Need a Certain Credit Card?

[Sephiroth Zero]

Now, I have a question, my mother's (im 14) credit card doesnt work on the import version of FFXI. It kept on sending me back to refill the info about the credit card again. From what I have searched in the forums some people say you need an "international credit card" or a credit card that allows over sea transactions is this true?

[kowboy]

If its a Visa, you should be safe there, I'm not sure what other kinds they would accept.

[AKosygin]

If you are playing the import version, the credit card must be able to do overseas transaction and currency exchange.

You might need a different card or ask your mother to have the bank allow it.

[Sephiroth Zero]

u can ask the bank to let the credit card allow over sea transactions if its an american card? because my mom used both her United Visa and WellsFargo Visa card.

[Bean Bandit]

If the card in question is a debit card, regardless if it has a Visa or MC logo on it, forget about it. It won't work. Unless those funds in the bank account are already in Japanese Yen (some U.S. banks here can hold your funds in the native currency, like Euros and Yens).

You must use a credit card. If you are using one and is one of the accepted ones (Visa, MC, Am Ex, Diners, JCB) then the problem is most likely that there is a hold on the account for some reason (Credit limit is maxed out, failure to pay on the minimum balance, credit card fraud detected, etc). If it's your mom's, better make sure she paid her bills on time ;p

Bean Bandit

[kowboy]

I am using my check card with a Visa logo. It seems to be working fine. When I got the card they had all this mumbo jumbo propaganda like "Use it anywhere like a credit card at over 1 million locations across the world."

So no problems there.

[AKosygin]

Both Debit and Credit cards work so long as your bank allows it. Some banks provided such a conversion service for free, some do it for free if you have a certain type of account (my uncle has a business checking that will do it for free), some banks will ding you for the conversion but will allow you to make overseas purchases. (My bank ding me about $0.50 per transaction from US$ to JP-Yen.)

Generally, banks that has a lot of international recognition and has branches overseas can do conversions for their customers without mentioning it. Examples are Bank of America and Citibank (and the formerly California Federal Bank).

So if you have a small local bank, that bank might not be able to do it. I have heard a lot of people with Washington Mutual and Wells Fargo that will not do foreign currency conversion on the debit cards for their customers. (Unless specifically otherwised arranged.) And for the small banks, to have it arrange to allow automatic exchange it might get prohibitly expensive in the long run.

Also, some people with actual credit cards were declined because it won't do a foriegn exchange, I believe Providian was one of those cards. (Need to verify that.) So it is not necessarily card specific, but more bank specific. Different banks have different standard set of services, so you should consult with your "financial advisor" at your "financial institution" for details.