usa/cali does chip n pin cards work there okay
Discussion
A lot if the time they just make you sign.
Cash machines work as normal but you get your cash before you get your card back and have to manually cancel the session. Don't do what I did whilst hoovered and take your cash and walk off leaving your card in the machine!
With petrol stations you mostly go in and pre-pay before filling.
Cash machines work as normal but you get your cash before you get your card back and have to manually cancel the session. Don't do what I did whilst hoovered and take your cash and walk off leaving your card in the machine!
With petrol stations you mostly go in and pre-pay before filling.
Edited by DJFish on Sunday 8th August 11:59
DJFish said:
A lot if the time they just make you sign.
Cash machines work as normal but you get your cash before you get your card back and have to manually cancel the session. Don't do what I did whilst hoovered and take your cash and walk off leaving your card in the machine!
With petrol stations you mostly go in and pre-pay before filling.
ive planned to take a wad of cash , then top up if need be by getting cash back at supermarkets Cash machines work as normal but you get your cash before you get your card back and have to manually cancel the session. Don't do what I did whilst hoovered and take your cash and walk off leaving your card in the machine!
With petrol stations you mostly go in and pre-pay before filling.
Edited by DJFish on Sunday 8th August 11:59
DJFish said:
With petrol stations you mostly go in and pre-pay before filling.
^^^ This.You'll be fine with your cards everywhere in CA except for 'gas' stations. You won't be able to 'pay-at-pump' because you will be required to enter the ZIP code associated with the card on the keypad. This, naturally, requires a card with a US billing address. It's an inconvenience, but not a problem because, as said, you just go in and pre-pay. It doesn't matter if you over-estimate how much you need either. They will simply refund the excess to your card.
The US doesn't do Chip and PIN. Their systems (cashpoint, retailer, whatever) revert to the magnetic strip. All it means for you is that you'll likely be signing for stuff more, not simply entering your PIN - your cards still work though. ATMs, naturally, still use your PIN 
In my (limited) experience, it just makes sense to have your passport to hand when making purchases. For some reason, probably lack of familiarity, UK driving licences aren't often accepted as ID.
You'll likely need to tell your bank that you're going abroad so that they can flag your card as OK to be used in the US. Not that that will ensure it won't be eaten in ATMs but some of them require you to pop your card in then remove it before you start with your PIN and stuff. Find out which ones, they can never nick your card I would also suggest taking Travellers Cheques instead of an enormous wodge of cash. (Again in my experience) retailers will take them at face dollar value (so no 'conversion fee') and give you cash change.
Edit: to add some kind of clarity
In my (limited) experience, it just makes sense to have your passport to hand when making purchases. For some reason, probably lack of familiarity, UK driving licences aren't often accepted as ID.
You'll likely need to tell your bank that you're going abroad so that they can flag your card as OK to be used in the US. Not that that will ensure it won't be eaten in ATMs but some of them require you to pop your card in then remove it before you start with your PIN and stuff. Find out which ones, they can never nick your card
I would also suggest taking Travellers Cheques instead of an enormous wodge of cash. (Again in my experience) retailers will take them at face dollar value (so no 'conversion fee') and give you cash change.Edit: to add some kind of clarity
Edited by bigandclever on Sunday 8th August 17:37
As said the USA do not have Chip & Pin. You just sign as we used to do in the UK. Surprisingly they are very lax when it comes to signing and ID, I never get asked for it and they rarely check if the signature is the same as on the card.
My advice would be to use a credit card rather than a debit card, that way you have some protection. You will get asked to leave your card at the cash desk before you fill up when buying petrol, I would never leave a debit card!
My advice would be to use a credit card rather than a debit card, that way you have some protection. You will get asked to leave your card at the cash desk before you fill up when buying petrol, I would never leave a debit card!
cjs said:
I never get asked for it and they rarely check if the signature is the same as on the card.
In 20 years of going to the US I can't remember anyone ever checking the signature - usually they swipe the card, give it back to you, then ask you to sign.Yet cash a travellers cheque, and they aways check ID.
I have a US debit card and that works with a pin number but it doesn't have a chip in it.
Edited by Deva Link on Monday 9th August 08:29
Everytime I go I take the minimum of cash and just use the hole in the wall for small amounts of cash and buy everything-else on the card.
No, they don't use chip and pin, everything is swipe, card back, sign.
At least using the card when you receive your next statement you'll find that all the transactions have been converted to Sterling using the Commercial Rates rather than the Tourist Rate. The Commercial Rates are alawy better than the Tourist rates so your purchases are cheaper.
No, they don't use chip and pin, everything is swipe, card back, sign.
At least using the card when you receive your next statement you'll find that all the transactions have been converted to Sterling using the Commercial Rates rather than the Tourist Rate. The Commercial Rates are alawy better than the Tourist rates so your purchases are cheaper.
maser_spyder said:
In California, I was regularly asked for 'ID' with my card when signing. Passport did the trick.
HTH.
This happened to me a lot. I usually take my passport everywhere when I'm in the States so not generally a problem.HTH.
I was caught without my passport once, I found the only "id" I had in my wallet was my council discount/leisure centre card, which has a picture on it. I said "This is my local State ID" and it was accepted!
Chip & PIN isn't used, but you can still use your Visa and Mastercard cards there (as mentioned be wary of maestro).
maser_spyder said:
In California, I was regularly asked for 'ID' with my card when signing. Passport did the trick.
AIUI, non-US residents, i.e. visitors and holidaymakers, are legally required to carry your passport and immigration documents (usually the visa waiver stub stapled into the passport) at all times. Failure to do so can result in your arrest and detention until your identity and immigration status can be verified.Strangely Brown said:
maser_spyder said:
In California, I was regularly asked for 'ID' with my card when signing. Passport did the trick.
AIUI, non-US residents, i.e. visitors and holidaymakers, are legally required to carry your passport and immigration documents (usually the visa waiver stub stapled into the passport) at all times. Failure to do so can result in your arrest and detention until your identity and immigration status can be verified.
The first time I went, we went out first night with a British guy I did business with who'd been over there for years.
We went to a bar in Huntington Beach just by the pier, and at a buck a beer, proceeded to get pretty lashed. Apparently the yanks don't drink like Brits, so Dave was pleased to have some proper
company (I'd only just finished being a student, so my hand was still well in).We stumbled down the stairs to outside, fell across the road in front of a police car, when Dave told me it was technically illegal to be drunk in the state of California. Well, we certainly were, so I managed to technically break the law within 6 hours of arrival.
Lots of laws there, worth a bit of reading before you go if possible, just to keep the right side of it and not get in to trouble.
wad of cash anywhere in the world is not good news, why not take either sterling or US$ travellers cheques, if they get lost or nicked they are reasonably easy to replace
have just returned from taking 2 * U18 rugby squads to NZ for 3 weeks and had converted thier spending money to travellers cheques before leaving UK, nice and easy to swap as and when you like at banks or bureau de change(watch the exchange rate at the latter and be prepared to haggle them to the rate the banks are offering)
have just returned from taking 2 * U18 rugby squads to NZ for 3 weeks and had converted thier spending money to travellers cheques before leaving UK, nice and easy to swap as and when you like at banks or bureau de change(watch the exchange rate at the latter and be prepared to haggle them to the rate the banks are offering)
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