Using your Vanquis Credit Card abroad
Going on your travels? Your Vanquis Credit Card is accepted at millions of retailers in more than 200 countries and territories.
Important stuff to remember before using your card overseas
Make sure we have your correct mobile number before you travel in case we need to contact you. Update it in the Vanquis app or give us a call. You don’t need to tell us where or when you’re going though.
- We charge a 2.99% fee for using your card abroad. This is called a ‘non-sterling transaction fee’. For cash transactions, there's also a ‘cash advance fee’ (3% of the transaction amount or £3 - whichever is higher).
- Always check your credit card expiry date before you start your trip.
- It's a good idea to have a few payment methods on you while travelling, just in case of emergencies.
- All transactions made in a foreign currency (including cash transactions) are converted to Sterling using the Visa Payment Scheme Exchange Rate.
Using your credit card to shop abroad
You can use your Vanquis Credit Card in over 24 million shops, restaurants and other retailers throughout the world, wherever you see the Visa sign.
In some countries, you may be asked to sign a receipt to approve a purchase rather than enter your PIN. Your signature on the receipt will be checked against the one on the back of your card, so always sign your card as soon as you receive it.
As we mentioned, there’s a 2.99% fee for using your card overseas. This is called a ‘non-sterling transaction fee’ but on your statement, it’ll show as a ‘foreign transaction fee’.
A ‘non-sterling transaction fee’ will be applied to your account if you buy something in a currency that’s not Sterling, even if you make the purchase in the UK. For example, if you buy something online from a non-UK website in US Dollars.
Visa sets the base exchange rate used to calculate the conversion of your foreign transaction. It’ll be the rate on the date the transaction’s processed (this may be different to the actual transaction date). To see previous and current exchange rates, head to visaeurope.com and then the cardholders section.
Using your card to withdraw cash abroad
Everywhere you see the Visa sign, you can use your Vanquis Credit Card to withdraw cash – including over 2 million cash machines worldwide. If you take out cash abroad, it’ll be in the currency of the country you’re in, so there’s no need to queue at a foreign exchange counter.
If you withdraw cash abroad, we’ll charge the ‘non-sterling transaction fee’ of 2.99% for each cash transaction. Plus, we’ll charge a fee of 3% of the transaction amount or £3 – whichever is higher. This is known as the ‘cash fee’.
Just so you know, a cash transaction includes any cash withdrawal (where the Visa sign is displayed) from:
- A cash machine
- A financial institution
It also covers buying currency and other cash-related transactions, like:
- Travellers' cheques
- Money orders
- Money transfers
- Gambling transactions
This will show on your monthly statement as a ‘cash advance fee’. In your annual statement and Credit Card Agreement, it’s called a ‘cash transaction fee’.
More useful info on cash transactions
Interest starts building on cash transactions from when they’re applied to your account until you pay them off – there’s no interest-free period. Keep in mind any restrictions, like daily cash withdrawal limits. Check your Credit Card Agreement for all the details.
Some cash machines may charge you a separate fee for withdrawals. If they do, you’ll see the details on screen before you take out your money.