Credit card question

I have read several times on here about having a cc with chip technology when in Europe. Well.....I know my Amex has it but my HAL cc does not! Since there are no foreign transaction fees on the HAL card, that is what I plan on using. And, since it's a travel card, I thought it would be perfect. So, does not having the chip going to be a high problem???? Trust me, I plan on using my card a lot !!!:)

I am not an expert on this but will add my two cents worth.

Out chip cards are not yet fully functional anyway. You are not set up with a PIN here in in North America so they don't work like the European cards do until the PINs are set up.

You credit cards will work the old fashioned way in Europe. However, fewer places take credit cards over there. Lots of restraunts want cash, not credit cards.

You should have no problem using either card except the chip less card at locations not manned, such as ticket machine at a rail station or gas stations, where there is not an attendant. I always take at least one back up credit card and ATM card. Except for the AMEX card (presently not required), it would be wise to let your card companies (both credit and ATM) when and where you will be traveling abroad.

So, here is the truth :). The magnetic strip cards (still used in the USA) will usually (but not always) be accepted for manual transactions throughout Europe. The newer USA issued Chip/Signature cards (like AMEX and many MC/Visa) are also accepted for most manual transactions (perhaps somewhat more readily accepted then the magnetic strip cards). But if you want to use automated systems such as gas pumps, train ticket vending machines, parking meters, etc. you are going to need a Chip/PIN card. There are some being issued in the USA such as by Andrews FCU.

Hank

Thank you for the quick replies! Sounds like one less thing to worry about. When I was in Rome 8 years ago, we got a kick out of watching our waiter run down the street to run our cc at a store that ran all their transactions for them! My DH says, "don't worry, they will find a way to take all the money you want to spend!"

Fortunately, not an issue for most Canadians. Even my Chase Amazon card, which I acquired because it charges no transaction fees on foreign currency exchanges, is chip/pin.

You should't have a problem. Everything on-board gets charged to your account to billed to the card of your choice, and you should have zero fraud liability anyway. I always call card services before going on vacation, in or out of country, so their fraud department doesn't flag the account for abnormal activity. They've been known to freeze a card until the customer calls in if they think somethings weird. Hasn't happened to me, but don't want it to. I doubt if the Caribbean has pervasive use of chip technology yet anyway.

Look into getting a new credit card and look for chip technology and "eraser" or direct one to one point cards. Last year I had Chase products and found the Chase Sapphire particularly helpful but did not renew it because of the yearly fee and frankly the greed for bonus points. With the eraser feature, you just apply all your spend features to one of the bills -- I have erased many charges on the credit card using this feature. Read up on-line to find the reviews of credit cards but also bear in mind some of the "reporting sites" also accept fees for featuring a bank's product!

You should't have a problem. Everything on-board gets charged to your account to billed to the card of your choice, and you should have zero fraud liability anyway. I always call card services before going on vacation, in or out of country, so their fraud department doesn't flag the account for abnormal activity. They've been known to freeze a card until the customer calls in if they think somethings weird. Hasn't happened to me, but don't want it to. I doubt if the Caribbean has pervasive use of chip technology yet anyway.

You'd be surprised. A CNBC item from August 24, 2014, includes the following paragraph:

Anyone heading abroad will likely notice that smart chip cards are quickly becoming the worldwide standard. According to the Smart Card Alliance, 99.9 percent of European terminals are chip-enabled. The United States significantly lags behind other continents on EMV technology, too: more than 86 percent of terminals in Africa and the Middle East are chip-enabled. In Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean, that number is nearly 85 percent.

In this regard, most third world countries are far ahead of the US in converting.

Pretty soon this will be a moot discussion. By October 1, 2015, all US merchant and credit cards are supposed to be using the EMV/chip cards, so look for new cards from all your cc issuers. Come October 1st, merchants who don't utilize the EMV/chip credit cards are solely liable for any and all fraudulent charges on non-chip credit card

machines.

I have read several times on here about having a cc with chip technology when in Europe. Well.....I know my Amex has it but my HAL cc does not! Since there are no foreign transaction fees on the HAL card, that is what I plan on using. And, since it's a travel card, I thought it would be perfect. So, does not having the chip going to be a high problem???? Trust me, I plan on using my card a lot !!!:)

Here's a link to a current piece that probably came from USA Today but is on local digital version of paper:

http://www.indystar.com/story/money/columnist/tompor/2015/08/28/new-chip-credit-cards-way-heres-what-consumers-need-know/71337580/

Pretty soon this will be a moot discussion. By October 1, 2015, all US merchant and credit cards are supposed to be using the EMV/chip cards, so look for new cards from all your cc issuers. Come October 1st, merchants who don't utilize the EMV/chip credit cards are solely liable for any and all fraudulent charges on non-chip credit card

machines.

Thanks for the update.

I am not an expert on this but will add my two cents worth.

Out chip cards are not yet fully functional anyway. You are not set up with a PIN here in in North America so they don't work like the European cards do until the PINs are set up.

You credit cards will work the old fashioned way in Europe. However, fewer places take credit cards over there. Lots of restraunts want cash, not credit cards.

I live in North America and we have been using chip cards for years. It is the United States where the technology has not been embraced.

A few weeks ago there was another thread about currency exchange that morphed into a discussion about credit cards and PIN/signature chip enabled cards. Somebody pointed me to the following article which is the best explanation I've seen: http://www.cardhub.com/edu/chip-and-pin-vs-chip-and-signature/ .

A few weeks ago there was another thread about currency exchange that morphed into a discussion about credit cards and PIN/signature chip enabled cards. Somebody pointed me to the following article which is the best explanation I've seen: http://www.cardhub.com/edu/chip-and-pin-vs-chip-and-signature/ .

Good article! I was surprised to read that some people have had problems with cards that are chip + PIN / chip + Signature dual mode cards. That shouldn't happen if everyone follows the standard.

Can an American citizen apply for a Canadian credit card to get the chip and pin card? I lived in Canada 40 years ago and knew it was rather difficult then to change over the banking business but maybe it is better now.

What I remember about Canada at the time (1973 -74) was that I had a baby in hospital and the total bill was about $42 Canadian for TV and photos (8 day normal stay at the time)!! and we were getting 17% interest on 30 day Certificates of Deposit savings account. Wow has that changed a bit? :D:p

Can an American citizen apply for a Canadian credit card to get the chip and pin card? I lived in Canada 40 years ago and knew it was rather difficult then to change over the banking business but maybe it is better now.

 

What I remember about Canada at the time (1973 -74) was that I had a baby in hospital and the total bill was about $42 Canadian for TV and photos (8 day normal stay at the time)!! and we were getting 17% interest on 30 day Certificates of Deposit savings account. Wow has that changed a bit? :D:p

I don't know if an American can get a Canadian credit card but Canadians can get a US$ credit card. Mine is issued through my Canadian bank but is a US$ card.

please don't have any concerns - we are very accommodating in Europe as a rule and if you don't have chip and pin you can just sign like normal .... and contrary to some belief most bars/restaurants/shops will take cards but they may charge a small percentage:) for doing so and/or have a minimum

ENJOY

Can an American citizen apply for a Canadian credit card to get the chip and pin card? I lived in Canada 40 years ago and knew it was rather difficult then to change over the banking business but maybe it is better now.

 

What I remember about Canada at the time (1973 -74) was that I had a baby in hospital and the total bill was about $42 Canadian for TV and photos (8 day normal stay at the time)!! and we were getting 17% interest on 30 day Certificates of Deposit savings account. Wow has that changed a bit? :D:p

Unfortunately, most banks in Canada will not give you a credit card if you do not have any recent Canadian credit history. I think 40 years would be stretching it. :)

However, with the pending changes in the US, why not find out from your bank when they will start issuing chip 'n pin. Even if you could get a Canadian card, it should be only be a matter of months before you have a US one.

Can an American citizen apply for a Canadian credit card to get the chip and pin card? I lived in Canada 40 years ago and knew it was rather difficult then to change over the banking business but maybe it is better now.

 

You don't need to go to Canada to get a chip and pin card...I've had a master card for close to 2 years that is, and my visa one is too. Ask your credit card provider!

please don't have any concerns - we are very accommodating in Europe as a rule and if you don't have chip and pin you can just sign like normal .... and contrary to some belief most bars/restaurants/shops will take cards but they may charge a small percentage:) for doing so and/or have a minimum

 

ENJOY

Thank you for the encouraging words! I can't wait !!

Can an American citizen apply for a Canadian credit card to get the chip and pin card? I lived in Canada 40 years ago and knew it was rather difficult then to change over the banking business but maybe it is better now.

 

You don't need to go to Canada to get a chip and pin card...I've had a master card for close to 2 years that is, and my visa one is too. Ask your credit card provider!

 

I have which is why I started this thread. My Amex is chipped (so is my Discover). However, my HAL Visa is not ( nor my Capital One Visa) and these are 2 with no foreign transaction fees android the main 2 I plan on using.

I'm sorry...I meant my comment for the poster I quoted who asked about Canadian credit cards...not you!

I got new credit cards TODAY Capital one Venture and they have chip but they require signature. I was on website tonight to activate and asked in on-line chat and that is the only chip available (as of Sept 1, 2015). MasterCard World has chip but also needs signature and that card was sent to me last month.

In quest for points bonus, I have "adjusted" my credit cards fairly often and I am looking for travel rewards/bonus points/eraser feature or similar/no foreign transaction fees. In my looking for major banks or groups, I have found no chip and pin in US yet. You may have a chip but I doubt a chip/pin. I think we will be much better off when the US banking world catches up in security to the rest of the major banking countries. At least it will be more challenging for the hackers to get in;)