit card early on, such as hotel pre-authorisations and online shopping in other currencies.

What it does not do is build a Dutch BKR credit history. For that you eventually want a Dutch credit card.

Dutch credit cards for expats in 2026, ranked

Prices and conditions for the ICS and ABN AMRO cards below were checked on the issuers’ own sites on 28 September 2026, and bunq’s plans on 14 September 2026. The ING and American Express sections were not re-checked on those dates.

1. ICS Visa World Card Platinum — best for travel

What ICS lists:

• Annual fee €175 (Extra Card €25 a year)
• Continuous travel insurance (Doorlopende Reisverzekering) and a medical and legal referral service
• Purchases insured for 365 days against loss, theft and damage
• Emergency cash of up to €2,000 on the spending limit
• Spending limit up to €5,000 a month

Catch: ICS lists a 2 percent exchange-rate markup for non-euro EU countries and countries outside the EU, and a net income requirement of €1,500 a month.

2. ICS Visa World Card — best entry-level Dutch credit card

What ICS lists:

• Annual fee €42.95 (Extra Card €21.95 a year)
• Purchases insured for 180 days, plus a delivery guarantee on online purchases
• Spending limit from €1,000 to €5,000 a month
• Monthly direct debit from any European IBAN, so you do not need to bank with a specific Dutch bank

Catch: the same 2 percent exchange-rate markup outside the euro, 4 percent on cash withdrawals on a debit balance, and the €1,500 net monthly income requirement.

3. ABN AMRO Credit Card — best if you already bank with ABN

ABN AMRO offers a credit card, issued through ICS, to its current account holders.

What ABN AMRO lists:

• ABN AMRO Credit Card €2.55 a month, Gold Card €4.45 a month, Student Credit Card €1.31 a month
• Apple Pay and Google Pay
• Gold Card: purchases protected for 365 days and rental-car excess insured up to €500

Catch: you must be 18 or older and live in the Netherlands, with a net income of at least €1,350 a month (the FAQ on the same page says €1,500) or at least €27,500 in box 3 capital over the last two years. ABN AMRO states that applicants with a temporary residence permit cannot apply.

4. ING Credit Card (Visa) — solid if you bank with ING

ING’s credit card sits alongside its current account. Application is straightforward if your salary lands at ING.

What you get:

• No annual fee for some account tiers
• 1.5 percent FX fee
• Decent app integration

Catch: limited travel benefits, basic purchase protection, no significant rewards. Functional rather than exciting.

5. bunq — good for digital-first expats

bunq is a Dutch neobank with a fully online application — no branch visit needed. bunq issues its cards inside the app; on the paid plans you get several digital cards plus physical ones (bunq Core lists “1 Digital Card and 1 Physical Card”, bunq Pro “25 Digital Debit or Credit Cards and 3 Physical Cards”, checked 14 September 2026).

What you get:

• Multi-currency support and mid-market FX rates
• Tied to Bunq’s premium subscription tiers
• Modern app and instant transaction notifications

Catch: the card options widen as you move up the plans. bunq plans run bunq Free €0.00, Core €3.99, Pro €9.99 and Elite €18.99 per month, plus a bunq Pack group plan at €28.99 for 3–4 people (bunq Help: What plans are available, checked 14 September 2026). Credit limits offered are typically lower than at ABN or ICS, and bunq has no branches or phone line — support is in-app chat.

6. American Express Gold / Platinum — niche but worth knowing

Amex operates in the Netherlands but acceptance is patchy outside hotels, airlines, and premium retail. The Gold and Platinum cards have strong travel rewards and Membership Rewards points that transfer to KLM Flying Blue.

What you get:

• Strong travel and lifestyle rewards
• Excellent customer service
• High issuance threshold (Platinum effectively requires high income)

Catch: many Dutch shops do not accept Amex. You will always need a Mastercard or Visa as backup.

Application process: what actually works

Step 1: Check the income requirement first: €1,500 net a month at ICS and €1,350 at ABN AMRO (checked 28 September 2026). Issuers assess income and BKR on every application.

Step 2: Have your basics in order. A bank account with regular salary deposits (ABN AMRO asks for an ABN AMRO current account, checked 28 September 2026; ICS collects from any European IBAN), BSN, registered address (proof of registration from the gemeente), and a Dutch phone number.

Step 3: Apply at the bank where your salary lands. Cross-bank applications (e.g. salary at ING, applying at ABN) succeed less often than same-bank applications.

Step 4: For ICS, apply directly through icscards.nl. ICS collects the monthly bill from any European IBAN and says an approved card arrives within 10 working days.

Step 5: If rejected, wait three months before reapplying. Multiple rejections in quick succession look bad in BKR.

For expats who do not yet qualify, the alternative is straightforward: use Wise and Revolut for everything until your three-month payslip threshold is met.

Foreign transaction fees and why they matter

This is where Dutch credit cards underperform versus modern alternatives.

ICS, the largest Dutch issuer, lists:

• A 2 percent exchange-rate markup (koersopslag) for non-euro EU countries and countries outside the EU
• 4 percent on cash withdrawals on a debit balance (icscards.nl, checked 28 September 2026)

A Wise card charges:

• Mid-market FX rate (no markup)
• A flat fee of 0.4 to 0.6 percent on most currencies
• Effective total cost: around 0.5 percent

Travel insurance: read the policy carefully

Some premium cards include travel insurance: the ICS Visa World Card Platinum lists continuous travel insurance, and Amex Platinum is marketed with travel cover. This can save a separate travel policy, but read the small print.

Common gotchas:

• Trip must be paid for using the card for cover to apply. Booking a flight on a different card and then claiming on your Platinum will be rejected.
• Geographic limits. Some policies exclude the US, Canada, or specific high-cost destinations.
• Medical excess. Most cards have a €100 to €250 excess on medical claims.
• Pre-existing conditions. Almost universally excluded unless declared in advance.

Building Dutch credit history

The Dutch BKR system is binary, not score-based. There is no “credit score” to optimise. What matters is:

• No negative records (missed payments, defaults, settled debts)
• No excessive open credit (a credit card limit, an overdraft, a phone contract financing plan all count)
• Stable, reportable income in the Netherlands

For expats planning to apply for a Dutch mortgage within 2 to 5 years, having a single Dutch credit card with timely payments helps. Multiple cards do not help — they hurt by signalling open credit lines.

A sensible rule: one Dutch credit card, paid in full each month, no overdraft, no consumer financing. Keep BKR clean for the mortgage application.

For more on the mortgage process see expat mortgage broker Netherlands 2026.

Honest recommendation

For most expats arriving in the Netherlands in 2026, the right answer is:

Months 0 to 6: Wise and Revolut. Skip Dutch credit cards entirely. Use your home country credit card sparingly and pay it off monthly.

Once you meet the income requirement: Apply for the ICS Visa World Card (€42.95 a year) or your bank’s standard credit card. Use it lightly for hotel deposits, online shopping, and travel.

Later: If you travel a lot, the ICS Visa World Card Platinum (€175 a year) adds continuous travel insurance. Otherwise stick with the basic card and continue using Wise for FX-heavy spending.

The mistake to avoid is applying for multiple cards in the first six months, getting rejected at all of them, and burning credit applications that may show up in BKR for the next year.

Treat the Dutch credit card system as designed: cautious, conservative, and modest. It is not the US or the UK. Once you accept that, the system is actually fine.

ICS and ABN AMRO prices and conditions checked on icscards.nl and abnamro.nl on 28 September 2026.

External source: IND — Residence permits — independent information on this topic.