Canadian Credit Card with Chip

I don't think it's gonna be compatible in Europe. The chips being installed in North American cards are used with RFID technology. That means you don't have to take your card out your wallet or purse; it's scanned with radio waves-like London's Oyster card. The European chips are designed to combat counterfeiting and serve a different function.

There are apparently 2 chips in this credit card though, according to the literature that came with it. One is the 'tap and go' kind of chip for small purchases where I won't need to sign. The other is a gold-coloured square on top of the chip and will require that I enter a pin at merchants who have the technology. I could be wrong, but my understanding is that it's the same kind of technology that Europe is using and is intended to reduce fraud.

ETA, I looked on the BMO website and am pretty sure it's the same kind as in Europe--can anyone confirm?

http://www4.bmo.com/chip/index.html

Two chips! Canadians always do it better:) Sounds like it will work across the pond. The "tap & go" is the RFID technology I described.

AKF,, there was a newpaper article a few months ago, I remember it said that Canada would be on same technology as Europe phasing in over the coming year, and that the States elected not to follow yet on that..

I was thrilled as it will allow me to use card in machines!

I just received a new ABM (debit) card from Bank of Montreal. It has the new chip in it. I was told that I had to have a chip in it if I was planning to use it in Europe. Does that mean my other cards (sans chip) will not work?

Your other cards will always work in an ATM machine. But some merchants only have the hardware to read cards that have chips in them and not magnetic strip cards which are more common in North America.

All new Visa cards in Canada are issued with chips (my wife works for CIBC so I got the scoop). There are no issues with using the cards in Europe, however the machines may or may not ask you to enter the code. It all depends on what it says when the card is swiped.

Pete

The place where I work has had the technology to accept chip cards for more than 2 years but I've only in the last 3 months that we've actually had a large amount of people receiving their new chip cards from (mostly) Visa. Those cards require a PIN but no signature, no it's much safer for both customers and merchants, although it's possible to use the card manually, therefore without having to type in the PIN, but with a signature.

Very few merchants have the technology for it yet, so a lot of our customers use it for the first time with us, and get really confused when you tell them to type their PIN.

I'm 95% that the technology is compatible with the European technology. The cards look like the Europe ones and we've had a few European customers who used their chip credit cards and it worked just fine (so I'm assuming the other way around should be just fine).

Interesting that there have been 2 posters referencing VISA, the card I use most is a CIBC Visa and I don't have a chip card. Do I need to call them or are they rolling them out, anyone know?

We received our new RBC Visas with the chip and PIN requirement prior to our fall Europe trip and had no problems using it in either Austria or Germany. I don't recall ever using the PIN there, but it worked fine as a swipe card. We didn't request it from the bank -- the bank advised us that we were going to get one.

Has anyone else received a debit card with the chip? This has been a concern of mine with spending over a month in England this summer, and preferring just to occasionally use a debit card at a machine for cash.

I know my PC Financial debit card likely won't work anywhere - it only has the Interac logo. So, in opening a new account I'd prefer to go with someone actually rolling out chip debit cards.

Almost all new Visa cards are being issued with a chip (not positive about Scotiabank). If you are an existing card holder you will only get a new card if you request one (no real good reason to do that just for the chip) or you receive a new one because the old card expired.

As far a debit cards, I don't know anyone who is doing chips in their debit cards in Canada. Only credit cards. It's partly because they can't program the chips at bank branches (yet) and most customers need to go into their branch to get replacement debit cards.

The main debit systems are Interact and Plus. Cirrus and Interlink are also big, but you can easily go through Europe with just Interact/Plus.

Pete

I used my Canadian bank issued debit cards all over Europe this past summer. No chip . I used both a TD and a Royal..

Thanks Pat.

My first trip abroad was to London in the late 90s, and my credit union debit card didn't work... so I'm a little extra suspicious and careful when it comes to planning this longer trip.

Scotiabank notified us to expect their card with a chip shortly, as did RBC. Have not heard from MBNA Mastercard. Your "Unchipped" cards will work in Europe, but the merchant may run them through differently. We used ours in Ireland and the UK a couple of months ago and only got an "Oh it doesn't have a chip" and they did something else before we signed the chit - sometimes one of the old carbon type ones, but never had it refused.

Unchipped cards don't always work in Europe. Holland is the worst offender when it comes to this. You can't use them to purchase rail tickets (either at the machines or at the counter), and can't use them at the new high-tech rail station lockers. The Albert Heijn Supermarket behind the Royal Palace won't accept them either.

You can generally use the unchipped cards in ATMs---where you cant use them are machines where you're actually buying something--Paris Metro tickets/passes for example. Or as somone pointed out, the automated ticket machines in most train stations, or airports.

Does anybody know if any bank are going to be issuing chip debit card? I've heard about it being tested for anti-fraud and such, but I doubt they are actually being used by any bank.

As for non-chip credit card, any store where the cash isn't automated will be able to accept it. If they don't want to, either they are not aware of how to do it, or they are just too lazy to do it.

The only issue I've heard about is when using the card at a automated machine (in subway, rail, gas stations for example) since those machines are only equipped with a technology reading the chip, nothing magnetic like the older cards.

If your bank are now issuing chip cards, you're likely to receive a new card when yours expire. I'm pretty sure you could ask and request one if you're planning to travel to Europe (or just want to have a safer card, although the merchants using the new technology aren't exactly abundant, at least in my experience).

"As for non-chip credit card, any store where the cash isn't automated will be able to accept it. If they don't want to, either they are not aware of how to do it, or they are just too lazy to do it" It is indeed MC and Visa policy that all merchants must accept non-chip cards. But in practice some merchants will not accept magnetic strip cards. If the Albert Heijn supermarket chain (owned by Ahold one of the largest Supermarket companies in the world) and Dutch Rail are allowed get away with it as company policy, then Visa and Mastercard's rules aren't worth much.

BMO Debit cards come with a chip now..