Euro debit card

Well, not really if you want a Bank account. You could get the free Sparcard24 at any Deutsche Bank, your max. limit would be only 2000€ per month. You can get cash without any fees at Deutsche Bank, Postbank and several other banks ATMs in Germany at Paribas in Fance, Deutsche Bank in Italy, Barclays in the UK.

And USD at BoA in the US. Your € would be converted at the official rate from that hour. No fees whatsoever, people here use it to transfer money abroad.

An alternative would be a Postbank Sparcard. You can get cash with it, from any VISA ATM, but the free withdrawals are limited to 10 per year. This is worldwide. No fees whatsoever, official ("wholesale") rate too, if use outside the €-Zone. From the 10 withdrawal per year, it gets expansive.

However, don't know, if they're willing to send the cards abroad....

I don't want a bank account, just a cash replacement vehicle. I'll look into the Sparcards.

Thanks for the help.

Well, those cards will only get you cash from an ATM, as often as you like as long as it's below 2000€ per calendar month.

For my understanding...you want to take a bunch of euro bills and replace them with a card that you can use, loaded with those euros you bought the card with...like a cash card?

Not sure how you would do this without being affiliated with either a bank or possbile VISA (debit card). I would be wary of charges.

Having a bank card issued requires the opening of a bank account (where else should the money be deposited if not on some kind of account?) and opening a bank account requires afaik a residential address in Germany.

Yes, would be interesting to ask, if a savings account for foreigners is possible??

Deutsche Bank requires that you're a resident . So forget about that Bank.
The Swiss Postbank will give foreigners an account in € and a card, does the German Postbank?

will your own bank open a € account for you? do they have a european affiliate/

or look at another € zone country that will let you open an account rather than germany. you could then use a debit card in any ATM in europe.

or get a good money belt!

regards, ann

I'm not staying long enough to open an account, so it sounds as if there really isn't an easy alternative.

I wanted to be able to go to a bank and get a Visa check card-like product, but I think my ideal situation doesn't exist.

Thanks for all of your thoughts.