Credit card with chip but no PIN

I'm sure they are telling you the truth. Just not the whole truth. I'm sure it would work work everywhere in France where attendants currently accept swipe (magnetic strip) cards. It won't work places which require chip and pin security like unattended toll booth lanes, train ticket machines, unattended fuel stations, etc.

Thanks Nigel!

Thanks to T. in Seattle. Just spoke to Merrill + . This just gets more confusing. My card does indeed have a PIN. The person I spoke with said "it was included in your welcome pack". I said, I didn't get a welcome pack, only the card. She looked and said, "Oh, that's right, for some reason we didn't send it out"! They are sending one now and it will have A PIN. Apparently, though, this is a different system from what they use in Europe. Merrill said they have not yet been able to address all the security issues that the European system raises--such as the chip containing lots of ID info (SSN, etc.) So, I'm still looking for a solid answer as to whether this card will be widely accepted and easy to use in France. The folks I speak to don't spend a lot of time traveling in France. . But, thanks again for weighing in on this. The customer service agent was much more responsive when I read her your answer to me!

From the Merrill 'Merrill+Visa' website: "What is the advantage of a smart chip card? The MERRILL+ credit card comes with a smart chip and a magnetic stripe, at no additional cost, so you are able to easily shop internationally and domestically. The embedded chip provides added security and is the preferred form of payment by many international merchants. When purchasing items using your MERRILL+ smart chip card, it only requires a signature and never requires a PIN." As Nigel said...true, but that's not the whole story. Good thing you've got your PIN (and be sure you memorize it as a numerical PIN, not alphabetical...'7328', and not 'seat'). Please come back to this thread and post your experiences if you use this card in Europe! You may help someone else.

Every credit card has a PIN number. Call them back and ask them to mail your PIN number to you (they won't tell you over the phone). If the first person tells you that you DON'T have a PIN number, ask to speak to the manager. When you get to France (and you have a PIN number), your card will work at MOST automated machines, but be careful about stand-alone machines away from urban centers, such as an automated gas pump on Sumdays. It probably won't work there.

Thanks for this. I'll post experinces

Your card is not a true chip/pin card since it only has online PIN capability. The Pin on these card work the same way as PINs on mag-stripe cards. The card asks PIN authorization with a central server just like an ATM. A true Chip/PIN card also has offline PIN capability, which means that the PIN also is hard coded on the card. Some countries in Europe primarily use offline PIN authorisation. In these countries the card will revert to signature in a manned en environment (a shop) but will be refused in unmanned kiosks if these require PIN. Most notably, the UK and France use offline authorization extensively. In France you will normally be asked for a signature. But your card will be declined in unmanned gas stations, ticket kiosks etc. It will probably not be declined in toll booths as these normally not use PIN authorization.

Ah, I understand now. Thanks very much for the clarification. So, the next question is, how do I get a Chip + PIN card from a US bank? Do any of them offer it? We will be doing a fair amount of driving and it would be convenient to be able to get gas at an unattended station.

I hope you did not have to pay for it. In 2011 I got caught in the same trap with a chip and signature from J P Morgan. All I can say is that fortunately it had a magnetic stripe that could be used at most places. At a facility (such as some gas stations, unattended parking lots, toll booths and train kiosks) that take only chip and PIN cards the chip signature card was of no use. You have to find either a machine, if there is one, that takes cash or a stranger who will take your money and use his credit card to bail your butt out of the muck. It was rare but when it happens it is not fun, especially in a heavy rain. Been there, done that and now I have a chip and PIN card. When I called J P Morgan to cancel the card the girl who had never been out of the country assured me that she had been told there were no problems.

Irv, what kind of chip and PIN card do you have?

Thanks to all. No, I did not pay for the Merrill card. No annual fee, etc. I would have the same questions for Irvwhat card are you using? I'm pretty well settled on just using the Merrill card, carrying enough cash for back-up and trying to avoid situations where there is no other option except Chip + PIN.

Hmm I have the same thing with my new citi preferred card, it has a chip but they're telling me no PIN is necessary and that the only PIN they can give me would be for cash advances which I do not want. He's telling me over and over it's a PIN-free system, but I don't believe him. Specifically he pasted this into the online chat: "The Global Chip Card allows for increased acceptance while traveling internationally where POS terminals only accept chip transactions. The embedded microchip encrypts the customer's information, making it difficult to duplicate. Chip cards are dipped into a reader and held during the transaction rather than being swiped.
Usage of the chip is "Chip and Signature". The Citi issued chip does not have a PIN to complete purchase transactions." I said to him, "so if I want to make a purchase at a kiosk that only accepts chip+PIN, this card won't work?" and he offers to help me create a PIN for ATM cash advances bangs head on desk Has anyone used the citi preferred chip card successfully?

How do you get a chip and PIN card from a US bank? Go to a credit union: Andrews FCU, State Department FCU, or USAA.

Fortunately I have never found myself in a position where I needed a chip and pin card and I travel to Europe 2 or 3 times a year. Its always been a matter of convenience. I do have the ML chip and signature card and I watch the waiters and sales clerks; first they stick it in the chip and pin slot and then they look confused and swipe it like a typical magnetic strip card and it works. The chip is essentially cosmetic when it comes to use in Europe.

I lived in Germany for 3 years and found the best thing was to just have currency on hand. I say this as someone that exclusively uses credit cards in the states. There are a few places that only take the chip card (biggest hassle was train ticket machines), but lots of places that take no ccard whatsoever (except for a euro card which I believe was more of a debit card). I was surprised about the places that did take a chip-less card, such as toll booths in Italy. My biggest concern would be whether or not the chip ccard you want to use charges foreign currency exchange fees. That is a pet peeve of mine. There used to be only one that did not (Cap 1), but there seems to be more around these days.

My ML chip & signature card charges 1% which i can live with. My ML MC has no charge. Let me ask, these toll booths and ticket machines that require chip and pin cards, I assume there are alternative places to pay or purchase? Or do all europeans have to have a chip and pin card if they want to drive on the tollway or ride the subway in Paris?

Usually alternatives do exist - may mean a long line to wait in, or pay with cash.

Just received our new chip and pin cards today from USAA. The process was very easy and fast. We applied over the phone and received our mag strip cards a week later. I then called and had the mag strip cards converted to chip and pin cards. The new cards were literally in my mailbox 4 days later. There is a 1% foreign transaction fee, but I can live with that.

Anecdotal evidence has been suggesting that chip and signature cards will sometiems work in automated kiosks/machines, and sometimes won't. As Christophe noted, it depends on how the PIN is verified or if the PIN is even needed. That doesn't help much, since one will never know if the chip card will work or not. One thing I noticed in this thread, someone declared that they refused to have a PIN issued for their card. ALWAYS have a PIN for your credit card if offered, especially if you will be traveling out of country. The PIN can sometimes be used for transactions (even on magnetic cards) and offers an emergency backup for obtaining cash if something happened to your ATM card. You may never use the CC PIN, but it is important insurance. For chip cards, the PIN will sometimes work in automated machines (and doesn't count as a cash advance).

To James: no, unfortunately, you do not always have an native. Manpower is expensive, and therefore, more and more functions are replaced by machines. Several gas stations are now unmanned or are not manned 24/7, and without a true chip/PIN card card, no gas in these situations. The same goes with parking garages and train stations, these are also not always staffed. I think all of Europe has now converted to chip cards, but not all European cards have offline capability. Most have, though. That said, it should be possible to plan around most inconveniencies.

For travel in Europe, we have Chase bank's JP Morgan Signature Visa card which has a chip but no PIN. If we are dealing with a human being, such as in a restaurant, we simply tell them "no pin." They just insert the card in the reader and press SEND. If we are at an automated kiosk, we just insert the card. When it asks for the PIN, we just press ENTER. And that's that. The JP Morgan Signature Visa card is free for the first year, then there is a fee of $150. Though the fee is steep, there are some great features included: (1) No foreign transaction fees. (2) You earn 1 point per dollar spent, which we can immediately transfer to United and some other airlines. (2) If you charge the entire cost of a trip on the card (such as for a cruise), then free travel insurance is automatically included. But you have to make sure the entire price of the cruise is charged to the card. So don't pay the deposit or any additional payments on a different card or you will lose the benefit.

I have a chip and pin card from CITI and just returned from a six country trip to Scandinavia. I was told by CITI card personnel that I would not need a pin number unless I was trying to get a cash advance; otherwise I would never need a pin number, nor would I be asked for one. But I insisted on a pin and luckily I did. Because I was asked to put in my pin EVERY time I used the cardyouth hostels, train tickets, grocery store, etc. When I called and told CITI that they were giving out wrong information, they were very defensive. They stated that the merchants all were wrong, that I didn't need a pin, and I should not have been asked for one. I pointed out that when you are paying for groceries in Helsinki, and the clerk asks for a pin, no one from CITI is standing next to me to defend me so I needed to do what the local merchant requested. CITI said they would make a note of it! My advicedon't listen to your card companyget a PINI am so glad I did because it was requested for EACH and EVERY purchase!!!

Stephen, If you're going to be travelling in the Benelux countries, you may find that a "Chip & Signature" card doesn't work. Especially in the Netherlands, I found that even at staffed locations (such as Amsterdam Central), ONLY true EMV "Chip & PIN" cards are accepted. Last time I was at Amsterdam Central, I observed several travellers from the U.S. having to scramble to find an ATM after waiting in a queue to the ticket booth for 30 minutes or so. There were large handwritten signs on ALL the ticket booths stating that ONLY C&P cards were accepted. I think it's safe to say that this is a transition period, and the days of the magnetic stripe card are numbered. I've found on every trip to Europe, that more and more automated Kiosks are being converted to "Chip & PIN", and magnetic stripe use is decreasing substantially. For the first time this year, the ticket Kiosks in Italy used the "Chip & PIN" function when I was buying tickets. However, people from the U.S. were still able to buy tickets using older cards. As you're going to be doing a "fair amount of driving", I'd suggest getting a proper "Chip & PIN" from the Andrews FCU or one of the others suggested in previous replies. Based on comments I've seen here, the "Chip & Signature" don't aren't always usable at automated POS terminals. I believe U.S. Banks are finally "getting with the program" and joining most other countries in adopting EMV card technology, so hopefully this won't be a problem in future. We've had the cards for three years or more. Cheers!

My wife received a C&P card from her bank, US Bank, that she did not request. Our thought is that they may be trying out some ive marketing before switching over to all C&P plastic. We were in Europe in June and July of this year (seems like a lifetime ago) and we used a debit card from my credit union in ATMs all over the place and it only has a magnetic strip on the back. We were never turned down. Now we have two Kens.

I work for Citi in purchasing. The person you talked to in service was reading of a script. They don't work in Europe as it's different technology. I recently got the Andrews federal chip and pin card for a upcoming trip to Italy

Ditto with our new chip and pin card from Bank of America . We were so happy to have it to take to France / Belgium this summer..... It worked nowhere that was unmanned