Does Your Netflix India Subscription Work in the USA? Everything You Need to Know

Streaming & Entertainment

• Aarav Sekhar
• Jun 25, 2025
• 0 Comments

If you’ve ever landed in the USA with a suitcase full of excitement and an Indian Netflix subscription rolling in your pocket, you’re about to hit the classic roadblock every globetrotter faces—digital borders. You might think: hey, I paid for Netflix in India, so it should work anywhere, right? It’s not that straightforward. The truth? Your Netflix account follows you anywhere, but what you see and experience gets a whole new twist the moment you switch time zones.

How Netflix Handles Accounts Purchased Abroad

Netflix keeps things pretty simple with their account system. An account you sign up for in India will work in the USA. Netflix itself is global, so your username, password, payment method—all that continues just like before. You don’t get locked out of your account when you step off a plane in New York. In fact, Netflix expects people to travel. Whether you’re there for a business trip, a holiday, or you just moved, you won’t lose access to your subscription. There’s no “regional ban” on your account. So that’s a relief.

But here's where it gets interesting: it’s not your account that changes, it’s what you can watch. Netflix’s library changes based on your current physical location, not the country where you pay. So, if you bought your subscription in India, you’ll see the American library when you log in from the US. It works the other way too. Americans traveling to India will see the Indian Netflix catalog. It’s kind of like a magic trick—you press ‘play’ and poof, the content changes based on where you stand.

In the early days, people thought they could trick Netflix by buying accounts in countries with the cheapest plans and get access to everything. But Netflix quickly figured out how to stop that. Today, your billing country really only affects your price and payment methods, not your viewing selection as you travel. Netflix has done this to play fair with movie studios and producers who sell rights country by country. So, yes, you still have an active Netflix subscription, no matter which airport you land in.

What Happens to Your Netflix Library When You Travel

This is the part that confuses most travelers—the Netflix India customer sees one catalog in Mumbai and another in Manhattan. You might be surprised that the show you’ve been binge-watching back home in India suddenly vanishes from your list when you land in the US. Maybe you’re deep into a Bollywood drama or hooked on that one quirky Tamil stand-up special—but it's gone. That’s because Netflix doesn’t own all its content outright. Some movies and shows can only be shown in certain countries. Much of the Indian programming is exclusively licensed to Netflix India, while US Netflix has its own exclusives.

Here’s a real-world example. Let’s say you’re addicted to ‘Sacred Games,’ an Indian Netflix Original. You’ll still see it in most countries, since Originals are usually globally licensed (except for rare situations where local regulations might block it). But something like ‘The Office’ might be on Netflix in India but not in the US. American Netflix dropped it, but it keeps running elsewhere. You log in from the US, search for ‘The Office’, and—poof—nothing. It’s frustrating if you had a queue set up for abroad travel. The same goes for local Indian content, which might be invisible (or subtitled differently) in the States.

On the flip side, the US Netflix catalog is giant. When you’re in America, you open up a totally new world of movies, sitcoms, and documentaries. Some titles you never had in India suddenly become available. Shows like ‘Parks and Recreation’ or certain Hollywood releases so new they haven’t hit other countries pop up. If you love sci-fi and crime, America’s Netflix is packed. The catalog size in the US reportedly has over 5,800 titles, while India floats around 5,000, with tons of differences in what exactly is on offer.

If you started a series back in India and want to pick it up in the US, Netflix does remember your progress. But if the title isn’t available in the US, you’ll have to pause until you’re back home or use a workaround (more on that later). Weirdest part? Downloaded movies or episodes may vanish if they aren’t in the new country’s catalog. So never bank on your downloads working when you cross oceans—Netflix sometimes wipes them and gives you a not-so-helpful error asking you to download the content again (which won’t work if it’s not in that country’s library!).

Netflix Payment, Subscription Rules, and Region-Switching Tips

Let’s get real about the money stuff. If you started your Netflix subscription in India, you’re paying the Indian price and using your Indian credit/debit card, Paytm wallet, or UPI. When you visit the US, Netflix won’t suddenly start charging you dollar rates just because you logged in from LA. Your billing remains where it started, and your payment method must still work internationally.

Here’s the thing: If you permanently shift to the US, Netflix wants you to change your payment country so they can adjust the billing currency. However, for vacations or short visits, there’s no need to swap. You can keep paying with your existing card. Netflix only pushes for a payment update if you move to the States and your Indian card expires or starts rejecting payments. Their support site is clear about it. But don’t try updating your payment method to an American card while your account region is set to India—that usually fails. The site automatically rejects US-based cards linked to Indian-region accounts.

What’s the workaround if you move semi-permanently? Some people create a new Netflix account in the US, using a new email and US billing info. You’ll lose your old recommendations and list unless you contact Netflix support to switch the account region—a process that sometimes works, sometimes doesn’t (support staff have a script, it depends who you get).

Now, about region-switching. Some folks try using VPN services to “spoof” their location, making Netflix think they’re still back in Mumbai while sitting in Boston. VPN providers boast about unblocking international catalogs, but Netflix got smarter and invests tons in VPN detection. Major VPNs like ExpressVPN, NordVPN, and Surfshark work—most of the time. But Netflix keeps a blacklist and sometimes blocks VPN servers in waves. If you want a seamless experience, know that chances are it’ll work, but don’t count on it—as Netflix keeps battling VPNs every month. And don’t think you can keep downloading content, as Netflix disables downloading over VPNs for a lot of users.

Availability of Indian and Local Content in the USA

Missing your Indian soap operas or that regional comedy special? Here’s the honest scoop: most Indian Netflix Originals and some Bollywood blockbusters are available globally, including in the USA. Netflix knows the huge Indian diaspora craves Desi content. But lots of regional TV, old Bollywood movies, and locally licensed Indian series are geo-blocked. US Netflix focuses on Hollywood and mainstream content, with a smaller ‘International’ or ‘Bollywood’ section compared to home.

Here’s why: content rights are sold country by country. Studios, producers, and TV channels cut deals that give Netflix permission to show their content only in specific countries. So a series might live on in India but be cut out of the US for licensing or copyright issues. Sometimes, a show pops up on a US-based competitor like Hulu or Prime Video, but can’t show on American Netflix. International viewers are at the mercy of these deals, and Netflix’s FAQ states as much. If you can’t find your favorite Indian serial in the US, it’s not a tech issue. It’s legal red tape.

Language options also change with the region. In India, English subtitles and regional dubs are standard. In the US, some content defaults to English or Spanish, and the subtitling/dubbing choices narrow down. You’ll spot the difference—but on Originals, multiple subs and dubs are usually offered as a bonus. In a nutshell: If you want a steady fix of India-only titles, pack a VPN, or just mentally prepare to find a new obsession while you’re in the States.

Practical Travel Tips, Known Blocks, and Watching Netflix Across Borders

If you’re a frequent flyer or planning a backpacking adventure, staying connected to your favorite Netflix catalog is part of modern convenience. Here are some actionable tips for Indian account holders landing in the USA:

• Assume you’ll get the local US library as soon as you log in from any American network, hotel Wi-Fi, mobile hotspot, or public internet. No tricks needed; this is automatic.
• If you want to prep for missing shows, check international title availability using sites like uNoGS.com (unofficial Netflix Online Global Search), which lists what’s available in every country.
• You can download a handful of your must-watch titles while IN India, and keep your device offline (airplane mode) to keep watching. But—downloading doesn’t always work if Netflix attempts a location check, so don’t bank on this for trips lasting more than a few days or device reboots.
• A VPN will help access your Indian titles, but keep the app updated and remember it might get flagged by Netflix. Sometimes you’ll lose download options or get the dreaded “You seem to be using an unblocker or proxy” error.
• If subtitles suddenly change or the language defaults to English, know it’s due to your new region’s default settings. You can sometimes change this per title, but not always if that subtitle/dub isn’t globally licensed.
• Don’t update your Netflix billing information to a US card/account unless you plan to switch your plan and region for good—otherwise, payments can fail.

So, can you chill with your existing account in the US? Absolutely. Will it feel the same as home? Not always, especially if your favorite Indian show is region-locked. Sort out your downloads, travel with a VPN backup in place, and you’ll have minimal downtime. Netflix expects globetrotters and tries to make the experience as hassle-free as possible, but it’s not perfect. Always have a backup Hulu, Prime, or Hotstar plan, just in case.

Check out this quick comparison of Netflix plans and catalog size for some concrete numbers:

Country	Monthly Price (Standard)	Catalog Size (Est.)	Key Local Content
India	₹499 (~$6)	5,000+	Bollywood, Indian Originals, Regional TV/Movies
USA	$15.49	5,800+	Hollywood, US Originals, American Series & Movies

Having an Indian subscription in the USA is cost-effective (since India has one of the cheapest Netflix plans globally), but you’re limited to the American library—unless you go the VPN route. Just keep an eye on those regional quirks and restrictions, and your Netflix experience will stay smooth on both sides of the globe. If you value your library, plan downloads in advance and explore American exclusives—you might stumble upon a new favorite show that never even made it to India’s Netflix catalog!