Debit Card as Chip & Pin in Europe?

[walkinwood]

If my debit card has a chip (and obviously a pin), can I use it in Europe when a chip & pin credit card is called for?

 

[audreyh1]

Yes, if it's on a network like VISA. In fact it's more likely to work than your credit card in an automated machine in Europe.

Probably because some automated machines think a direct bank transaction is OK, but balk at accepting US issued credit cards.

The only other issue is: do you feel safe using your PIN in general retail situations like stores and restaurants? It seems that Europeans do feel safe.

Also - you want a debit card with low or no foreign transaction fees. There aren't that many of those. Schwab - 0%, Fidelity Cash Management - 1% for debit transactions (0% for ATMs). There may be a few others.

Personally I stick with credit cards in Europe except for the automated machine case (like buying train tickets). For small amounts I use cash if the machine will accept bills, but some don't. It depends on the country.

 

[Freedom56]

If my debit card has a chip (and obviously a pin), can I use it in Europe when a chip & pin credit card is called for?

I would only use the debit card at a bank ATMs. I would not recommend using them at restaurants or other merchants. Use cash or regular credit cards (with chips) instead. I had a bad experience using a debit card in Switzerland (of all places) when buying about $8 worth of gas on a rental car to top it up before returning it. The debit amount to my checking account was $142. It is very difficult to dispute these charges as compared to a credit card. I contacted my bank and they opened a fraud investigation. I sent a letter to BP who operated the gas station. It took 6 months but the charges were eventually corrected. The owner of the BP station was apparently doing this regularly. We travel to Europe every year and except for hotels and car rentals, we pay cash that we withdraw from banks in Europe that are part of the same network as my bank.

 

[walkinwood]

Thanks for the feedback.

I have credit cards with no foreign transaction fees to use, but they are chip and signature.

I want a solution for the times we need to use an automated machine with no attendant. Last year, in scandinavia, I had the Barclay's card which is chip & pin, but did not want to renew it due to the $99 annual fee. It didn't seem worth it to me.

My plan is to use the debit card only in those situations where there is no option to use the chip & signature.

[-]In the meantime I'll see if I can get myself a chip & pin credit card. There is another thread on that on this board.[/-]
Edit: After reading Audreyh1's posts on the chip & pin thread, I think I'll just use the debit card for those times that I can't use cash or a chip & signature card.

 

[Bamaman]

I use a Capital One Visa any chance I can--avoiding using cash overseas. Credit cards are governed by the government and you have certain rights that ATM cards don't provide. I get full value for my Capital One card with no charges.

Whenever I'm getting cash, I use the ATM card from my credit union. I would use my Wells Fargo ATM, however they charge 3% upcharge and $5 per transaction. The credit union card is without any charges and I get full face value.

 

[jonat]

As Audrey says, assuming your ATM/Debit card is on the Visa network (maybe also MasterCard, but I am not sure), you can use it most places where debit cards are accepted as chip+PIN. But in some countries, merchants accept debit cards only from local banks so you might run into trouble.

The only time it made sense to me to try that was buying train tickets from a kiosk, where it would not accept my chip+signature Visa card. Pretty much everywhere else I used the Visa card and had no trouble with signatures, though some small shop owners might grumble.

As for cash, I encountered many cash-only establishments in Belgium and Czech Republic.

 

[audreyh1]

There are parts of the Netherlands where the only plastic they accept Maestro which is an NL-based* direct bank debit network with very low fees. I just had to use a lot of cash in those areas. Same was true in a major grocery chain in Amsterdam (Albert Hein) much to my surprise.

Overall though US-issued credit cards have been widely accepted wherever we travel in Europe, and they cheerfully put up with the extra chip and signature receipt steps.

*Also some areas in Germany

 

[sengsational]

I always have a pen because sometimes, when the machine spits out another sheet for signing, the waiter is surprised, starts casting around, but I'm all ready to sign. In other words, they don't even know if it's credit or debit or pin or signature. They just do what it says on the machine they bring to you.

It might pay to study the little logos on the back of the cards you already have. Some of those networks, like Maestro are included on some cards.

 

[audreyh1]

I always have a pen because sometimes, when the machine spits out another sheet for signing, the waiter is surprised, starts casting around, but I'm all ready to sign. In other words, they don't even know if it's credit or debit or pin or signature. They just do what it says on the machine they bring to you.

It might pay to study the little logos on the back of the cards you already have. Some of those networks, like Maestro are included on some cards.

Well that Maestro/Mastercard network logo for US issued debit cards, which it will work at ATMs with that logo, I don't believe works in the NL version of Maestro (Maestro/V-Pay) at retail locations. Same name, slightly different animal. The only way I know to get a Maestro/V-Pay card is to open a bank account in the Netherlands.

Yes - having your own pen available is a very good idea. The wait person will be relieved. Usually they did have a pen on their person, but occasionally not.