Chip and Pin Credit Card in US

[Crystabel]

We've just signed up for the Barclay's Hawaiian Airlines chip and pin card, so we have it for our upcoming Scandinavia/Russia cruise. The plus: They partner with American Airlines on which we usually fly, and they send out a $100 travel coupon annually. The minus: There's an annual fee of $89. This will, however, allow us to cancel two of our existing credit cards. One of which has a $50 annual fee.

 

Now for the other part of the story. After reading this thread and a couple of others, it appears that to be safe, I should take three credit cards on our trip. One is the chip and pin, another is a chip with no pin, and the third has no chip at all. And we'll need to take the ATM card as well. That's a lot of plastic!

[MATHA531]

Careful, I got a BofA card with a chip. After a little reading of the fine print, its a chip & signature; the PIN is to be used for cash advances from ATMs. If you use the PIN at a POS, it'll be considered a cash advance and not a charge.

 

Once again wrong information from a clueless customer service representative (csr). Use of a pin with a credit card does not automatically make a purchase a cash advance. The cash advance sometimes works as an on-line verification system on some pos terminals. If the transaction is coded by the pos as a purchase, it is a purchase. Period.

[milolii]

I just activated a Hawaiian Airlines Bank of America Master Card chip and pin card. This card replaced my old Visa card. I did not ask for it. BofA just sent it. I listened very carefully to instructions while activating the card and it can be used outside of the US whenever a pin is required. It must be used at a foreign sign place first, such as a hotel or restaurant. Not quite sure what that means. After that it may be used wherever chip and pin is required.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[MATHA531]

I just activated a Hawaiian Airlines Bank of America Master Card chip and pin card. This card replaced my old Visa card. I did not ask for it. BofA just sent it. I listened very carefully to instructions while activating the card and it can be used outside of the US whenever a pin is required. It must be used at a foreign sign place first, such as a hotel or restaurant. Not quite sure what that means. After that it may be used wherever chip and pin is required.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

 

Just for the record, this card is not issued by Bank of America but rather by Barclay's Bank USA.

[newparks]

UPDATE - regarding my American Express card with chip. Researched a little deeper and verified that it is a Chip and Signature and not a Chip and Pin card. I really have never had any issues in recent past travels to Europe, but systems are always changing so I wanted to have at least one card imbedded with a chip.

 

I called AX this morning and was told since the issue with Target, they are issuing a chip and pin CC. The CSR I spoke with, said they were at the point where they were now sending them to there Delta sky mile members. So we shall see!

[nana541]

I called AX this morning and was told since the issue with Target, they are issuing a chip and pin CC. The CSR I spoke with, said they were at the point where they were now sending them to there Delta sky mile members. So we shall see!

 

 

Sorry it's a "Chip & Signature" the Pin is for Cash advances only ( ATM machines) and is not the PIN needed for European technology.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

Edited May 9, 2014 by nana541

[nana541]

Once again wrong information from a clueless customer service representative (csr). Use of a pin with a credit card does not automatically make a purchase a cash advance. The cash advance sometimes works as an on-line verification system on some pos terminals. If the transaction is coded by the pos as a purchase, it is a purchase. Period.

 

 

Actually this is really a Chip & Signature - Bank of America does not yet have a true Chip & Pin card...the pin currently is only used for Cash Advances from ATM machines...this PIN does not work with European Credit Card technology, except in the ATM as a cash advance and this PIN will not work in their POS (point of sale) machines in restaurants and stores or Kiosks.

 

Have done huge research and finally last summer got one from Andrews Federal Credit Union, I think over the next year we will see several Banks finally issuing them...Hawaiian Airline I am nearly certain is the real deal....

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[MATHA531]

Sorry it's a "Chip & Signature" the Pin is for Cash advances only ( ATM machines) and is not the PIN needed for European technology.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

 

All Amex cards issued in the USA to USA residents are chip and signature.

[Summer Time]

All Amex cards issued in the USA to USA residents are chip and signature.

 

I beg to differ. Not all Amex cards are chip and signature cards.

 

Plain Platinum, Centurion, and Gold Amex cards are chip and sign. I have platinum card.

 

Amex Delta skymiles card is NOT chip and sign. I called Amex rep and was told that Amex cannot reissue me the Amex Delta Skymiles card.

 

SO, Amex cardholders, call Amex and see if they will reissue your branded card as chip and sign card.

 

Kate

[MATHA531]

As of 01 May, the Delta Skimiles gold platimum and reserve cards are available with an emv chip. I called on that morning and had the card the next day. The DL sky miles Amex card was about the last hold out. Just about every Amex card issued in the USA in USD is now available with an emv chip as a chip and sign card.

[milolii]

I think my card is different than the one you are thinking of. It is a BofA card,

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[milolii]

Anyway just offering this up as an option.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[AlliG]

For anyone who is a Suntrust banking client (and maybe those who aren't), they now offer chip and pin cards: https://www.suntrust.com/Static/Documents/Commercial_Corporate_and_Institutional/EMV_FAQ.pdf

 

The offer I just received in the mail for their Cash Rewards Credit Card has no annual fee but DOES charge 3% on foreign transactions.

[nana541]

Hopefully more and more banks will finally begin issuing "True" Chip & Pin cards.... This is a good sign!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[AttilaTheFun]

Has anyone else had success in using a Debit card with PIN as a replacement for chip and PIN? I had to do this back in 2007 in Copenhagen when a bar required chip and PIN - just used my debit card (which definitely did not include a chip). More recently, last spring I was able to use my debit card (again, no chip) at a Vienna metro kiosk that required a PIN to complete transaction.

 

Not saying this will work all the time, but it has worked as my backup option in the very limited number of cases presented above.

[MATHA531]

Hopefully more and more banks will finally begin issuing "True" Chip & Pin cards.... This is a good sign!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

Barclay's USA has finally delivered on its promise to convert their premium (the one with the $85 annual fee) arrival card to an emv chip and gave a whole long explanation that it is a chip and signature preferred card with chip and pin capabilities. You can read their whole explanation on their web site. (Of course, the serfs who don't wish to pay an $85 annual fee and want the free arrival card are left out in the dark for the time being. September has been mentioned for them).

 

While there is nothing completely official out there, from reading some of the arguments back and forth from the banks, I do suspect that is the direction the American banks will be going i.e. chip and signature preferred at pos terminals where a human is present and the ability to do chip and pin at unpersonneled kiosks. This is the way the 3 so called chip and pin cards issued by the US government agency (not connected to the US government but having names suggesting they are) in the DC area, Andrews, State Department and Pentagon operate. The banks have been very adamant that Americans carry on the average more cards than do most other nationalities and for the most part won't take kindly to having to memorize four or five different pins. Now that would be fine if they could get all merchants everywhere to honor chip and signature cards at pos terminals. For the most part, they do but there are a few exceptions. MC/visa have announced they will be trying to revise operating procedures to make it clear chip and signature cards are to be honored at pos terminals and if that takes hold, then there will be no necessity to have what is loosely called a true chip and pin card.

 

Things still have to be left to run their course.

[hal2008]

I have been using a true chip and pin visa card (Andrews) for several years now.

 

I have used in at least 20+ countries worldwide.

 

Europe (especially Scandinavia and parts of France) is where it is very helpful.

 

The way it works as follows:

 

When amount is very small (in my experience less than 10 euro - sometimes as much as 20 euro), it approves transaction without PIN or Signature (Just like Walmart of most gas stations here in USA)

 

Its preferred setting is Chip and Signature. So as far as vendor has ability to obtain signature, it prints receipt for your signature. So it behaves like almost all other USA based chip cards.

 

But in many cases in Scandinavia and France, at train ticket machines or toll booths or parking lots, it does ask for entry of PIN.

 

A true chip and pin card has saved me a lot of time and get me out of tricky situation (buying ticket at 5 am on Sunday morning).

 

Thanks to Target, we all will be getting into 21st century finally by next year.

 

In the mean time, it is straight forward to obtain Andrews visa (it has no foregn transaction fee and in fact gives you points for trave rewards)

[MATHA531]

I have been using a true chip and pin visa card (Andrews) for several years now.

 

I have used in at least 20+ countries worldwide.

 

Europe (especially Scandinavia and parts of France) is where it is very helpful.

 

The way it works as follows:

 

When amount is very small (in my experience less than 10 euro - sometimes as much as 20 euro), it approves transaction without PIN or Signature (Just like Walmart of most gas stations here in USA)

 

Its preferred setting is Chip and Signature. So as far as vendor has ability to obtain signature, it prints receipt for your signature. So it behaves like almost all other USA based chip cards.

 

But in many cases in Scandinavia and France, at train ticket machines or toll booths or parking lots, it does ask for entry of PIN.

 

A true chip and pin card has saved me a lot of time and get me out of tricky situation (buying ticket at 5 am on Sunday morning).

 

Thanks to Target, we all will be getting into 21st century finally by next year.

 

In the mean time, it is straight forward to obtain Andrews visa (it has no foregn transaction fee and in fact gives you points for trave rewards)

 

Just so we're on the same wavelength and as not to quibble, technically the Andrews card is not a true chip and pin card. It is exactly what I described as to how the Barclaycard will function.

 

It has nothing to do with the size of the transaction. Andrews FCU (as well as State Department FCU and Pen(tagon) FCU, are chip and signature preferred. That is at a pos terminal, they will function as a chip and signature card. Neither the merchant or the customer has control over this. The terminal recognizes the card, tells the merchant a signature is required and spits out a receipt for the customer to sign.

 

At unmanned (or unwomanned) kiosks, it has chip and pin capabilities. That is in such cases, the kiosk will ask for a pin and it generally will work.

 

If it were a true chip and pin card, in the former case it would not request a signature but ask for your pin. To the best of my knowledge, today in the USA there are only 3 true chip and pin cards. Diners Club (a glorified mastercard today and only the name bears a semblance to its origins) is offered by the Bank of Montreal but is currently not accepting applications for new cards from US residents. UNFCU which anybody can join if you join a certain organization supporting US activities in the UN. Details are available on their web site. Finally, USAA FCU but there are requirements apparently that restrict membership to people with US military associations and then only for their mastercard. It has no annual fee but does charge a 1% foreign transaction fee. That's it. All the rest of the US cards claiming to be chip and pin are really chip and signature preferred with chip and pin capabilities.

 

It really shouldn't matter but there are a few merchants around who get all upset when a pos terminal starts printing a receipt and under the mistaken believ their liability is increased without a pin, refuse to further process the sales. MC/visa are trying to dispell that notion and make it clear that chip and signature at a pos is fine.

 

That seems to be the direction the US banks are moving although it's possible this could change because of the Target problem. Whether it does or not, it remains to be seen

[hal2008]

Thanks for clarification.

 

My information was different. As per info given to me, there is a priority order set for Chip+Sig vs Chip+PIN.

 

Anyway, for me Andews card which was very easy to get within couple of weeks have worked out well in Europe (including Scandinavia and France) especially at train ticket machines where other US cards have not worked.

 

Thanks for clarification, though.

[sippican]

Just so we're on the same wavelength and as not to quibble, technically the Andrews card is not a true chip and pin card. It is exactly what I described as to how the Barclaycard will function.

 

It has nothing to do with the size of the transaction. Andrews FCU (as well as State Department FCU and Pen(tagon) FCU, are chip and signature preferred. That is at a pos terminal, they will function as a chip and signature card. Neither the merchant or the customer has control over this. The terminal recognizes the card, tells the merchant a signature is required and spits out a receipt for the customer to sign.

 

At unmanned (or unwomanned) kiosks, it has chip and pin capabilities. That is in such cases, the kiosk will ask for a pin and it generally will work.

 

If it were a true chip and pin card, in the former case it would not request a signature but ask for your pin. To the best of my knowledge, today in the USA there are only 3 true chip and pin cards. Diners Club (a glorified mastercard today and only the name bears a semblance to its origins) is offered by the Bank of Montreal but is currently not accepting applications for new cards from US residents. UNFCU which anybody can join if you join a certain organization supporting US activities in the UN. Details are available on their web site. Finally, USAA FCU but there are requirements apparently that restrict membership to people with US military associations and then only for their mastercard. It has no annual fee but does charge a 1% foreign transaction fee. That's it. All the rest of the US cards claiming to be chip and pin are really chip and signature preferred with chip and pin capabilities.

 

It really shouldn't matter but there are a few merchants around who get all upset when a pos terminal starts printing a receipt and under the mistaken believ their liability is increased without a pin, refuse to further process the sales. MC/visa are trying to dispell that notion and make it clear that chip and signature at a pos is fine.

 

That seems to be the direction the US banks are moving although it's possible this could change because of the Target problem. Whether it does or not, it remains to be seen

 

This is very confusing information. We have had the Andrewss USAA card for two years now. We applied for it before they changed the eligibility rules after having difficulty using a regular cc in Europe. We have used it in Denmark and Switzerland. We used it at credit card kiosks by manned cash registers, Each time we were requested to enter our pin, NOT a signature. :confused:

[nana541]

This is very confusing information. We have had the Andrewss USAA card for two years now. We applied for it before they changed the eligibility rules after having difficulty using a regular cc in Europe. We have used it in Denmark and Switzerland. We used it at credit card kiosks by manned cash registers, Each time we were requested to enter our pin, NOT a signature. :confused:

 

 

The card you have is a "Smart Card" (my name for it) the Chip senses what kind of machine you are trying to use and know that the Kiosk terminals require a PIN and POS machines can take either so in that case it defaults to Signature.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[MATHA531]

This is very confusing information. We have had the Andrewss USAA card for two years now. We applied for it before they changed the eligibility rules after having difficulty using a regular cc in Europe. We have used it in Denmark and Switzerland. We used it at credit card kiosks by manned cash registers, Each time we were requested to enter our pin, NOT a signature. :confused:

 

The information is correct based on what Andrews FCU has written on its own promotional material. While I am not questioning your accounts again all it means is tht at pos manned or womanned cashiers, the card most assuredly does default to chip and signature.

 

Incidentally, for the most part, all Walmarts in the USA have emv terminals that are actually functioning. I used my Andrews card yesterday in such a terminal at a local walmarts and it printed a receipt for me to sign. Then later on, I had to come back and buy something again. This time I used my USAA mastercard and lo and behold, since it is a true chip and pin card, it indeed did request a pin!

[sippican]

The card you have is a "Smart Card" (my name for it) the Chip senses what kind of machine you are trying to use and know that the Kiosk terminals require a PIN and POS machines can take either so in that case it defaults to Signature.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

The information is correct based on what Andrews FCU has written on its own promotional material. While I am not questioning your accounts again all it means is tht at pos manned or womanned cashiers, the card most assuredly does default to chip and signature.

 

Incidentally, for the most part, all Walmarts in the USA have emv terminals that are actually functioning. I used my Andrews card yesterday in such a terminal at a local walmarts and it printed a receipt for me to sign. Then later on, I had to come back and buy something again. This time I used my USAA mastercard and lo and behold, since it is a true chip and pin card, it indeed did request a pin!

 

Hmmmmm, guess we're just lucky it has worked so well no matter where we've used it! It will be getting another workout in July.

[MATHA531]

Hmmmmm, guess we're just lucky it has worked so well no matter where we've used it! It will be getting another workout in July.

 

If you're from the USA, go in to any Walmart's and you can give the chip card a good workout!

[RenoDuck]

If you're from the USA, go in to any Walmart's and you can give the chip card a good workout!

 

I just got my Starwood AMEX with a chip and used it at WalMart last weekend. It's an interesting process. You can't just swipe the card while they are ringing up your purchase and put it away.

 

First you swipe the card like normal. I'm guessing at this point it registers the card as having a chip, so you then have to insert the card in the card reader at the bottom of the swipe machine and leave it in until the transaction is complete, including signing the machine.