The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, act as legal, financial or credit advice; instead, it is for general informational purposes only. Information on this website may not be current. This website may contain links to other third-party websites. Such links are only for the convenience of the reader, user or browser; we do not recommend or endorse the contents of any third-party sites. Readers of this website should contact their attorney, accountant or credit counselor to obtain advice with respect to their particular situation. No reader, user, or browser of this site should act or not act on the basis of information on this site. Always seek personal legal, financial or credit advice for your relevant jurisdiction. Only your individual attorney or advisor can provide assurances that the information contained herein – and your interpretation of it – is applicable or appropriate to your particular situation. Use of, and access to, this website or any of the links or resources contained within the site do not create an attorney-client or fiduciary relationship between the reader, user, or browser and website owner, authors, contributors, contributing firms, or their respective employers.
Credit.com receives compensation for the financial products and services advertised on this site if our users apply for and sign up for any of them. Compensation is not a factor in the substantive evaluation of any product.
Numerous things are taken into consideration by consumers when they are about to head to another country for a trip. But there are also things travelers should keep in mind in regards to their credit cards.
A number of credit cards issued by banks and credit unions carry fees when they are used abroad. A study by The Pew Charitable Trusts found that more than nine in 10 bank cards and more than half of credit union cards will be levied charges when used in other countries.
Because of this, cardholders may want to look into certain types of credit products specifically to utilize when traveling outside the United States. Many cards come with no foreign transaction fees, but consumers need to look for them.
Additionally, the source advises consumers to get into touch with their credit card company prior to heading outside the country. Alerting a credit card issuer should be a major task cardholders conduct, as issues could arise with their credit card if they start using it in other nations.
Should a credit card company be unaware of one’s intentions to visit other countries, when charges are made, they may think they are fraudulent purchases being made and may decide to freeze the card until it is verified with the cardholder that they are indeed the ones making the buys.
[Credit Cards: Research and compare airline miles credit cards at Credit.com.]
Passports are also vital at all times when in other countries. Because the European chip-and-pin credit card system is considered safer than the system used in the U.S., American travelers are often advised to carry their passports with them at all times.
The magnetic-stripped credit cards Americans use are not as trusted in many areas of Europe. In turn, many places where purchases with credit products can be made throughout the continent require buyers to have their passports as proof of identity.
Image: Richard Kelland, via Flickr
April 9, 2024
Credit Cards
October 21, 2020
Credit Cards
August 3, 2020
Credit Cards