ATM pin in Europe

[cantw8togo]

I was exposed to the "chip" card on a recent trip to Canada. We went to pay for lunch and the cashier said "oh, it's one of those cards". Curious, I asked her what she meant and she told me about the "chip" card. We didn't have an issue using our non-chip cards though, as all of the merchants we patronized had a machine to read non-chip cards. We were in a border city (Windsor), so I don't know if this is the norm for the country as a whole or not.

 

In support of what others have stated, a friend of mine who travels internationally for work informed me that non-chip cards are becoming harder to use overseas.

 

The chip technology has only been in use in Canada for a year or two, so there is still a lot of familiarity with the old swipe cards. We have had the Wave or Pay Pass technology for quite a while now, but it doesn't often work. Some also have a limit as to how much you can charge using this.

 

Regarding the lack of chip cards in the US, do the Canadian Banks that have branches in the US such as TD (Toronto Dominion), Scotiabank, BMO (Bank of Montreal), CIBC (Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce), or RBC (Royal Bank of Canada) offer credit cards with chips?

[Jenna]

I have a 6 digit PIN, does that mean if I ever go to Europe I should change it?

[Sinppu]

It might be that chipless credit cards cannot be used in ATM's. At least in Scandinavia you can pay with them almost anywhere (ask first).

Chipless cards have become almost extinct in the last two-three years.

[Goldiedog]

So do the US chip card/pin card not have a chip??

 

Our cards have a chip embedded in the card ... Canadian Visa

 

Canada have chip and pin cards the same as the UK, USA don't, when we go to Canada we have to put our pin number in to buy anything, in the USA we just sign, no number required, not very secure as anybody coukd sign, they never seem to check signatures.

[SadieN]

Italian ATMs are a bit notorious about this issue. You just have to try a different bank. You can ask your bank before you go if they know "what Italian Banks recognize their cards".

 

Has to do with routing numbers. Larger banks shouldn't be a problem.

 

What was odd was that this is the ATM DD has used for a year and I had used it several times before with no problems. I was even able to use it later in the week.

 

I have a 6 digit PIN, does that mean if I ever go to Europe I should change it?

 

Yes.

[SwissDave]

I have a 6 digit PIN, does that mean if I ever go to Europe I should change it?

 

 

 

 

Yes.

 

My ATM card is (ok, was) 6 digit and I used it in many ATMs without any issue in Switzerland, France and UK. Several mainland European banks now issue 6 digit codes as a matter of course.

 

I did however change it to 4 digit pin just to make it easier to remember the number.

 

but yes, there are some machines and banks that only recognise 4 digit so change it to 4 digit just to be on the safe side.

[LHT28]

Canada have chip and pin cards the same as the UK, USA don't, when we go to Canada we have to put our pin number in to buy anything, in the USA we just sign, no number required, not very secure as anybody coukd sign, they never seem to check signatures.

Yes we do the same in the US

I was asking about US issued cards though ...not that I have one

[bellebaby]

I just noticed that the U.S. issued Chase Hyatt Visa now comes with a smart chip. I called Chase and they agreed to send me a replacement card with the chip.

 

Nice benefit.

 

B

[-Lew-]

 

I just noticed that the U.S. issued Chase Hyatt Visa now comes with a smart chip. I called Chase and they agreed to send me a replacement card with the chip.

Is the Chase Hyatt VISA a chip & pin or chip & signature card? You want a chip & pin card as a chip & signature card won't be any better than a mag stripe card in Europe.

 

Last time I researched Chase they were not issuing chip & pin cards.

 

Lew

[cherylandtk]

Is the Chase Hyatt VISA a chip & pin or chip & signature card? You want a chip & pin card as a chip & signature card won't be any better than a mag stripe card in Europe.

 

Last time I researched Chase they were not issuing chip & pin cards.

 

Lew

Sadly, they are just chip and signature 'smart' cards.

 

https://www.chase.com/online/Credit-Cards/smart-chip-card.htm

[navybankerteacher]

Is the Chase Hyatt VISA a chip & pin or chip & signature card? You want a chip & pin card as a chip & signature card won't be any better than a mag stripe card in Europe.

 

Last time I researched Chase they were not issuing chip & pin cards.

 

Lew

Chase "check cards" for use in ATM's as debit cards and as Visa credit cards do have an embedded chip obviously located in the center of the card above the word "blink". Important to have, because nonchip cards (the Europeans generally refer to the chips as "bugs") will not work in machines like gas pumps or railway ticket machines. Just anothder example of US arrogance in failing to keep up with worldwide technology - like trying to ignore the metric system.

[bellebaby]

This is what I've been told to expect:

 

How do I use my Chip with Signature card?

 

A. It's simple – just insert the chip portion of the card into the point of sale terminal with the chip facing up, leave the card in the point of sale terminal until the transaction is complete, follow the prompts, and provide your signature if requested.

 

According to the Chase representative, most transactions will process without the PIN or a signature.

 

Of course, I haven't tried it so I have no idea if it works.

 

However, I assume it will be as good or better than a magnetic stripe. We use the card already, we did not get it just for the chip.

 

My husband is headed to Europe next week. We'll see how it goes.

 

I did find this recent review:

 

Do Chip & Signature Cards Really Work in Europe?

 

Posted on July 16, 2012

 

We were recently in Europe, and Emily’s new British Airways card with Chip &

Signature technology (whose 100,000 point sign-up bonus ends on Wednesday)

was quite useful.

 

Automatic machines which sell everything from train tickets to food in Europe

don’t usually accept American credit cards because they don’t have Chip & PIN

technology.

 

For most travelers, this isn’t a big deal because most stores or shops have a credit

card machine which accepts credit cards with chips as well as US-issued credit

cards which have a magnetic strip to swipe. After all, European shopkeepers and

businesses would have much lower sales if they refuse to accept credit cards

carried by American and other tourists.

 

But cards with a Chip can be useful and save you time when you have to purchase

tickets from a machine, pay for gas at an automatic pump, or buy a quick candy

bar from a machine. For example, Emily and I used a chip card to:

 

Buy metro tickets

Rent bikes

Get a drink from the vending machine

 

However, some US issued cards (such as the Chase British Airways, Chase Hyatt

card, JP Morgan Select) do have a chip in them, but they are Chip and Signature

(where you verify your identity by your signature), unlike the Chip and PIN cards

(where you enter a 4 digit number to verify your identity) used in Europe.

 

We were also able to use the Chase British Airways card to buy train tickets to

Versailles and Paris Metro tickets. We did try using our regular MasterCards, Visa

cards, and American Express cards, but we couldn’t buy tickets from the automatic

machines because those card didn’t have Chips in them.

 

However, we had a layover in London, but couldn’t get the card to work in the

automatic check out machine at a WH Smith store at Heathrow airport, so the

Chip & Signature cards don’t work everywhere.

 

Bottom Line: I wouldn’t go out of my way to apply for a card with a Chip &

Signature if I was occasionally traveling in Europe or countries which use credit

cards with a Chip, unless the card had other benefits (sign-up bonus, free nights,

no foreign transaction fee etc.) besides the Chip.

 

But I’d certainly carry them with me while traveling if I already had a card with a

Chip.

[Hlitner]

We travel extensively (about 5-6 months a year) and have used our ATM card all over the world with little problem. The normal standard is a 4 digit PIN and you should know that PIN in numbers (many European ATMs do not have letters on the keypad). As to 6 digit PINs, sometimes they will work, some times the first 4 digits will work, and other times they will not work at all! You also should notify your issuing bank of your trip itinerary before you leave home (this avoids any potential security problems). If you do have a 6 digit PIN my advice would be to ask your bank if its possible to change it to 4 digits for at least the time of your trip. Otherwise do take your chances but have a back-up plan to get cash.

 

Hank

[Hlitner]

This is what I've been told to expect:

 

How do I use my Chip with Signature card?

 

A. It's simple – just insert the chip portion of the card into the point of sale terminal with the chip facing up, leave the card in the point of sale terminal until the transaction is complete, follow the prompts, and provide your signature if requested.

 

According to the Chase representative, most transactions will process without the PIN or a signature.

 

Of course, I haven't tried it so I have no idea if it works.

 

However, I assume it will be as good or better than a magnetic stripe. We use the card already, we did not get it just for the chip.

 

My husband is headed to Europe next week. We'll see how it goes.

 

This is an issue we have experienced first hand on several recent trips to Europe. The Europeans (and most of the world) use a Chip/PIN card that works on the EMV standard. Some of the US credit card companies (we think Chase is in this category) do issue credit cards that have a PIN...but they are not EMV compatable. Sometimes they actually will work in Europe without the PIN and sometimes you will need the PIN. But they are not a substitute for an EMV compatable card which is now required at more and more locations within Europe. This is particularly true for places where you need to use an electronic vending machine such as buying train tickets, purchasing gas, etc. We have also recently had the US cards rejected by some B and B's and restaurants (we always carry enough Euros to cover the tab as a backup).

 

Hank

[bellebaby]

This is an issue we have experienced first hand on several recent trips to Europe. The Europeans (and most of the world) use a Chip/PIN card that works on the EMV standard. Some of the US credit card companies (we think Chase is in this category) do issue credit cards that have a PIN...but they are not EMV compatable. Sometimes they actually will work in Europe without the PIN and sometimes you will need the PIN. But they are not a substitute for an EMV compatable card which is now required at more and more locations within Europe. This is particularly true for places where you need to use an electronic vending machine such as buying train tickets, purchasing gas, etc. We have also recently had the US cards rejected by some B and B's and restaurants (we always carry enough Euros to cover the tab as a backup).

 

Hank

 

A few Chase cards are EMV compatible..... but are chip and signature, not chip and pin....

 

B

[Starbright]

Chase "check cards" for use in ATM's as debit cards and as Visa credit cards do have an embedded chip obviously located in the center of the card above the word "blink". Important to have, because nonchip cards (the Europeans generally refer to the chips as "bugs") will not work in machines like gas pumps or railway ticket machines. Just anothder example of US arrogance in failing to keep up with worldwide technology - like trying to ignore the metric system.

 

Where did you get the idea we refer to the chip as a 'bug'? I live in the UK and we certainly don't. Here a bug is something that makes you sick, as in a 'cold bug', or something that gets into a piece of equipment and affects it's working, as in 'computer bug'. The chip on a bank card is always referred to as a chip, and we talk about 'chip and pin' cards.

[Bonnie J.]

Most ships have ATMs on them. Use those before you leave the ship.

[Underwatr]

Most ships have ATMs on them. Use those before you leave the ship.

Big ATM fees on those.

 

The Chip & PIN cards everyone is discussing are credit cards. ATMs in Europe still work fine with US Mag stripe debit/ATM cards.

 

Just to complicate the Chip & PIN discussion further, my Andrews FCU Chip & PIN card is Chip & Signature where possible, and Chip & PIN only where Signature transactions aren't permitted by the terminal.

[Hlitner]

The issue should become history next year. Both MC and Visa have agreed to move to Chip/PIN EMV (the European standard) cards by April 2013. Of course we shall have to wait and see if they keep their word.

 

Hank

[bellebaby]

The issue should become history next year. Both MC and Visa have agreed to move to Chip/PIN EMV (the European standard) cards by April 2013. Of course we shall have to wait and see if they keep their word.

 

Hank

 

American Express Announces U.S. EMV Roadmap to Advance Contact, Contactless and Mobile Payments

 

NEW YORK, June 29, 2012 --

 

American Express today announced its network roadmap to advance EMV chip-based contact, contactless and mobile payments for all merchants, processors and issuers of American Express-branded cards in the U.S.

 

American Express plans to begin issuing EMV-compliant cards in the U.S. in the latter half of 2012.

 

The article never says whether the cards will be Chip and Pin or Chip and Signature....

 

B

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Yes it is ....

[Underwatr]

American Express plans to begin issuing EMV-compliant cards in the U.S. in the latter half of 2012.

 

The article never says whether the cards will be Chip and Pin or Chip and Signature....

AFAIK, "EMV-compliant" means chip-and-PIN, although as I've said my EMV Visa card will make the machine print a signature slip if it can.