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Q: How can I use an international credit card in China?
Is it possible to use a foreign credit card as a credit card in China, i.e. to make a purchase at Wal-Mart or Carrefour? I've read and been told it's possible, but haven't had luck. Swiping the card they ask for a pin, yet my pin is never accepted (because it's only 4 digits?). Has anyone had success with this?
12 years 14 weeks ago in Money & Banking - China
If your card is part of the "Star" network, then it should work. Some people with 4 digit pins have had success by putting two 0's before their pin.
If your account is at Bank of America, it has a partnership with Construction Bank, so you can easily withdraw cash from any of its ATMs.
Most of the major bank offices in the larger cities have special ATM's which specifically can handle foreign credit cards. At the Shanghai Pudong Development Bank, most of their ATM's can handle foreign credit cards. Additionally a goodly percentage of the ATM's at the Merchants' Bank of China can also handle foreign credit cards.
As for transactions involving foreign credit cards, not all the merchants who accept credit cards in China are connected to the international credit card network. The major hotels, etc., etc., for sure and perhaps several of the major restaurants.
Additionally, the Agricultural Bank of China, for whatever reason, seems to have a high percentage of its machines that can handle foreign credit card transactions. The Bank of China is more limited.
Finally, re Metro -- in some of the major Metro's in certain cities, there is a special line that is designated for foreign credit card holders. Not in all Metro's however.
In general, international credit cards (better said CC from abroad) are hard to use in China because merchants have to wait very long times (up to 6 months) to receive their moneis. Thus, not accepted by many, just some hotels, major restaurants, and the like. For example, at travel agencies are not accepted, yet at airline offices most of the time they are.
Merchants and banks issuing CC are connected with what is called Interlink system. It is an electronic way to communicate among them. In China, UnionPay is widely used. Abroad it is not. So, for your card to work you need to have on the back the logo of Star for example, or VISTA, or Maestro, etc. They are correspondants, which means they do interconnect and communicate. Before coming tyo China, you should visit your home bank and ask them if your credit card interlink logo on the back is a correspondant of UnionPay.
Also, it will be a good idea to notify Cc company of your trip. When charges start coming from China, their natural reaction will be to think your ID has been stolen, and for them to decline the charge. I do, and I have no problem using it while here.
In regards to purchases at Wal Mart and Carrefour, locally what Wal Mart has done is to have a separate cashier off the normal check outs were you can charge your purchases to a CC from abroad, with your passport as ID of course. But at a regular check out it will not be accepted.
