FAQs

A Visa prepaid convenience card is a smart and cost-effective alternative to carrying cash or paying by cheque. Because it is a pre-loaded card, you only spend the money you load on it and you can typically get one without a credit check or bank account.

Simply buy the card, load it with the amount of money you choose and enjoy the purchasing power of Visa. You can generally use it to make purchases and pay bills anywhere Visa debit or credit cards are accepted – in shops, on the internet or over the phone.

A growing range of banks and other companies now provide Visa prepaid convenience cards. You can generally buy one:

• In a bank branch or high street retailer
• Over the internet.

Because it is a prepaid card, spending is limited to the amount of money you load on the card. And, because it carries the Visa logo, you can use it anywhere Visa debit or credit cards are accepted – in shops, on the internet or over the phone.

Each time you use your card, the purchase amount is automatically deducted from your card balance. As the card is reloadable, you can add money to your card at the place where you bought the card. You may also be able to reload it at other stores, online or using bank transfers (such as direct debits) and your debit or credit cards.

You will generally need to activate your card. Review the information that comes with the card for details. The activation process may vary, depending on the card issuer.

You use it just like a Visa debit or credit card. Insert the card into the ATM, enter your PIN and choose how much you want to withdraw. Then take your cash and card, as well as your receipt to keep track of your balance.

We recommend you make a note of the number and keep it in a safe place in case both your card and the accompanying materials are lost or stolen. If your card is lost or stolen, immediately report to your card issuer by calling the number listed on the back of the card or in the information that came with the card.

Your card issuer will determine how much money can be loaded onto your card. For more information contact the card issuer. You can find contact details on the back of your card or listed on the information that came with your card.

In most cases you can simply add more money to your card. This is called reloading your card. You can generally do this at the place you bought your card, and you may also be able to do it online.

Check with your card issuer for details of your options for reloading your card.

Using your Visa prepaid convenience card for a purchase is similar to using a credit or debit card.

Some convenience cards are chip and PIN cards, so you will need to remember the PIN. Other cards do not have a chip, so you will need to sign a sales voucher.

Each time your card is used for a purchase, that amount is automatically deducted from the balance. It is recommended that you know your balance before making a purchase as, if the purchase amount exceeds the card's available balance, your transaction will be declined.

You can check the card balance on your card issuer's website or by calling directly. Keeping track of your balance is the best way to know how much you have to spend.

The card issuer may also allow you to check your balance at ATMs or other locations. Contact the issuer directly to learn about your options.

Present your card when you return the item. Depending on the retailer's policy, they may credit the amount of the purchase back onto your card.

Remember to save your purchase receipts and your card, even after the funds have been depleted, in case you want to return any items bought with your card.

You can make purchases using your card until the expiry date shown on the card.

Visa youth cards are just like any other Visa payment card, but the money is loaded onto the card before you spend it. Visa prepaid cards make it easy for you to create a budget, manage money and shop sensibly and, best of all, the card can be used everywhere that accepts Visa cards – that's millions of locations worldwide.

Your card can be loaded with money by you and your parents, and often banks allow somebody else your parents agree to, such as grandparents, to load money onto the card too.

When you make a purchase with your Visa prepaid card, the amount you spend is deducted from the card balance. When the card balance is low, your parents can add money to the card, usually from their credit card, debit card or bank account. Or, better still, they can set it up so your allowance is loaded automatically on a regular basis.

Spending limits are set by you and your parents together. For example, you might choose to have a weekly, daily or monthly limit to help to make your money last. As you get older, you might choose to change these limits or even drop them altogether.

Only you can use your card. When using your card to pay for something, you will be asked for your PIN or signature – either way, only you can use your card. And if you are given a PIN, remember to keep it safe.

We recommend that you regularly check your balance on the internet or by phone and try to keep a record of what's been spent and added. To help with this your bank will usually send you regular statements. This makes it easy to keep track of your current balance and is great practice for having a bank account later in life.

By regularly tracking your spending, you will always know how much you're spending, where you've spent it and how much is on the card.

If your bank offers the service, and you're offered a PIN, you can use your Visa prepaid card to withdraw cash from Visa ATMs worldwide. Please be aware that there may be a fee attached to cash withdrawal. Be sure to check the terms and conditions applied to your card.

When cash is lost, it's gone forever. However, if a Visa prepaid card or card number is ever lost or stolen – and if you report it straight away – your bank can block the account so nobody can use it. As long as you haven't been careless with your card or shared your PIN, then it can usually be replaced and the balance transferred.

Bear in mind that there might be a small administration fee for this. Banks that offer Visa prepaid cards all have their own guidelines on how they handle lost and stolen cards. Be sure to check terms and conditions when you apply.

Automatic loading is a convenient way to set up allowances or budget how much money is given to your children. Every week, once a month, or whenever you choose, a pre-selected amount can be transferred from your credit card, debit card or current account to your child's Visa prepaid youth card.

Please note that when loading from your current account, the transfer may take a few days or less to arrive. Make sure you confirm completion of transfer before your child tries to use the funds.

Yes, parents choose how much money gets loaded onto the card. You also have the option to log on to the bank's Visa prepaid card website to review your child's spending and suspend the account at any time, for any reason.

To help your children budget – especially in the early years – many banks offer the ability for you to set daily, weekly or monthly spending limits.

Many banks will allow you to authorise family members or friends to put gift money onto the Visa prepaid card. It's faster and safer than posting a cheque or giving cash. Check with your bank to see how this works.

Adding money to a Visa prepaid card is a quick and easy way to make sure your son or daughter has money for everyday use, travel and emergencies.

All banks have their own methods for loading funds, but most will accept standing orders, transfers via online banking or debit or credit card payments. Just visit your bank's Visa prepaid card website or call the number on the back of the card at any time to find out more. And remember to verify transfer of funds before your child uses the card.

Retailers cannot tell how much money is on your child's card until he or she tries to make a purchase. Any attempt to make a purchase that is for an amount greater than the cardholder's available balance will be declined. While this does not happen very often, it is important for the cardholder to keep track of their available balance to help avoid this situation.

To make a purchase greater than the balance on the card, your child can use cash in combination with the card, provided they can tell the person at the till how much they want debited from the card. It's okay for the card to fully deplete funds. If this happens, you can simply top it up.

All information given to your Visa prepaid card issuer is secure and strictly confidential. To access the cardholder's account via the web, the cardholder's username and password are required. Once the user is logged in, extra security measures make private information unreadable as it passes over the internet.

No, it cannot be added to an existing Visa account. Also, parents don't need to be a Visa cardholder in order to get a Visa prepaid card. And you don't have to qualify for a credit card to get your child a Visa prepaid card.

A growing range of banks and retailers now offer you the chance to buy a Visa prepaid gift card. Depending on the card issuer, you may be able to buy one:

• In person – at a bank branch or a high street retailer
• Online – via the website of a Visa prepaid card issuer.

The Visa prepaid gift card is a non-reloadable prepaid card. This means that the initial value is determined by the person who bought the card. Additional funds cannot be added to the card balance.

The card will generally carry the Visa logo (like any Visa credit or debit card) so it can be used at the millions of places that accept Visa.

Because the Visa prepaid gift card is preloaded, the amount you can spend using the card is limited to the value determined by the person who bought the card. Each time your card is used for a purchase, that amount is automatically deducted from the card balance.

The activation process is determined by the card issuer, so you will need to follow the instructions provided with your card.

Many Visa prepaid gift cards are activated automatically upon purchase and may be used immediately. However, some cards must be activated by the recipient before they can be used.

Report a lost or stolen card immediately to the card issuer. You can do this by calling the telephone number, which is printed on the back of the card as well as the packaging and/or leaflets which came with the card.

You will need to provide the gift card account number in order for the card to be cancelled and a replacement card to be issued.

Always keep a record of your card account number and the contact information in a safe place, separate from the card.

The initial value of your card should be included in the materials that came with your card. You can also use the instructions on the back of your card to verify your card balance.

The information that comes with your card provides important details, including the terms and conditions for using your card, so you should read it carefully before using your card. If you did not receive this information, contact the card issuer.

Maximum card values vary and are established by the card issuers.

Using your gift card for a purchase is similar to using a credit or debit card.

Some cards are chip and PIN cards, so you will need to remember the PIN. However, most Visa prepaid gift cards do not have a chip, so you will need to sign a sales voucher.

Each time your card is used for a purchase, that amount is automatically deducted from the balance. It is recommended that you know your balance before making a purchase as, if the purchase amount exceeds the card's available balance, your transaction will be declined.

You should remember that the card is non-reloadable, which means that additional money cannot be added to the balance. The card does not offer a line of credit like a credit card. The initial value available for use is determined by the person who bought the card.

You can find out the balance on your card at any time. Most card issuers offer website access or a telephone number. See the instructions on the back of your card for details.

It is important that you know the remaining balance on the card before you make a purchase. When you buy something with the card, it may be helpful to take a note of the amount and calculate your new balance.

If you try to make a purchase for an amount that is more than the balance on your card, your transaction will be declined.

If your purchase is declined and you believe the card has sufficient funds, you should contact your card issuer.

To help prevent a card from being declined we recommend that you verify there are sufficient funds on the card prior to making a purchase. You can generally check the balance on your card by visiting the card issuer's website or by telephone.

If you decide to return an item bought with your card, you may be asked to present the card to process a refund.

Be sure to hold on to your purchase receipts and your card – even after the balance is depleted. The retailer may ask for both.

If the store policy is to issue a credit to the card used to make a purchase (rather than cash or store credit) that value will take three to seven days to be added back to the available balance on the card.

You can make purchases with your card until the expiry date shown on the card, or until there is no credit left on the card.

Yes, you can use your card anywhere Visa debit or credit cards are accepted. Just be sure that the remaining balance on your card will cover the amount you plan to spend.

You can use your card for the final payment at hotels and car rental companies. However, some car rental companies and hotels may require a credit card to make a reservation. At check-in, hotels will put a hold on the estimated amount of your stay, making those funds unavailable for purchase for a period of time. You can avoid a hold' being placed on your card by checking in with a Visa credit card.

It's a prepaid Visa card, which means you can spend up to the value placed on the card anywhere Visa debit or credit cards are accepted. You can shop in stores, online, over the phone and by mail order. You can also withdraw cash at ATMs worldwide. Each time you make a purchase, the amount of that purchase is automatically deducted from the card. Please be aware that there may be a fee attached to cash withdrawal. Be sure to check the terms and conditions applied to your card.

You can check at your card issuer's website or by calling them directly. Keeping track of your purchases and calculating the remaining balance may be the best way of knowing how much you have to spend.

Report a lost or stolen card immediately to the card issuer. You can do this by calling the telephone number, which is printed on the back of the card as well as on the packaging and/or leaflets which came with the card.

You will need to provide the card account number for the card to be cancelled and a replacement card to be issued.

Always keep a record of your card account number and the contact information in a safe place, separate from the card.

Your card can be used at more than 1.5 million ATMs around the world. The way that ATMs work varies among different banks and in different countries. To get cash at an ATM you should follow the on-screen instructions, which you can often choose to display in your own language. Please be aware that there may be a fee attached to cash withdrawal. Be sure to check the terms and conditions applied to your card.

Some car rental companies may require that you use a credit card to make a reservation. However, your Visa travel card will be accepted for the final payment.

Yes you can, but hotels will often verify that your card has sufficient funds to pay an estimated bill for your stay. That amount will be held in your account, making it unavailable for other purchases. When you check out, the hold will be removed and the actual bill amount will be deducted. You can avoid having funds held by using a Visa credit card when checking in.

Yes, but be aware that some restaurants may verify that your card has enough funds to cover the purchase, plus a 15 to 20 per cent tip. Only the amount you sign for will be deducted, so you can leave a tip with your card or in cash.

Present your card when you return the item. Depending on the retailer's policy, they may credit the amount of the purchase back onto your card.

Remember to save your purchase receipts and your card – even after the funds have been depleted – in case you want to return any items bought with your card.

The prepaid virtual card is designed specifically for internet transactions. As the card is only for use on the internet and for mail and telephone orders, all you need is the account number, expiry date and card security number, all of which you should keep in a safe place.

Because it is a prepaid card, your spending is limited to the amount of money you load onto the card. And, because it is used only for internet transactions, it is an ideal way to separate out and keep track of your online spending.

Each time you use your card, the purchase amount is automatically deducted from your card balance. It is therefore important to keep track of your card balance. That way you will know if you have enough funds to cover each transaction.

Depending on your card issuer, you may need to activate your card before it can be used. Please check the instructions provided with your card.

You can verify the remaining card balance by calling your card issuer or checking their secure website. Keeping track of your purchases will also help you remember the card balance.

Your card can be used at any website that accepts Visa. You may also be able to use it for mail or telephone order transactions.

The virtual card is not designed for spending in the physical world, so card details will not be accepted at shops or ATMs.

It is important to know your balance. By keeping a note of your transactions, you will always know how much is being spent, where it has been spent and how much money is left on the card.

Your card differs from a normal credit card in two important respects.

First, you do not have access to a line of credit. Your card issuer will only allow you to spend the money that's been loaded onto the card.

Second, the card can only be used to conduct transactions on the internet – and not in the physical world or at ATMs.

This means your card is an ideal way to separate, manage and track your online purchases, without the possibility of overspending or getting into debt.

When spending money online, the card is used in exactly the same way as a normal Visa card, and it is accepted by exactly the same range of retailers.

Because it is a prepaid card, spending limits are set by the amount of money loaded onto the card. When a purchase is made with the card, the purchase amount is deducted from the card balance. When the card balance is low, money can generally be added or reloaded on to the card.

As with a conventional Visa card, you also get regular statements to review and track your spending.

No, you will only receive your card details (account number, expiry date and security code) in the form of either a screen image or a reference card.

If you do receive a reference card, it will look different from a normal Visa card and will not have the type of security features that a retailer would normally check during a face-to-face transaction.