Make sure to compare it to the mid-market exchange rate to make sure you’re not being ripped off by hidden fees. Sometimes banks add a markup on the exchange rate used for sending or spending money abroad. If you’re spending with overseas retailers and using your credit or debit card, there are a few other fees you need to consider.Įxchange rate markups. What other charges should you know about? You can also check your card terms and conditions in advance, to see whether or not a foreign transaction fee will be added to your international purchases. Of course, you don’t need to wait until after you’ve been charged, to understand the lay of the land. The charge will be made on the day the payment is processed - which may be a day or two later than the actual transaction. How to know you’ve been charged a foreign transaction feeįoreign transaction fees will be shown on your credit or debit card statement, often as a separate line to the purchase you made. □ Spend money abroad like a local with the Wise card It can be tricky to be sure if an online retailer you’re using is based abroad, or if they route their payments via an overseas bank.Ĭheck the site’s ‘contact’ and ‘about’ pages to see if the location of the business is listed - if you’re not sure, you might want to get in touch with the seller, to double check. This may be when you pay for things or make withdrawals when you’re abroad - or it could be when you’re shopping online with international retailers. If foreign transaction fees apply to your card, you’ll pay them whenever you spend in a foreign currency. When are foreign transaction fees charged? When you pay in the local currency, the exchange rate you’ll get is set by the card network - and usually pretty reasonable.ĭCC rates are set by the merchant and can include inflated fees - which means that even once you take foreign transaction fees into account, paying in the local currency is usually cheaper. On the face of it, this might sound like a handy way to see exactly what you’re paying upfront, and maybe even beat foreign transaction fees altogether. When you spend with a merchant or make a withdrawal overseas you may be asked if you’d rather pay in USD instead of the local currency wherever you are, using a service called dynamic currency conversion (DCC). Foreign transaction fees can be applied to both credit and debit cards. This fee may be split between the card network - like Visa, Mastercard or American Express - and the card issuer - usually your bank. Regardless of how it’s written, if you enjoy traveling or spending money internationally, this is definitely something to keep an eye on.įoreign transaction fees are usually in the region of 3% which is added onto the costs of your spending whenever you transact in a foreign currency. You may also find cross border fees being used instead of foreign or international transaction fees. Some banks, such as TD Bank, opt to indicate their charges by using this expression. Intl txn fee - short for international transaction fee - is the same as a foreign transaction fee. Check out our review of the best no foreign transaction fee credit cards Not all credit or debit cards apply a foreign transaction fee for international payments, but if this happens, it can increase the price of your purchase - so make sure you read the terms and conditions before signing up for a new card. What is a foreign transaction fee?Ī foreign transaction fee is the charge added by your bank or card provider when you make a payment in a different currency. Read on for what it is, how it works, how to avoid them and much more. If you’ve ever wondered what a foreign transaction fee is, you’re in the right place.
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