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The Daily Insight Hub

How long can you go without paying credit card bill?

Author

Emma Miller

Updated on February 12, 2026

A credit card payment is generally considered late when it’s 30 days past due and won’t end up on your credit report until that point, according to the credit bureau Equifax. Some creditors don’t report late payments until they are 60 days overdue.

How can I get rid of debt without paying?

Get professional help: Reach out to a nonprofit credit counseling agency that can set up a debt management plan. You’ll pay the agency a set amount every month that goes toward each of your debts. The agency works to negotiate a lower bill or interest rate on your behalf and, in some cases, can get your debt canceled.

What happens if you don’t pay your credit card debt?

But the police will keep an eye on you lest you try to flee the country. The other consequence of not paying your credit card or other loan debt besides facing the debt-collectors and the police authorities is that your credit score gets damaged. This means that in the future, many financial institutions won’t lend you money.

Can you legally stop paying your credit cards?

You can take steps to legally stop paying your credit cards. Many people do not realize you can legally stop paying credit cards. There is no longer a debtor’s prison to punish those who refuse to pay debts. If you honestly incurred the debt without breaking any laws, you can stop paying it at any time.

What happens if you don’t pay your Dubai loan?

Also. you will be debarred from applying for any credit facilities from the banks. In the last few years, there are many expatriates who have fled Dubai or UAE because they were unable to repay their debt. But they are still debtors in the eyes of the banks and the UAE government.

Can a person go to jail for missing a credit card payment?

But nowhere in the country can you be imprisoned for missing a credit card payment. “You should never worry about going to a debtors’ prison,” says McClary. “What you do have to worry about is the mounting cost and the financial damage.”