Chip and PIN credit cards for Europe

[audreyh1]

Sounds to me as if your informants were either confused or didn't understand.

I just got that MasterCard last September (I called USAA and asked for one with a chip). It worked flawlessly in unattended kiosks. An advantage is that it also worked as pure chip/pin in restaurants, where the Andrews card defaulted to chip/signature. A disadvantage is that there were foreign transaction fees.

The Andrews Visa card also worked flawlessly in unattended kiosks. It also had the advantage of no foreign transaction fees. I'm looking forward to my next trip to check out my new chipped PenFed Visa.

The story is that last year's USAA issued cards, like yours, were "true" chip and PIN, but this year's issued cards switched to signature priority and don't work the same, and so people have run into problems.

 

[Rustward]

Yes, I love the pay at the table device they use in European restaurants (or you swing by the register on your way out and use a device up on the counter).

There is nothing stopping them from doing this in the US with swipe cards. I once ate at a restaurant in a smaller city in Washington State in 2011, and they brought a device to the table for me to swipe my card. And that was the only time I ever had that happen. It sure hasn't caught on in the US, has it?

Not precisely what you are talking about, but swipe to pay at the table (and do a few other things) is available some places in the US. It is currently available.

Ziosk - Industry leading tabletop ordering, entertainment and payment solutions

 

[audreyh1]

I just got a Barclays Arrival Plus card.

It lets you set a PIN on the website. Then you have to go to a chip and signature terminal which would communicate online and supposedly downloads your PIN.

Well I'm going to France next month. The real test will be to use the PIN part at one of the gas stations, because below a certain amount, it won't prompt for a PIN or signature at many unattended points of sales. Say train tickets or highway toll booths.

But if you're charging more than 50€ in gas at one of those stations which are unattended, that will be the real test. In past trips, I had to look around sometimes to find a station which had attendants.

Wow, the plot thickens. I guess I'll try to use my PenFed card at a chip reading signature terminal first. My doctor's office has one. No such instructions from PenFed.

Your challenge in France maybe they don't like cards issued from banks outside of selected EU countries at the unmanned kiosks.

 

[audreyh1]

Not precisely what you are talking about, but swipe to pay at the table (and do a few other things) is available some places in the US. It is currently available.

Ziosk - Industry leading tabletop ordering, entertainment and payment solutions

Yes, it is currently available, and has been since at least 2011, but extremely few restaurants use it. That's what I mean by "it hasn't caught on".

 

[Debinnov a]

I just applied for BoA travel rewards card. It has no foreign transaction fees which I need for a trip to UK this fall. Not sure if it has a chip - how can I tell?



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[Meadbh]

I just applied for BoA travel rewards card. It has no foreign transaction fees which I need for a trip to UK this fall. Not sure if it has a chip - how can I tell?

I have attached a screenshot of a chip and PIN card from a bank ad. Underneath the green TD symbol is a silvery square with rounded corners. This is the chip, the electronic circuit where the information resides.

 

[audreyh1]

I just applied for BoA travel rewards card. It has no foreign transaction fees which I need for a trip to UK this fall. Not sure if it has a chip - how can I tell?



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I received this card as a chip and signature card. It may come that way automatically. I have used it in Europe. The chip is obvious.

 

[kcowan]

I have attached a screenshot of a chip and PIN card from a bank ad. Underneath the green TD symbol is a silvery square with rounded corners. This is the chip, the electronic circuit where the information resides.

And the little words Paypass also means there is an embedded RFID chip at the other end, enabling the card to be used by swiping it over a payment reader. No PIN, no signature!

 

[Meadbh]

And the little words Paypass also means there is an embedded RFID chip at the other end, enabling the card to be used by swiping it over a payment reader. No PIN, no signature!

That is not a good thing as far as I am concerned. Even though they say the limit is $50.

http://www.tdcanadatrust.com/products-services/banking/credit-cards/chip-paywave.jsp

 

[Sarah in SC]

My DH sent me a message today from Siberia, about 200 miles from Irkusk. The Schwab debit card (no chip) has been declined at a couple of ATMs there, so I called and turns out, the travel notice was lifted after 30 days. Once it was reset, I think he should have no further troubles.

His Chase Sapphire (chip, no pin) was working in Azerbaijan (thanks, Ed!) and in Kazakhstan, but was declined at a number of Russian gas stations in the past few days. I called Chase and they said it was probably a merchant problem. Great, except there is really only one gas station operator in that part of the world so I just told him he needed to start busking pretty soon to earn his keep!

Interestingly, they will probably be stopping at the place where my lovely outhouse photo avatar was taken last summer, along the shores of Lake Baikal, the largest freshwater lake in the world. It looks WAY more picturesque from the outside!

 

[mpeirce]

I was in a Giant Eagle supermarket last week and noticed that their CC terminals now have a place to insert a chip card in addition to the CC swiper on the side.

I tried inserting my chip card and nothing happened, so it looks like they are getting ready to handle chip cards, but haven't turned on the new functionality yet.

 

[iac1003]

We spent a week in Canada this month and all transactions were chip and signature with the tabletop machines. I wasn't even aware that my (replaced after the Target breach) AA Visa had a chip until then.


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[kcowan]

My new Chase chip card required a signature until I had used the PIN twice, then PIN was fine. It seemed to use the first transaction to collect my selected PIN.

 

[audreyh1]

My new Chase chip card required a signature until I had used the PIN twice, then PIN was fine. It seemed to use the first transaction to collect my selected PIN.

That's just weird. I'll have so see what hoops I have to jump through. I've already used it for a couple of transactions stateside, including a chip card reader that only did signature.

 

[braumeister]

That's just weird. I'll have so see what hoops I have to jump through. I've already used it for a couple of transactions stateside, including a chip card reader that only did signature.

I would say it only seems weird because you're more aware of the situation than most. We're in a period of transition in this country, and it will gradually get more like Europe over the next couple of years.

 

[audreyh1]

I would say it only seems weird because you're more aware of the situation than most. We're in a period of transition in this country, and it will gradually get more like Europe over the next couple of years.

Well there already seems to be a major divergence as the US is favoring signature over PIN priority with their chip cards. I'm not so sure that will be resolved any time soon.

 

[explanade]

My new Chase chip card required a signature until I had used the PIN twice, then PIN was fine. It seemed to use the first transaction to collect my selected PIN.

What kind of Chase chip card is it?

I have the Sapphire Preferred which is only chip and signature. Supposedly they will convert to chip and PIN later this year or early next year.


I also have the Barclay's Arrival Plus World MC, which is suppose to be pushing PIN more than VISA.

But I selected a PIN on their website and supposedly, after doing some regular transactions, the PIN is suppose to get downloaded onto the card.

So I went to Walmart and I used the card without signing (low transaction amount so they may not have bothered with the signature) but it didn't prompt for PIN either.

Going to France in a couple of weeks so I'll find out whether it works or not.

 

[gerntz]

Well there already seems to be a major divergence as the US is favoring signature over PIN priority with their chip cards. I'm not so sure that will be resolved any time soon.

I think this means the type of terminal the retailers in the US will install. I don't think this means that a chip card with PIN won't work in countries that use that system. Net, know your PIN.

 

[nwsteve]

Also curious what type of Chase card you have. I have a chip in my Sapphire card and when I asked them for a pin, I got the following response:
"I would like to share with you that at this time, Chase is
issuing Chip and Signature cards, which only require your
signature to complete a transaction. And your Sapphire
Preferred card is a Chip and Signature card."
The party signing for Chase indicates the response comes from an off-shore service center as does the phrasing of the response
Nwsteve

 

[audreyh1]

I think this means the type of terminal the retailers in the US will install. I don't think this means that a chip card with PIN won't work in countries that use that system. Net, know your PIN.

People are reporting problems with behavior of US signature priority chip and PIN cards in Europe, so it's the cards too. I hope I get to use my PIN, I'm just not very confident I'll get it to work at an fully automated kiosk. We'll see.

 

[Meadbh]

People are reporting problems with behavior of US signature priority chip and PIN cards in Europe, so it's the cards too. I hope I get to use my PIN, I'm just not very confident I'll get it to work at an fully automated kiosk. We'll see.

Even if you have a proper Chip and Pin card (as in, Canadian) not all of them will work everywhere. This spring, my friend and I were traveling in Europe. She was unable to withdraw money from ATMs (using a debit card) while I had no trouble. Credit was no problem. The compatibility of the technology seems to depend on the bank.

 

[gauss]

Barclays Arrival+ (EMV) Card

I just received my new Barclays Arrival+ card today (with EMV chip).

I was pleased to see the following FAQ on their web site which details how the PIN is changed and then downloaded to the card for Kiosk transactions overseas. My first EMV card was with PenFed but being an early adopter there was much confusion with the PenFed card PIN that I wrote about previously.

Here are the details on the Barfclays Arrival+ card PIN management:

-gauss
"How do I get a PIN for my chip card - and can I change it?


A PIN was assigned to your card when the account was created. When you activate your card by phone, you can change your PIN to something easier for you to remember, or you can request that the PIN assigned to your account be mailed to you. You can also manage your PIN, anytime, by visiting the customer service website on the back of your card. After you log in, go to the Manage your PIN section.

In addition, you can call the number on the back of your card and follow the menu options to change/manage your PIN.

Please note that you must sign for your first transaction abroad at a location with a cashier or attendant. After your first transaction has gone through, your PIN will be activated and you’ll be able to use your card at unattended terminals where a PIN is required.

You can also use your PIN to withdraw cash at ATMs in the U.S. and worldwide. Please note that there is only one PIN issued to your account. As the primary cardmember, you may share your PIN with authorized users at your discretion."

 

[kcowan]

What kind of Chase chip card is it?

It is the amazon.ca Visa so there are no specific Chase terminals or locations, although there are a growing number of Chase Payment Tech retail locations in Canada.

 

[explanade]

I just received my new Barclays Arrival+ card today (with EMV chip).

I was pleased to see the following FAQ on their web site which details how the PIN is changed and then downloaded to the card for Kiosk transactions overseas. My first EMV card was with PenFed but being an early adopter there was much confusion with the PenFed card PIN that I wrote about previously.

Here are the details on the Barfclays Arrival+ card PIN management:

-gauss
"How do I get a PIN for my chip card - and can I change it?


A PIN was assigned to your card when the account was created. When you activate your card by phone, you can change your PIN to something easier for you to remember, or you can request that the PIN assigned to your account be mailed to you. You can also manage your PIN, anytime, by visiting the customer service website on the back of your card. After you log in, go to the Manage your PIN section.

In addition, you can call the number on the back of your card and follow the menu options to change/manage your PIN.

Please note that you must sign for your first transaction abroad at a location with a cashier or attendant. After your first transaction has gone through, your PIN will be activated and you’ll be able to use your card at unattended terminals where a PIN is required.

You can also use your PIN to withdraw cash at ATMs in the U.S. and worldwide. Please note that there is only one PIN issued to your account. As the primary cardmember, you may share your PIN with authorized users at your discretion."

I changed the PIN online and then I went to a local Walmarts to do a regular transaction on their terminals with chip support.

We'll see if it worked.

 

[ChrisC]

Heading to Europe for 3 weeks this Friday. I'm taking 3 credit cards and one debit card. I have a chip and pin card from Wells Fargo, but was surprised that it comes with a 3% transaction fee for each use abroad -- that hurts! I also have a chip and signature card from Chase (Marriott Rewards) and magnetic strip card from Chase (United Explorer) which I've been told by Chase should work well in Europe. The chip and signature card I've been told will work in terminals, kiosks and gas stations -- will see about that when I'm there. Chase tells me that its cards have not international transaction fees when used in Europe, so I intend to use those cards primarily for retail purchases. Wells Fargo tells me that there's no fees for taking out Euros at ATM machines, so in case I need some cash I'll use the debit card. I think I have all bases covered. Am I missing anything?