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You can use your Barclaycard whilst abroad

Knowing the cost of spending abroad just got easier

Your Barclaycard is an indispensable holiday companion that's easy, inexpensive and secure to use - and offers a helping hand if you need one.

One straightforward fee

  • Simplified charges with a single, standard fee of 2.99%
  • You'll pay this single non-sterling transaction fee whether you buy something with your card or withdraw cash*
  • No extra charges. No hidden rates**

Security and flexibility

Global card protection

Wherever you go you can relax knowing your card and purchases are protected in the same way as they would be at home with: 

  • Free fraud monitoring
  • Early warning service

We'll also accept reverse call charges you have to make while contacting our security helpline from abroad.

Up to 56 days interest free credit

Enjoy a little leeway once you get home with no interest to pay for up to 56 days*** on:
 

  • Purchases made whilst abroad
  • Non-sterling cash withdrawals

If you are unsure of your interest free period, just check the back of your statement.

Worldwide assistance

Whenever you need us...

If your trip doesn't go according to plan, our worldwide assistance service is here to get you back on track.

Find out more about worldwide credit card assistance.

Wherever you are...

If you lose your card abroad, we can make sure you have cash to hand when you need it. Our helpline is open 24/7.

Find out more about emergency card replacement and cash advance.

Compare the costs of a €100 transaction

  Barclaycard Barclays
Visa MasterCard Visa
Credit Card Prepay Card Credit Card Debit Card Charge Card
Non-Sterling Transaction Fee
(Purchases & Cash)		 2.99% 2.75% 2.99% 2.99% 2.99%
Non-Sterling Cash Fee 0.00% n/a 0.00% £1.50† 0.00%
Payment Scheme Exchange Rate††  €1 =
£0.8077		 €1 =
£0.8077		 €1 =
£0.8089		 €1 =
£0.8077		 €1 =
£0.8077
 
  Barclaycard Barclays
Visa MasterCard Visa
Credit Card Prepay Card Credit Card Debit Card Charge Card
€100 Purchase Transaction £83.18 £82.99 £83.31 £83.18 £83.13
€100
Cash Transaction		 £83.18 n/a £83.31 £84.68† £83.18
€1 = £0.8077 Visa Euro Exchange Rate
€1 = £0.8089 MasterCard Euro Exchange Rate

† You will not be charged the non-sterling cash fee if you use a Barclays cash machine abroad or a cash machine at a Global Alliance member bank. A €100 cash transaction at a Barclays cash machine abroad or a Global Alliance member bank would cost £83.18. For more information please go to Barclays debit cards abroad.

†† This is the reference rate as at the 4th June 2012 (a standard data comparison for the industry, updated annually). To view a specific daily rate, follow the links below:


 

What you’ll see on your Barclaycard statement

Here's how it works

Once you've returned from your trip, it's useful to know how much your purchases have cost.

  • The local currency payment is converted into sterling, using the daily card scheme exchange rate on the date your transaction was processed. Please bear in mind this may not be the actual date of the purchase or cash withdrawal 
  • The 2.99% non-sterling transaction fee is also calculated this way
  • The two sterling amounts are then added together
  • The total is divided by the original currency payment amount to give a new exchange rate, inclusive of the fee. This is the rate that appears on your statement.
spending abroad statement example

Questions you may have

Is there a limit to how much I can withdraw from a cash machine abroad?

Yes, your daily limit will be the equivalent to your UK limit in the local currency. Please check your statement for details.

You can check your statement through mybarclaycard online services.

Can I make contactless payments abroad?

You can make contactless payments wherever a retailer has adopted contactless technology, in the UK and abroad.

Just look out for the contactless symbol. Contactless Payments

If you don't see the contactless symbol, don't worry - you can still make payments using the normal chip and PIN method.

Find out more about contactless payments.

What exchange rate is used when I use my card abroad?

Your exchange rate is set on a daily basis by Visa or MasterCard (depending on the type of Barclaycard you have).

Check Visa's daily exchange rate for the past 12 monthsOpens in a new windowCheck MasterCard's daily exchange rate for the past 12 monthsOpens in a new window

What is Dynamic Currency Conversion and should I use it?

Some retailers have Dynamic Currency Conversion built into their card acceptance system. This allows them to offer you a choice of paying in sterling or the local currency.

Paying in sterling makes the price you're paying clearer, but is at an exchange rate set by the retailer.

Paying in local currency may be more competitive as it uses the exchange rates set by Visa or MasterCard.

What cover do I get on my purchases made abroad?

The cover you get abroad is the same as the cover you receive at home, You'll get global card protection and emergency card replacement.

The exchange rate shown on my statement doesn't match Visa's exchange rate set for the day of the purchase. Why?

The 2.99% fee for transactions is built into the exchange rate you see on your statement, so the rate appears lower.

What is the 2.99% charge you apply when I use my card abroad?

This is a single transaction fee that's applied each time you use your card for non-sterling transactions.

We tell you about the charge in our literature to help you decide whether or not making transactions with your card abroad is right for you.

You can find this fee mentioned in your terms and conditions, in your monthly statement and in the booklets that we send you when we issue or replace cards.