My Chip Visa Card Didn't Work at French Tolls

Ken, are you certain that it is a "chip and pin" and not a "chip and signiture"? I recently got a British Airways chip VISA card and found that it does not have PIN capability. Without the PIN capability, the chip does little good. I complained to VISA as well as BA. They each claim that it is up to the other. If enough of us complain to VISA, perhaps they will add the PIN feature. They use it for debit cards, so I see no reason that it could not be utilized on credit cards with chips.

Hmm. Sounds like this may be the cause. But my card does have a PIN, which I used when taking money from ATMs or getting diesel.

Ken, I am eagerly/anxiously staying tuned to see what you find out from Andrews. I am waiting for my Andrews GlobeTrek Visa chip and pin to arrive in the mail in the next 10 days or so for our trip to France in Sept. I was also wondering if you used this card anywhere else unmanned - - i.e. to get Metro tickets?, train tickets? gas stations? Thought I had this covered and could cross this off my "worrying list!" :)

From my experience the Travel Ex chip and pin card does not always work at unmanned gas stations. Maybe it was at that one particular station...who know?

Diane, gas stations (several) were the only places my Andrews card worked in automated machines. It wouldn't even work at highway tolls when I handed it to the person at the booth to try.

Ken, thanks for the reply. Sorry again about your trouble and sounds like I get to put this back on my "worry list." I'll try to have "plan b's". I was hoping this card would smooth the way and let me get Metro tickets easily, pay at the parking lot for MSM, not have to worry about finding a manned gas station, etc. I'm sure you were thinking the same thing!

Ken, thanks for the reply. Sorry again about your trouble and sounds like I get to put this back on my "worry list." I'll try to have "plan b's". I was hoping this card would smooth the way and let me get Metro tickets easily, pay at the parking lot for MSM, not have to worry about finding a manned gas station, etc. I'm sure you were thinking the same thing!

Our Andrews FCU card has worked everywhere. We've been in Belgium, France and Switzerland for over a month.

My card always worked at gas stations. Maybe I was just unlucky.

Hi Ken, Were you using it by swiping when it didn't work? I too have the card and am interested in the subject.

Whenever I ed the card into a toll machine or gave it to the toll person, the display would read "refusee."

Now, haven't used my Amex chip/pin yet overseas (come on...Sept), but when we got our new card a few months ago, the chip/pin was new...most places haven't caught up with it yet...we can use the pin at Walmart and one other place, but most others, like major grocery stores, still have to swipe/sign...maybe it was the type of card (bank)?? Just my 2 cents...

I successfully used my Andrews chip and PIN card in France in April at gas station machines, train/Metro machines, and tollbooth machines. But one time at an unmanned tollbooth it didn't work on my first attempt so I just used cash rather than trying again. But on subsequent occasions it worked.

The folks at Andrews CU told me this is a true chip-and-PIN card, not a chip-and-signature card that is usually issued by US banks. Since others are reporting that it works at French toll booths, maybe there's a glitch with your card? I'd report it to Andrews to make sure they are aware of the problem.