ElainePDX
Level 2 Member
I am deciding what debit and credit cards to take on our Africa trip. I plan to take a few different CCs that have no foreign transaction fees (FTFs) and to see which debit cards have the lowest FTFs for use at (safe) ATMs.
I happened to be on the phone with my local Chase branch for another reason and asked about the debit card associated with my Chase checking acct. The person who always helps me looked up the countries I will be in - South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana - and said that all the countries are listed on the OFAC list and as such she can't put a travel alert on my debit card and I won't be able to use it.
She said that OFAC is the Office For Asset Control and that chances are we won't be able to use debit cards very successfully if at all in Africa. CCs are different - although she said that even putting a travel advisory on the CCs does not guarantee our charges will go through - but because debit cards are connected to hard cold cash, the OFAC list makes then a no-no in some countries. I know people do use CCs successfully in Africa so I plan to bring a few cards just in case some work better than others.
So: has anyone successfully used debit cards in these countries, and if so, which cards worked?
Also, among CCs, which cards work most successfully? I plan to bring the Hyatt and the Bold, as well as an Amex Plat (for Centurion access). I could bring Citi AA cards or a Barclays Aviator, but no longer have the Arrivals. If I wasn't so busy I might consider a mini AOR but trying to make a min spend with African expenses may be more trouble than it is worth !
Thanks for any advice you can offer!
I happened to be on the phone with my local Chase branch for another reason and asked about the debit card associated with my Chase checking acct. The person who always helps me looked up the countries I will be in - South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana - and said that all the countries are listed on the OFAC list and as such she can't put a travel alert on my debit card and I won't be able to use it.
She said that OFAC is the Office For Asset Control and that chances are we won't be able to use debit cards very successfully if at all in Africa. CCs are different - although she said that even putting a travel advisory on the CCs does not guarantee our charges will go through - but because debit cards are connected to hard cold cash, the OFAC list makes then a no-no in some countries. I know people do use CCs successfully in Africa so I plan to bring a few cards just in case some work better than others.
So: has anyone successfully used debit cards in these countries, and if so, which cards worked?
Also, among CCs, which cards work most successfully? I plan to bring the Hyatt and the Bold, as well as an Amex Plat (for Centurion access). I could bring Citi AA cards or a Barclays Aviator, but no longer have the Arrivals. If I wasn't so busy I might consider a mini AOR but trying to make a min spend with African expenses may be more trouble than it is worth !
Thanks for any advice you can offer!