Money dispensed from ATM
Jul 8th, 2007, 09:08 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Money dispensed from ATM
4 questions for anyone that will help:
If she goes to ATM in Nairobi, will the money be dispensed in US or KSH?
When using the card and asking for the amount, what does she put in the machine, the amount of KSH or US that she wants to withdraw?
Also what if she has KSH to switch to US when she leaves, how does one go about doing this to get the best amount possible?
Also looking for anyone that has wired money to the US Embassy through Western Union, is this recommended & does it actually work proper without a bunch of red tape?
After reading the mishap with the Cirrus atm/debit card, not sure if ours will work there either, so we may be forced to wire the money.
Wow, how confusing is this stuff....Thanks
If she goes to ATM in Nairobi, will the money be dispensed in US or KSH?
When using the card and asking for the amount, what does she put in the machine, the amount of KSH or US that she wants to withdraw?
Also what if she has KSH to switch to US when she leaves, how does one go about doing this to get the best amount possible?
Also looking for anyone that has wired money to the US Embassy through Western Union, is this recommended & does it actually work proper without a bunch of red tape?
After reading the mishap with the Cirrus atm/debit card, not sure if ours will work there either, so we may be forced to wire the money.
Wow, how confusing is this stuff....Thanks
Jul 8th, 2007, 10:36 AM
#2
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 867
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
1) if you use an atm in Kenya, it will depense kenyan money, although your bank statement will show US dollars. The bank statement will give you the formula it used to change the money into US$. Then, it might tell you how much it charged you for changing the money from Kenyan money to US$.
2) you would push in the amount of Kenyan money that you want -- althought the bank may limit the amount of money you can take out. (my bank in the US limits me to 2000 LE a day, but some of the atms in Egypt only allow me to take out 1500 LE)
3) Generally speaking, you can only change foreign bills to US $ when you leave, but Kenyan currency may not be traded on the international market or the government may not allow you to change money to US$. Check the Fodors site for Kenya or the Kenyan Embassy web site for more info if someone here doesn't answer.
4) I think you can just wire money to western union & skip the US embassy. Is it recommended? well, no, b/c it costs more to do this than use an ATM. You might think about travelers checks which are probably less expensive than wiring money, but then are not currently in favor. Contact Cirrus or visa/mastercard to find out if they work in Kenya and where you can find them.
2) you would push in the amount of Kenyan money that you want -- althought the bank may limit the amount of money you can take out. (my bank in the US limits me to 2000 LE a day, but some of the atms in Egypt only allow me to take out 1500 LE)
3) Generally speaking, you can only change foreign bills to US $ when you leave, but Kenyan currency may not be traded on the international market or the government may not allow you to change money to US$. Check the Fodors site for Kenya or the Kenyan Embassy web site for more info if someone here doesn't answer.
4) I think you can just wire money to western union & skip the US embassy. Is it recommended? well, no, b/c it costs more to do this than use an ATM. You might think about travelers checks which are probably less expensive than wiring money, but then are not currently in favor. Contact Cirrus or visa/mastercard to find out if they work in Kenya and where you can find them.
Jul 8th, 2007, 10:45 AM
#3
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 13,406
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The ATMs will dispense Kenyan shillings. You input the amount of shillings you want. Barclays ATMs will dispense a maximum of 40,000 per transaction. You can convert back to USD at the airport although I don't what the rates are like. It's best not to have too much left over as you'd have conversion loss twice. You can always save the left over for the next trip 
No experience with Western Union. In Dec 2006, Barclays accepted Mastercard/Cirrus cards, Standard Chartered accepted Visa/Plus only, don't know about other banks.
No experience with Western Union. In Dec 2006, Barclays accepted Mastercard/Cirrus cards, Standard Chartered accepted Visa/Plus only, don't know about other banks.
Jul 8th, 2007, 05:25 PM
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Thank you very much for the advise. Our local bank (which the card is from) actually has a limit of 500 US dollars per day, so this is weird, not sure how to tell her to withdraw unless she does the withdraw in US dollar amount and if the machine will convert? I think I am totally confused now!
Okay as for the mishap, I was reviewing the ATM Kenya money somewhere on this site and someone was stating that their Cirrus card did not work at the Nairobi ATM machine, which I think is one of ours as well, Cirrus.
I will call the bank tomorrow and ask them about their locations. Maybe she should just wait until she gets closer to being out of the Shillings to purchase more, because she will be there another 3 weeks or more.
Okay, Thanks so much for ALL of your help, you don't know what this means, it is very much appreciated.
Okay as for the mishap, I was reviewing the ATM Kenya money somewhere on this site and someone was stating that their Cirrus card did not work at the Nairobi ATM machine, which I think is one of ours as well, Cirrus.
I will call the bank tomorrow and ask them about their locations. Maybe she should just wait until she gets closer to being out of the Shillings to purchase more, because she will be there another 3 weeks or more.
Okay, Thanks so much for ALL of your help, you don't know what this means, it is very much appreciated.
Jul 8th, 2007, 06:10 PM
#6
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 102
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
$500 USD is 33,350 Kenyan shillings.
$1 equals 67 Kenyan shillings.
If you want $100 USD for the ATM in Nairobi multiply 100x67 and you will need to withdraw 6500 KES.
To do other conversions use this site
http://www.xe.com/ucc/
It will convert any amount for you.
When you are in another country, you must learn to think in their currency or at least be able to roughly estimate the conversion amount. There are also currency conversion gizmos that are about the size of a small calculator. Or....use a plain calcultator. \
Hopefully, you have informed your bank that the ATM card is going to be used outside the US. If not, call right away or else they may cut off the card and it is hard to get it re-instated.
If the machine doesn't recognize the card, go inside the bank to a teller.
No matter what country you are in, ATM's will dispense the currency of that country. Why would you expect them to dispense US dollars?
If a French person uses their ATM card in New York....they will get dollars not francs. ATM's cannot stock the currency from every country
and dole it out as tourists from that country use the ATM.
$1 equals 67 Kenyan shillings.
If you want $100 USD for the ATM in Nairobi multiply 100x67 and you will need to withdraw 6500 KES.
To do other conversions use this site
http://www.xe.com/ucc/
It will convert any amount for you.
When you are in another country, you must learn to think in their currency or at least be able to roughly estimate the conversion amount. There are also currency conversion gizmos that are about the size of a small calculator. Or....use a plain calcultator. \
Hopefully, you have informed your bank that the ATM card is going to be used outside the US. If not, call right away or else they may cut off the card and it is hard to get it re-instated.
If the machine doesn't recognize the card, go inside the bank to a teller.
No matter what country you are in, ATM's will dispense the currency of that country. Why would you expect them to dispense US dollars?
If a French person uses their ATM card in New York....they will get dollars not francs. ATM's cannot stock the currency from every country
and dole it out as tourists from that country use the ATM.
Jul 9th, 2007, 09:21 AM
#7
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 378
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
julienk, you're mostly right. However, the ATMs in Cambodia (at least in Siem Reap) only dispense U.S. dollars.
Can anyone think of any other countries that spit out U.S. dollars instead of the local currency? I'm curious.
Can anyone think of any other countries that spit out U.S. dollars instead of the local currency? I'm curious.
Jul 9th, 2007, 10:58 AM
#8
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 3,648
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Saw an ATM at the Reykjavik airport that gave you a choice to withdraw US dollars, kronas, or Euros. I had never seen that before.
And I've heard that the Marriott in St. Kitts has an ATM that dispenses US dollars rather than EC dollars. Maybe it's for the convenience of the casino-goers?
I would imagine these exceptions are rare.
CW
And I've heard that the Marriott in St. Kitts has an ATM that dispenses US dollars rather than EC dollars. Maybe it's for the convenience of the casino-goers?
I would imagine these exceptions are rare.
CW
Jul 9th, 2007, 11:08 AM
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
wow Julie, great information. I myself have never nor do I ever plan to travel to another country, I'm a homebody, so this is all brand new to me, but I was starting to confuse myself. Thanks so much for all of the information from everyone, now I can tell my daughter when she calls again that when the time comes to get more money, she can do so in Shillings at the ATM. This is mostly my fault because I did not feel safe with the International Travel Warnings out for Kenya right now and her taking a large sum of money so on the way to the airport, she actually split it up and we deposited in her acct, so now she has to go through this, but I just figured the warnings were there for a reason, so why be at risk? Take care everyone and thanks again! I love this website!
Jul 9th, 2007, 06:36 PM
#13
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 102
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If the ATM doesn't accept the card, even though it has the right name on it, can you not go into the bank and have a teller withdraw the money for you. I have done that before without any problem, but can't remember if it was overseas or in the states that I did that.
