How much is the Chase Slate foreign transaction fee?

The Chase foreign transaction fee is either $0 or 3% of what you spend, depending on which credit card you get. Chase’s most popular travel rewards credit cards don’t charge foreign fees. That includes both Sapphire Preferred and Sapphire Reserve. But Freedom, Freedom Unlimited and Slate are among the Chase credit cards with a 3% foreign transaction fee. … read full answer

It makes sense that the Chase Sapphire cards don’t have foreign fees, while Chase Slate does. The Sapphire cards are specifically intended for travel, and travel isn’t always domestic. And Slate is designed for saving on debt, not globetrotting. But it’s a little weird that Freedom isn’t free internationally, even when it’s Unlimited. After all, even if you don’t travel abroad, Chase’s credit card foreign transaction fee could come into play. It applies to purchases made through international companies when you’re in the U.S., too.

Still, those might not be the only Chase cards you’re interested in. So I’ll break down more of your options below.

Here are the Chase credit cards with no foreign transaction fee:

• Chase Sapphire Preferred - $95 annual fee ($0 first year)
• Chase Sapphire Reserve - $450 annual fee
• Ink Business Preferred - $95 annual fee
• J.P. Morgan Reserve - $450 annual fee
• United MileagePlus Explorer Business - $95 ($0 first year)

Here are the Chase cards with a 3% foreign transaction fee:

• Chase Freedom - $0 annual fee
• Chase Freedom Unlimited - $0 annual fee
• Chase Slate - $0 annual fee
• Disney Rewards - $0 annual fee

Apparently, you have to choose between paying Chase foreign transaction fees and annual fees. But think of it this way: If you’re a frequent traveler, not having to pay fees abroad probably outweighs the cost of a once a year annual fee.

Let’s say you spend $5,000 abroad in one year. 3% of that is $150. And that’s more than the annual fee of 3 no foreign fee Chase cards. Plus, people with Sapphire Reserve and J.P. Morgan Reserve are probably spending a lot more than that.

The credit score needed for Chase Slate approval is at least 700. Chase Slate requires good credit, at a minimum. And though some people say the good credit range starts at 660, only a score of 700+ will give you reasonable Chase Slate approval odds. Barely meeting a card’s minimum requirements simply doesn’t translate to a high likelihood of success. Rather, the higher your score is, the better your chances will be.… read full answer

But even having the 700+ credit score needed for Chase Slate approval might not be enough. You have to meet a few other requirements, too.

Here are the eligibility requirements & credit score needed for Chase Slate:

• Basic eligibility. You’ll need a U.S. mailing address and a Social Security number (SSN). Chase does not take an ITIN in place of an SSN. And you’ll need to be at least 18 years old.
• Ability to pay. How much money you earn is a big factor in approval. Chase needs to see you can afford to pay for any purchases you make. Any debt you have will be weighed against that income, so you should try to owe as little as possible.
• No bankruptcy. If you’re currently going through bankruptcy, there’s no chance you’ll be approved. And if you’ve completed bankruptcy but it’s still on your credit report, you still might be denied.
• 700+ credit score. While it’s possible to be approved with lower scores, we don’t recommend risking it. So make sure to check your latest credit score for free before applying.
  
• 5/24 rule. Chase doesn’t officially say they do this, but many people have reported Chase will deny you if you have already opened five other credit cards (from any issuer) in the past 24 months.

If your score is not 700+ yet, consider taking a few months to improve your credit. And keep the other requirements in mind as well; you’ll need to pass all of them to be approved.

If you’re not sure whether you meet the Chase Slate credit score requirement, you can check your latest score for free on WalletHub, the only site where credit scores and reports update daily.