Prepaid Visa Travel Card

Prepaid Debit Cards for Travel

Prepaid Visa travel cards – and other prepaid debit cards featuring logos of major credit card issuers – are designed to function similarly to a traditional credit or debit card. Purchases are made in the same manner as debit and credit cards:

1. Present the card to make a purchase.
2. The card is run through a processing machine to make sure the funds are available.
3. If the funds are available, you either sign for the purchase or input a PIN, if offered through the issuer.

The difference between a prepaid card and a traditional credit or debit card is that the prepaid card holds a balance loaded by the cardholder, and is not connected to a revolving account or checking account. Once the balance is exhausted, the card cannot be used unless the cardholder replenishes the balance. Not all issuers offer the opportunity to replenish balances; for some prepaid cards, once the balance is gone the card is no longer valid.

Prepaid debit cards are usually accepted anywhere debit cards are accepted, so they make ideal alternatives to carrying around travel cash. Additionally, many tourists are uncomfortable with carrying around their regular credit cards and debit cards on vacation because they are leery of the consequences of the cards getting lost or stolen.

The Benefit of Visa

There are plenty of different types of cards to choose from, but a prepaid Visa travel card comes with benefits which may not be available through another issuer.

• The Visa logo is widely recognizable, and Visa cards are accepted throughout the world. Cardholders are unlikely to encounter many merchants during their trip who accept credit cards but do not accept Visa cards.
• The same protection against theft and loss that Visa offers credit and debit card holders applies to prepaid Visa cards. Travelers who lose prepaid cards are usually able to have the remaining balance from the lost card transferred onto another card. Cardholders are also not liable for purchases made by unauthorized people as long as the cardholder follows the instructions of the issuer when reporting the theft.

Prepaid travel cards are additionally offered through MasterCard, American Express, and Discover, but many people make Visa their first choice.

Additional Reasons for Prepaid Visa Travel Cards

While some travelers choose to carry prepaid cards for the security of keeping their personal credit and debit cards safe, others choose to use prepaid cards as a budgeting tool during their trips. Cardholders load the balance they wish to spend during their trip onto their cards, and know that if their balance is used up then they have exceeded their budget.

Prepaid travel cards can also make ideal gifts. Great examples of this include:

• Newlyweds heading off on their honeymoon
• Recent graduates traveling abroad
• Families in transit to move to a new home

Fees

Depending on which prepaid travel card you choose, there may be a variety of fees you encounter:

• An initial purchase fee
• Usage fees
• Replacement fees
• Customer service fees

Not all prepaid travel Visa cards come with so many fees, so be sure to look carefully at the disclosure before making your prepaid card purchase.

It is also important to note that prepaid cards usually can’t be used to pay for gas at the pump, and in some cases cannot be used to make purchases at restaurants that run the card through as a preauthorization.

Buy Travel Cards

Start your search at the official Visa website, or contact your bank or credit union to see if they offer prepaid travel cards featuring the Visa logo.