lajc

Hello,
Would a photocopy of my passport be sufficient if I want to use my credit card in a store?
Whats your experience in Madrid, Barcelona, San Sebastian and Mallorca?

Also, I was reading a while back about having to enter in a Pin when using your Credit Card? I will not be using my debit card over there (unless at the ATM)...do I have to set up a Pin number for my regular credit card?


Thank you.

mamcalice

In over 20 trips to Europe, including Spain, I have never been asked to show a passport when using a credit card. The one exception that comes to mind in when registering in a hotel but the passport is requited regardless of the payment type you use. As for a pin, again, not for a credit card. You may get different responses but that is our experience.

If you are asked for your passport, a photocopy is unlikely to be acceptable.

november_moon

First - Chip and PIN cards: This is a specific type of card that has a computer chip imbedded in the card (instead of a magnetic strip). Users input their PIN rather than signing a sales slip. This type of card is very common in Europe, but not widely available or used in the US. In the US, we have cards with magnetic strips - so getting a PIN for your card will not make any difference. It still must be swiped and then you will sign the sales slip. All transactions in which a person is performing the transaction, the cashier will be able to swipe your magnetic strip card. You may have to tell/show them what to do if they have not been trained, but they can do it.

You may run into trouble with your magnetic strip card for non-attended transactions - ie buying train tickets from a machine rather than a person. So plan to have cash for that sort of thing.

That said, ATMs can read the magnetic strip cards no problem - you can get cash from an ATM with your debit card.

Second - Passports for credit card purchases - In my experience, I have never been asked for my passport for credit card purchases except when buying something expensive.

scatcat

At H&M in Nice, I must show them my passport with credit card purchase. And they will not accept a copy.

lincasanova

More than a passport necessarily, a photo ID. A diver's license should be fine.I'm asked to show mine every single time I use my card in Spain. This may be country specific.

TonyBishop

"Would a photocopy of my passport be sufficient if I want to use my credit card in a store?"
Not unless it has been certified as a true copy by someone recognised by that store.

I present my photo driving licence but I am a citizen of an EU member-state. Since you do not say where you are from, I cannot comment any further.

TonyBishop

Oh, and I live in Spain.

amer_can

I was asked everytime in Madrid and I have CCs with chips and pin #s. Also in other cities except in restaurants for some reason. However I always carry my passport on my body so I have had no trouble. Canada has chip cards..My US chase visa doesn't..so the Maple leaf wins out in my case!!!

xyz123

Spain has been mentioned as a country where often a passport is asked for by some (many?) merchants.

Myer

Andrews Federal Credit Union in MD has a Chip & Pin credit card.

I went though the arduous process of applying for it and used it on a recent trip to France.

I had no trouble buying train tickets at the unmanned ticket machine using the card.

DebitNM did the research on this.

Robert2533

Depending on the value of the transaction, you may have to show your passport, but in general, all you will need is a photo ID (drivers license) if purchasing in a retail store. I've never been asked for identification in a restaurant even when the amount has been more than your average bill (more than €500).

amer_can

Is this crazy or what???Some need to show pp and other don't..So the solution is have it available and there you go!!!

xyz123

While it would seem to be a no brainer, I simply do not like to carry my passport with me. I feel safer when it is safely locked up in the hotel safe in my room (and from what I've read, no offense meant to anybody, both Barcelona and Madrid are full of pickpockets and when I spent a night in Barcelona before a cruise a month ago, the hotel manager emphaticdally told me not to carry my passport.

ribeirasacra

It is actually a common indecent to show some sort of photo ID. I also live in Spain and can comment that even when I ma a regular customer in some shops it is so automatic for the checkouts to ask for photo Id that I have to show it even when I am a regular customer.
Photo ID is even more important if you do not have any PIN associated with your card, thus it has to be swiped in the machine.

lincasanova

I have never carried my passport in Spain and have NEVER been denied a purchase using my photo ID. However, I have been denied using my CC when I had inadvertently left my ID's in another purse one day.. very small purchase but was still not allowed.

greg

Whether one is asked for some sort of picture ID depends on what type of transaction and the places one uses a CC. It is possible that someone can visit Spain 100 times and never encounter such places while someone else on the first visit get asked for a picture ID.

I think there are four cases. Here is my experience:

1. US Driver license as a "picture id": never tried in Spain
2. a copy of US driver license: never tried in Spain
3. US passport: always accepted when picture ID requested
4. a copy of US passport: denied everytime=was told it was not good, must produce a real passport at 1) Corte Ingres travel store and 2) Yoigo phone store.

The Corte Ingres merchandise counters took my CC without a picture ID.

What I noticed in Spain this year was the prevalence of DCC. Every time I used CC, I was asked whether I wanted charge in US dollar or in Euro. At least they all asked the question.

Christina

I've had to show ID in FNAC in Spain, they accepted either a US drivers license or a photocopy of my passport, as that is what I usually show.

I've never had a copy of my passport denied as ID in places like stores in Europe in several countries. But you never know what attitude any particular sales person will take.

TonyBishop

@Christina. You said "I've never had a copy of my passport denied as ID". Do you mean that quite literally, as in a photocopy of your passport?

You would get away with that here in Andalucía unless it had been authorised by a notary ("gestor") or town hall employee.

TonyBishop

Aggghhh.
That should read "You would *NOT* get away with that here in Andalucía"

lajc

Thank you everyone. I will use my US driver license and also take a copy of my passport for back-up. I'm just nervous about carrying my official passport around with me.

@Myer are you a resident of MD or were you out of state and still applied?