Drawing cach from outside the EU on a CA Visa card

[ausibattler]

From passed experience, whilst traveling outside the EU, drawing local currency from an ATM machine incures a charge to the  French bank account ignoring exchange rates.

Normally this has been a fixed charge regardless of the amount per transaction.

CA is now apparantly charging a fee as a percentage of the amount drawn down per transaction.

Anyone else experiencing this change in policy?

[Graham & Brenda]

I am with CA Charente-Périgord - all CAs aren't the same. From the tariff leaflet included with my statement, the charge appears to be €3.14 plus 2.25%. Previously it was€3.06 plus 2.25%. It doesn't say specifically "outside the EU" but I've quoted from the "all other cases" column.

[ausibattler]

Thank you for your reply Graham or Brenda,

I get the impression despite CA's apparant regionailisation and non 'main Street banking systems' they sure know how to apply service charges to any transaction undertaken.

Maybe time to find an alternative?

[Graham & Brenda]

As with most things it is always a good idea to "shop around". However, in the case of French bank charges, I fear that you will find them fairly similar overall. Do let us all know how you get on!

[AnOther]

Nationwide Debit Card to the rescue ?

Anybody tried theirs outside the EU ?

[Hereford]

Used our Nationwide card in Canada with no problem or special charge.  We never use CA card outside of France - apart from anything else you can only draw once a week.

[AnOther]

Of course not everyone has a UK debit card but with notable exceptions such as NW and the Post Office knowing the charges you generally pay for using them outside the UK why would you expect the use of a French debit card outside of France to be any less punitive ?