Will Chip + Sign CC work in Europe?

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tj218
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Will Chip + Sign CC work in Europe?

Post by tj218 »

Do U.S. based cards that are Chip+Signature work okay in Europe? We are planning on a trip to Germany, Austria and Switzerland and are in the process of getting a new CC that has 0 foreign transaction fees, but they all appear to the be chip + signature, whereas most of Europe seems to be Chip + Pin.

Looking primarily at the Bank of American Travel Rewards card but also considering the Chase Sapphire and Barclay Arrival Card.

Thanks
dbr
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Re: Will Chip + Sign CC work in Europe?

Post by dbr »

Sure, they work fine mostly.

If you want a comprehensive discussion read here -- start with the wiki:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/credit-c ... ature.html
jridger2011
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Re: Will Chip + Sign CC work in Europe?

Post by jridger2011 »

I did not have any issue with chip and sign AMEX. I think you should be good, I even bought train tickets using a kiosk in Belgium with the AMEX.
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whodidntante
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Re: Will Chip + Sign CC work in Europe?

Post by whodidntante »

They work in most situations. You might not be able to buy train tickets or buy gas at automated stations. And some small shops may not be too happy about your weird credit card.
adam1712
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Re: Will Chip + Sign CC work in Europe?

Post by adam1712 »

One piece of advice is I've had success just hitting "cancel" or "enter" when prompted for a PIN at automated kiosks. It didn't always work but one thing to try when there's no person to have you sign a receipt.
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Re: Will Chip + Sign CC work in Europe?

Post by LadyGeek »

This thread is now in the Personal Finance (Not Investing) forum (credit card).
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bertilak
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Re: Will Chip + Sign CC work in Europe?

Post by bertilak »

I took a trip to Germany. Before I left I called AMEX and asked for a card that would work there. They sent me one. It has a chip but I really don't know exactly what kind of card it is. I was asked to sign the CC receipt but don't remember if that was everywhere or just some places. I didn't pay much attention as I had other things to think about!

Bottom line, call your CC company to be sure you have a workable card.
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patrick
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Re: Will Chip + Sign CC work in Europe?

Post by patrick »

From my own experience last year, the chip and signature card worked at every attended location I tried, though I didn't attempt it in any extremely remote areas. For buying train tickets from automated machines, it worked in Finland and France but not in Belgium.
slbnoob
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Re: Will Chip + Sign CC work in Europe?

Post by slbnoob »

If it doesn't work at first or prompt for a pin, try 0000 or more depending on the length of the input field.
navyitaly
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Re: Will Chip + Sign CC work in Europe?

Post by navyitaly »

Live in Italy for military for over the last 2 years...yes it will work. Warning: Germany is more a cash society, many places won't take credit cards, or won't take your US credit card.

Unless you are Preferred Rewards Platinum Honors, just get the Barclay Arrival Card...reason 1. signing bonus 2. MasterCard tends to have better exchange rates for EURO 3. First year no annual fee 4. You can set a back up Chip & Pin number on it for the automated places. I am sure the PIN works (I have card). Key is this, the PIN isn't activated until you set it online and do one EMV purchase via signature first. Then, the few places that ask for a PIN, put it in and it will work.
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jeffyscott
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Re: Will Chip + Sign CC work in Europe?

Post by jeffyscott »

Agree with above, I would get Barclay Arrival or Arrival+ so you will have a PIN in case you need it. Worked great for train tickets in Italy for us last fall. We saw a lot of people waiting in line to buy tickets at the counter, don't know if some were stuck doing that due to not having a PIN card? Note that the Arrival plus has an annual fee after the first year, but can be converted to the no annual fee Arrival card before the fee is charged...or you could just get the Arrival card, but that gives you only 1/2 the sign-up bonus of the Arrival+.

When we were in Germany in 2013, we used B of A travel rewards as it was one of the few with a chip and no transaction fees. We did successfully use it to skip a line and buy transit tickets in Germany, the machine did did not ask for PIN. I do recall that it did not work at an unattended gas station, though.
crazygrow
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Re: Will Chip + Sign CC work in Europe?

Post by crazygrow »

I travel quite a bit to Italy, France and England. The only issues I have is buying train tickets from automated booths! I wish they would just issue chip/pin cards instead of chip/signature cards.
ddunca1944
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Re: Will Chip + Sign CC work in Europe?

Post by ddunca1944 »

We were in the Baltic area last summer. Our chip+sig cc worked everywhere. We did not need to use a kiosk, so cannot address that issue.

Of course, when the clerk handed us the receipt to sign, we were identified as Americans..... since Europeans simply punch in their pin.
dbr
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Re: Will Chip + Sign CC work in Europe?

Post by dbr »

ddunca1944 wrote:We were in the Baltic area last summer. Our chip+sig cc worked everywhere. We did not need to use a kiosk, so cannot address that issue.

Of course, when the clerk handed us the receipt to sign, we were identified as Americans..... since Europeans simply punch in their pin.
I have the idea American credit cards that actually have a functioning chip and pin capability still default to signature if the machine allows that. There is a lot of discussion about how the priorities work. I don't think an American credit card with no signature capability and only PIN exists.
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Re: Will Chip + Sign CC work in Europe?

Post by KyleAAA »

They work in most situations but won't work in a lot of unattended kiosks. They really aren't much better than the swipe cards in terms of how easy it is to use them in Europe. It's a bit silly, really.
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Re: Will Chip + Sign CC work in Europe?

Post by Wagnerjb »

KyleAAA wrote:They work in most situations but won't work in a lot of unattended kiosks.
My wife and I were in Australia and New Zealand in January (yes, I know that isn't Europe, but the experience with credit cards was similar). We had chips in our credit cards, but not the PIN. At every single store or restaurant they allowed me to sign. At many of those merchants the employee would ask me as I pulled out the card, "is that a PIN or signature?" We didn't have a single issue with the cards - where the transaction was handled by an employee. As Kyle mentions, our only issue was at an unattended gas station - the card was not accepted by the machine.

We are going to Europe in July and I don't see the need to change cards based on our experience in Australia and New Zealand.

Best wishes.
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nedsaid
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Re: Will Chip + Sign CC work in Europe?

Post by nedsaid »

slbnoob wrote:If it doesn't work at first or prompt for a pin, try 0000 or more depending on the length of the input field.
Does this actually work? Are you taking the chance of the ultimate nightmare of having the machine "eat" your card?
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jeffyscott
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Re: Will Chip + Sign CC work in Europe?

Post by jeffyscott »

nedsaid wrote:
slbnoob wrote:If it doesn't work at first or prompt for a pin, try 0000 or more depending on the length of the input field.
Does this actually work? Are you taking the chance of the ultimate nightmare of having the machine "eat" your card?
I would guess that would only happen after multiple failed attempts. But still, why even risk having a card that won't work for unattended purchases when Barclays will give you over $400 toward travel expenses (or over $200 for the no fee version) for trying out their card that does have an actual PIN?
ladders11
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Re: Will Chip + Sign CC work in Europe?

Post by ladders11 »

Have BA Travel Rewards and a Cap One Quicksilver. Both cards worked in England through various settings. You can help rookie cashiers or people who don't realize you are American by telling them it will ask for signature.

Neither card tacks on fees and both had the chip and it worked, so these are both good. My preference would be the Cap One. Firstly, BA initially gave a hotel reservation fraud rejection even though I had advised them of my travel. Cap One did not make that mistake. Secondly, Cap One has a great email system for this type of transaction confirmation whereas BA seems to rely more on phone calls. Thirdly, the Cap One statements were much clearer with respect to the exchange rate paid. Fourthly, the Cap One rewards are easier to use but I believe both cards pay the same 1.5%.
enebyberg
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Re: Will Chip + Sign CC work in Europe?

Post by enebyberg »

Living in Sweden. Capital One chip + sign card will not work at most unmanned gas stations. I have found one company, Volvo, will allow me to buy gas with no pin and no signature. You put the card in, select the number of the pump and away you go. McDonald's drive through will also do that, No pin and no signature. Several other places will allow it.

It is getting better with parking meters. 6 months ago they would not work. Now, many of them work fine with a credit card but no pin or signature required.

Similar results in Norway and Denmark.
savemorelivebetter
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Re: Will Chip + Sign CC work in Europe?

Post by savemorelivebetter »

tj218 wrote:Do U.S. based cards that are Chip+Signature work okay in Europe? We are planning on a trip to Germany, Austria and Switzerland and are in the process of getting a new CC that has 0 foreign transaction fees, but they all appear to the be chip + signature, whereas most of Europe seems to be Chip + Pin.

Looking primarily at the Bank of American Travel Rewards card but also considering the Chase Sapphire and Barclay Arrival Card.

Thanks
I just returned from Barcelona, France and Athens last week. My chip and sign worked everywhere except at one gas station where I had to go in to pay. At pretty much eery other place, as soon as the card was processed, the person handing the transaction knew a signature was needed (perhaps the card reader has a message). No weird looks as in past years when I used magnetic stripe cards which was painful in Europe.
slbnoob
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Re: Will Chip + Sign CC work in Europe?

Post by slbnoob »

nedsaid wrote:
slbnoob wrote:If it doesn't work at first or prompt for a pin, try 0000 or more depending on the length of the input field.
Does this actually work? Are you taking the chance of the ultimate nightmare of having the machine "eat" your card?
It has indeed worked for me on a couple of occasions using a Chip+Sig card. I also have the Penfed Chip+Pin but could not use it at automated gas stations in Europe.
Da5id
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Re: Will Chip + Sign CC work in Europe?

Post by Da5id »

Magnetic strip cards work in Europe too. At least 2 years ago (last time I went), I was told that all Visa merchants had to accept them. That does not apply to automated stations (metro, etc). Chip and signature is still more secure than mag strip, it is (at least currently) harder to forge, I don't think there is a chip analog of the mag strip skimming devices that criminals use.
an_asker
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Re: Will Chip + Sign CC work in Europe?

Post by an_asker »

tj218 wrote:Do U.S. based cards that are Chip+Signature work okay in Europe? We are planning on a trip to Germany, Austria and Switzerland and are in the process of getting a new CC that has 0 foreign transaction fees, but they all appear to the be chip + signature, whereas most of Europe seems to be Chip + Pin.

Looking primarily at the Bank of American Travel Rewards card but also considering the Chase Sapphire and Barclay Arrival Card.

Thanks
By taking a cursory look through this thread, I noticed that no one has warned you (in case you need this warning) that most places in Germany, especially food places and stores, will not accept a credit card. We were plastic rich and currency poor when we visited a couple of years ago. I did a lot of soul searching on how moronic I was to assume that I would be able to convert US$ to local currency. :oops:
ladders11
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Re: Will Chip + Sign CC work in Europe?

Post by ladders11 »

an_asker wrote:
tj218 wrote:Do U.S. based cards that are Chip+Signature work okay in Europe? We are planning on a trip to Germany, Austria and Switzerland and are in the process of getting a new CC that has 0 foreign transaction fees, but they all appear to the be chip + signature, whereas most of Europe seems to be Chip + Pin.

Looking primarily at the Bank of American Travel Rewards card but also considering the Chase Sapphire and Barclay Arrival Card.

Thanks
By taking a cursory look through this thread, I noticed that no one has warned you (in case you need this warning) that most places in Germany, especially food places and stores, will not accept a credit card. We were plastic rich and currency poor when we visited a couple of years ago. I did a lot of soul searching on how moronic I was to assume that I would be able to convert US$ to local currency. :oops:
+1 Just get some foreign cash at home before you go. You can plan to use the ATM and your CC when you arrive, but cash is king. A big concern of mine is the fraud protection, I've had cards robotically declined at the ATM even after alerting banks to my travel plans, and I've had issues finding compatible ATM's. Especially if you won't have your cell phone working when you are there.
Topic Author
tj218
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Re: Will Chip + Sign CC work in Europe?

Post by tj218 »

an_asker wrote:
tj218 wrote:Do U.S. based cards that are Chip+Signature work okay in Europe? We are planning on a trip to Germany, Austria and Switzerland and are in the process of getting a new CC that has 0 foreign transaction fees, but they all appear to the be chip + signature, whereas most of Europe seems to be Chip + Pin.

Looking primarily at the Bank of American Travel Rewards card but also considering the Chase Sapphire and Barclay Arrival Card.

Thanks
By taking a cursory look through this thread, I noticed that no one has warned you (in case you need this warning) that most places in Germany, especially food places and stores, will not accept a credit card. We were plastic rich and currency poor when we visited a couple of years ago. I did a lot of soul searching on how moronic I was to assume that I would be able to convert US$ to local currency. :oops:


Excellent advice, thank you. Is Austria the same way?
an_asker
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Re: Will Chip + Sign CC work in Europe?

Post by an_asker »

tj218 wrote:
an_asker wrote:
tj218 wrote:Do U.S. based cards that are Chip+Signature work okay in Europe? We are planning on a trip to Germany, Austria and Switzerland and are in the process of getting a new CC that has 0 foreign transaction fees, but they all appear to the be chip + signature, whereas most of Europe seems to be Chip + Pin.

Looking primarily at the Bank of American Travel Rewards card but also considering the Chase Sapphire and Barclay Arrival Card.

Thanks
By taking a cursory look through this thread, I noticed that no one has warned you (in case you need this warning) that most places in Germany, especially food places and stores, will not accept a credit card. We were plastic rich and currency poor when we visited a couple of years ago. I did a lot of soul searching on how moronic I was to assume that I would be able to convert US$ to local currency. :oops:


Excellent advice, thank you. Is Austria the same way?
You are welcome. I've never been to Austria so don't know. That said, Switzerland was better - we were actually able to pay for groceries and food (at restaurant) with credit cards. But having gotten wiser from the Germany fiasco a year ago, the first thing I did upon landing was to withdraw 300 Francs (cash did come in handy in a couple of places).
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Re: Will Chip + Sign CC work in Europe?

Post by rcsracing »

tj218 wrote:Excellent advice, thank you. Is Austria the same way?
Not in my experience in Vienna. But it's always wise to have some cash on you. My first try of using my Barclays Arrival+ card after I moved here to Eastern Europe was a failure in the grocery story. Something wasn't right on the travel indicators in the Barclays system. Quick phone call fixed it, but I was glad to have Euros in my pocket.

-Ricky
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