Chip and Pin Debit Card will be available in SE USA

Looks like Richmond is as far north as they will come. If you do get the chip and pin card in a couple of months when they become available, let us know.

Elaine, That's great too hear! RBC seems to be heavily concentrated in that area, but not operating anywhere else. If they operate the same in the U.S. as they do here, I'm sure there will be "fees" (Canadian Banks are among the most profitable in the world!). Looks like this might solve the "chip card" problem, at least for those of you living in the south east. Cheers

Ken - It appears they are buying up small regional banks. They just acquired Alabama National Bank, thus the new branches in Alabama. I'm only planning on using this as needed in ticket kiosks etc, so I'm sure a small fee will be worth the convenience. My basic chequing account is free.

Here's hoping they find something in NY as I'm moving to NYC. Talk about travel adventures! Pam

Hi Elaine, Checked with my local RBC branch here in Atlanta. When I finally got to speak to the manager, I asked about the chip and pin card. To which he replied, "Duhhhh". I have emailed the customer no-service department and plan on following up with a telephone call. Doubt we could get one before we leave early June for our trip, but who knows. Thanks for the heads up.
Frank & Ann

"Duhhhh" Frank, I think I've talked to him!!! Elaine, could I be a cardholder on your account?!? Thanks!

Do we know for a fact that it is compatible with the European system? My United Chase card, right now, has a chip it and I can use it on certain systems in the US but it is not compatible with the Europeans.

Chase cards currently have the RFID PayPass chip which is used for "contactless" transactions...usually under $50. It is compatible with with PayPass systems in Europe and the rest of the world. I've used my Chase Continental Airlines card with PayPass in the UK, Switzerland, Istanbul, Canada and Hong Kong. But Chip & Pin is a different "animal". Most European Credit and Debit cards have both chips PayPass and Chip & Pin chips embedded in the card.

The Chase cards have an RFID chip. As Frank mentioned, this is not the same as the EMV standard chip.

How many kinds of chips are there??? (Rhetorical - I don't really need an answer - I'm sure I would be overwhelmed). Which of the RFID or EMV is compatible for European kiosks etc? BTW - did anyone catch that news story about banks limiting debit card transactions to $50 or $100?

I've never seen any any kiosks that accept RFID cards. They're typically used at merchants that have high volume like supermarkets, and fast-food places. For example in London Paypass is accepted at McDonalds, Boots, Starbucks, and Pret a Manger. In theory it's supposed to speed up the lines.

The chip that is standard in Europe is referred to as the "EMV" chip (EMV stands for Europay, Mastercard, and Visa).

Elaine, I was shopping at a strip mall today in Trussville, AL, and to my great surprise, as I looked ahead before driving out of the parking lot, there it was...an RBC.
Thanks for bringing this to my attention. So will this bank's chip and pin card work in Europe for certain?

Gina, The RBC "chip" card should work fine in Europe, as my Visa card does (issued by one of the other Canadian Banks). One "quirk" to mention though. I found on one occasion when buying tickets at the Kiosks at CDG that it wouldn't work at the first machine I tried, but worked fine at the second one (that was in 2009 as I recall). Cheers!

Thanks, Ken This is good news and should alleviate the anxiety one would have with the increasing number of unmanned ticket windows and petro stations, etc. while traveling in Europe and the UK.

My bank in Indiana has been bought by Bank of Montreal. No changes have been announced yet. Does anyone know if the chip and pin cards will be offered by Bank of Montreal in the US?

Quoting RBC, USA. I understand the convenience of having the chip technology on your card when traveling. However, we've not been notified or advised as to a time, that this will become an option. The chip and PIN technology is not commonly used or recognized, in the United States. Bummer

Frank, That's a bit surprising! Whether or not the chip technology is widely used in the U.S. shouldn't be an issue. The cards also have a magnetic stripe, so I really can't see why it be a problem to issue a card with both technologies? Hopefully "saner minds" will prevail and they will make the "chip cards" available to their customers in the U.S.

Don't know about Bank of Montreal, and my branch of RBC said they were hoping within a few months to have the cards available. I hope they weren't just telling me what they thought I wanted to hear.
Regardless, I now have another chequing account - it;s free and hopefully will have that chip and pin before my next trip.

RFID = can be ready/scanned from a distance without the need for an authentication/authorization ID (aka pin number) Chip and Pin = can be read only when scanned and with an authentication/authorization ID. Think of an RFID like the gas station remote sensing card. Think of a chip and pin like an ATM card that has been enhanced with one factor smarts (i.e., they verify the card is valid but not that the user is valid). Edwin

Thanks Edwin - Now I undestand the difference.