What should I know before using an international credit card in the U.S.? This question is about International Credit Cards

What should I know before using an international credit card in the U.S.?

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This question is about International Credit Cards

Brianne Larch, WalletHub Credit Card Analyst

@BrianneLarch • 08/25/21 This answer was first published on 03/31/20 and it was last updated on 08/25/21.For the most current information about a financial product, you should always check and confirm accuracy with the offering financial institution. Editorial and user-generated content is not provided, reviewed or endorsed by any company.

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Before using an international credit card in the U.S., it's important to know that Visa and Mastercard credit cards are widely accepted. In other words, if an establishment takes credit cards, it's a good bet that your international Visa or Mastercard will work.

Chip-and-PIN credit cards are not as common in the U.S., however, if you're planning to travel in Canada or Europe, you should probably have one of those. You might need it in some cases, like at unattended kiosks and train ticket machines.

Lastly, some places don't take credit cards, or your cards might get rejected. In such cases, having some U.S. dollars can be a lifesaver.

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How does international credit card processing work?

International credit card transactions are typically processed in the following manner:

A cardholder submits payment information electronically, via telephone or in person with an international credit card.
- If the transaction takes place online, payment information is relayed to a merchant’s payment gateway (the virtual equivalent of a physical point-of-sale terminal) via a secure, automatic connection with the merchant website’s shopping cart.
- If the transaction takes place over the phone,the merchant keys...

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