Travel wallet
Once you’ve created a travel wallet, you can spend US dollars and euros straight from your debit card, and withdraw currency from it without paying fees.
Using your debit card abroad
A secure and convenient way to pay when you’re away
If you’re currently abroad and need to use your debit card, here’s what it’ll cost you to withdraw cash and make purchases.
Today’s exchange rates
We’ve made our exchange rates more transparent, so it’s even easier to see how much making a transaction abroad will cost.
This table shows our exchange rate for certain currencies compared to the rate published by the European Central Bank (ECB), to help you understand how much it costs to use your debit card abroad.
When you buy something or take money out of a cash machine in the EU, you may be able to choose whether to pay in sterling rather than the local currency. If so, the retailer or cash machine provider will give you a rate as a mark-up over the ECB rate.
You can use this table to decide whether you want to let the retailer or cash machine provider convert the currency using their rate, or if you’d like to use ours instead. If you’d like us to make the conversion, please pay or withdraw in local currency rather than sterling.
As we explain in our customer terms, we calculate our exchange rate using the reference exchange rate for the Visa card scheme.
Debit card charges
In most circumstances, Visa converts transactions into sterling using the Visa Exchange Rate on the day the transaction is authorised. However for a small number of transactions the conversion may happen on the day the transaction is processed. As this may be a day or two later, the exchange rate may be different on that day.
To work out how much your transaction costs in sterling, divide the value in local currency by the rates shown in the table.
In most circumstances, Visa converts transactions into sterling using the Visa Exchange Rate on the day the transaction is authorised. However for a small number of transactions the conversion may happen on the day the transaction is processed. As this may be a day or two later, the exchange rate may be different on that day.
To work out how much your transaction costs in sterling, divide the value in local currency by the rates shown in the table.
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This table shows what we’ll charge when you use your debit card abroad, or when you pay in a currency other than sterling (either abroad or in the UK).
100 Euro transaction
Converted amount
100 Euro transaction
2.99% non-sterling transaction fee
Total
Making purchases abroad (including when you are being refunded)1
£90.22
£2.70
£92.92
Withdrawing cash from any ATM abroad2
£90.22
£2.70
£92.92
Getting cash over the counter at a bank abroad (including Barclays)
£90.22
£2.70
£92.92
Buying foreign currency before you travel from the Barclays Travel Line
£93.11
£0
£93.11
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This is how we’ll refer to the transactions on your statement:
Visa exchange rate
This is the exchange rate used by Visa to convert the transaction into sterling on the day Visa processes the transaction. This might not be the same day when the transaction took place.
Non-sterling transaction fee (previously referred to as ‘commission’ and ‘foreign exchange charge’)
A 2.99% fee charged by us for using your debit card abroad when making purchases, withdrawing cash or for refunds. You’ll also pay this fee whenever you don’t pay in sterling (either abroad or in the UK) such as shopping online at a non-UK website.
Date
This is the date on which the transaction took place (might be different to the day on which Visa processed the transaction).
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Our fraud-detection systems are constantly verifying transactions.
- There’s no need to tell us you’re going abroad – but make sure we have your up-to-date contact details
- If we’re concerned about a transaction made using your card, we’ll get in touch to check it’s genuine
- If we have your mobile number, we’ll send a text to ask if you know about the transaction – and you can confirm it by replying
- If your card is lost or stolen call our 24-hour emergency helpline. We can arrange some emergency cash for you
If you choose to pay in sterling (DCC transaction)
Some cash machines or merchant terminals may offer you the choice of paying for your transaction in sterling. If you choose to do so, the 2.99% Non-Sterling Transaction Fee will not apply, but you should always try to find out what the commission charges are and what exchange rate they are using because, overall, it may be more expensive to pay in sterling.
These transactions are known as Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC) transactions because the currency conversion is done by the merchant rather than the card scheme, using the merchant’s exchange rate.
Foreign currency
If you need foreign currency, you can order it online and get free delivery to your home address in the UK.
