Wells Fargo Credit Cards

The Wells Fargo foreign transaction fee is 0% or 3%, depending on the card. It is 0% on the Wells Fargo Propel American Express credit card and 3% on all other Wells Fargo cards. So on all Wells Fargo credit and debit cards except Propel, whenever the cardholder buys something from a foreign merchant (in person or online), they pay an extra 3% of the purchase amount. Therefore, it’s best to get a Propel card for international travel or shopping.

But a Wells Fargo foreign transaction fee of up to 3% isn’t the only international service charge you have to worry about.

Here are the Wells Fargo foreign transaction fees:

Wells Fargo debit card foreign transaction fee: 0% or 3% of the purchase amount, depending on the card
Non-Wells Fargo ATM withdrawal: $5
Other non-Wells Fargo ATM transactions: $2
Wells Fargo ATM transactions: $0
Cash advances: 5% or $10, whichever is higher, plus ATM fees
Emergency Card Replacement: $0 (fees for rush service may apply)

Because of these fees, it’s best to stay away from ATM transactions while using a Wells Fargo card abroad. And the Propel American Express card is the only option for avoiding Wells Fargo foreign transaction fees. Propel is a good card for travel. It offers 3 points per $1 spent on travel, dining and transit expenses. It also has a $0 annual fee.

If Propel’s terms aren’t to your liking, there are plenty of other credit card companies, like Chase, Citi and U.S. Bank, that offer cards with no foreign transaction fees. Plus, none of the cards from Capital One, Discover or USAA charge foreign fees.

You can check your Wells Fargo credit card application status online or by calling 1-800-967-9521. If you’re already a Wells Fargo customer, all you need is your username and password. If not, you’ll have to provide your last name, birthdate, Social Security number and the access code that Wells Fargo emailed you when you applied.

It should only take a few minutes to check your status and find out whether your application is approved, denied, or still pending. And if you’ve been approved, you should get your card in the mail within 10 calendar days.

You can learn all the steps and details of the different ways to look up your application below.

Here’s how to check your Wells Fargo credit card application status:

• By Phone: You can call 1-800-967-9521 between 5:00 AM and 7:00 PM, Monday through Friday. When prompted, say, “Check the status of my application.” Then enter your application ID number. If you don’t have it, your Social Security number works, too.
• Online: Wells Fargo’sapplication status webpage allows you to check using either your Wells Fargo login credentials or your last name, date of birth, Social Security number and an access code that Wells Fargo will email you when you first apply.
• Email: Simply clicking “Check Your Application Status Now” in one of the emails you’ve received from Wells Fargo is an option, too.
• Status Options & Timeframes: Your status will be approved, denied or pending. If your application is still pending, you should receive a final decision within 7 business days of applying. And if your application is approved, your card should arrive within 10 calendar days of the decision being reached.

Finally, if Wells Fargo denies your credit card application, you will receive a letter explaining why. If you believe the rationale doesn’t really apply to you, you can request reconsideration by calling 1-800-869-3557. But this is a long shot.

You can get Wells Fargo to activate your credit card online, over the phone or through the Wells Fargo mobile app. The Wells Fargo credit card activation number is 1-877-294-6933. To activate over the phone, you must provide your full card number and verify your identity. To activate online or through the app, log in to your Wells Fargo online account (or create one first). In total, the activation process should take you less than five minutes. And you’ll be able to use your card right after.

Here’s how to activate a Wells Fargo credit card:

• Online: Log in to your Wells Fargo account on the activation page. From there, verify your identity by entering your personal information (address, Social Security number) in order to activate your card. If you don’t have an online account yet, you can create one in minutes by entering your account number and SSN and then making a username and password.
• Over the phone: Call Wells Fargo at 1-877-294-6933. Enter your card number. Enter any identifying information requested, like your Social Security number.
• Wells Fargo App: Download “Wells Fargo Mobile” for iOS or Android. Log in to the app using the same username and password as your online account. Select your card from your list of accounts to activate it.
  

You need to activate your Wells Fargo credit card before you can use it. And it’s a quick and easy process, so you should be able to start using your card within minutes of receiving it.

If you’re looking to activate a Wells Fargo debit card instead, you can use all of the above methods. But there’s a fourth way to activate a Wells Fargo debit card. You can activate it at any Wells Fargo ATM by simply inserting your card and entering your PIN. Your PIN should have been mailed to you in a separate envelope from the one with your card.

To do a Wells Fargo cash advance, you will need to request a PIN from customer service and be comfortable paying pricey finance charges. The standard Wells Fargo cash advance fee is $10 or 5% of the cash-advance amount, whichever is greater. And Wells Fargo’s cash advance APR is currently between 24.99% and 26.99%. The exact rate depends on your overall creditworthiness at the time you’re approved for an account. But those terms are the same for  all Wells Fargo credit cards.

Given the high costs, cash advances should be avoided whenever possible. But it’s still worth knowing how to perform such a transaction and how much it will cost should you need to do one in an emergency.

Here’s what you need to know about Wells Fargo cash advances:

• Limit & Requirements: To get a Wells Fargo cash advance, you’ll need to call customer service at 1-800-642-4720 and ask them to give you a PIN. After that, you’ll be able to take out up to $500 in cash per day from your line of credit, up todepending on your available credit limit.
• Wells Fargo Cash Advance Fee: $10 or 5% of the total amount, whichever is higher. So if you take out $250, for example, your fee will be $12.50. But if you withdraw less than $200, you’ll pay $10.
  
• Wells Fargo Cash Advance Rate: 24.99% to 26.99%. Where you fall in that spectrum will depend on your credit standing. And it’s important to remember that unlike purchases, cash advances do not come with any grace period. Interest starts accruing as soon as you make a withdrawal, so repaying your advance as soon as possible will save you money.
  
• Overdraft Protection: If you have a Wells Fargo checking account, you can link it to your credit card as overdraft protection. If your bank account dips below zero, you’ll get a cash advance from your credit card to cover transactions. However, this isn’t a great option. For one thing, you’ll pay a $12.50 fee for advances under $50, and $20 for anything above. Plus, the same high cash advance APR applies right away.

At the end of the day, a Wells Fargo cash advance costs too much in fees and interest to be a good option for convenient cash. But if you do one, make sure to repay your balance as soon as possible.

You can’t check for Wells Fargo credit card pre-approval. The only way to find out if you’ve been pre-approved for a Wells Fargo credit card is to receive an offer in the mail. If you get such an offer, it means Wells Fargo has done a soft inquiry on your credit history and determined that you’d be a good candidate for the card they mailed you about. Pre-approval doesn’t guarantee your application will be successful. But it does mean you have extremely good odds.

If you’ve received a Wells Fargo pre-approval offer, it will include a unique code. To respond, just go to the Wells Fargo credit card page, click “Respond to an Offer,” and enter your code.

And if you haven’t received a pre-approval offer, you can still estimate your chances of success before actually applying.

Here’s what you should know about Wells Fargo Credit Card pre-approval.

• Wells Fargo will look at a combination of your credit history, income and other debts to determine whether to approve you for a card. You can stay on top of your credit score with WalletHub’s free daily updates.
• Some cards may simply be out of reach, depending on your credit standing. For example, the Wells Fargo Rewards® Card requires excellent credit. And you need good credit or better to get the Wells Fargo Propel American Express® Card or Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa® Card. If you have bad credit, the Wells Fargo Secured Card is your best shot at approval.
• One of the best ways to improve your chances of approval is to boost your credit score. You can do this by paying down your debt, making your monthly payments on time, and using less of your available credit. WalletHub’s personalized credit analysis will tell you exactly what to do.
• If you already have a Wells Fargo credit card, credit reallocation may help you get a new one. Reallocation lets you shift some of your credit limit from an existing Wells Fargo card to a new Wells Fargo card. You can’t shift your entire credit limit, and it’s not guaranteed to get you approved for a new card, but it can’t hurt. To ask about credit re-allocation, call 1800-642-4720.

There’s no way to check for Wells Fargo credit card pre-approval. But if you know your credit score, and what type of card you want, you should be able to get a ballpark sense of your approval chances.