uds0

Per: https://www.bankofamerica.com/deposi...aq-atm-fees.go the 3% and other fees are waived (as of today):

"You can avoid the Non-Bank of America ATM usage fee and ATM operator access fee by using one of our international partner ATMs in the corresponding countries listed below:

Barclays (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Jersey, Guernsey and the Channel Islands)
BNP Paribas (France)
BNL D’Italia (Italy)
UkrSibbank (Ukraine)
Deutsche Bank (Germany)
Scotia Bank (Canada, Peru, Chile and the Caribbean including: Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Maarten, Puerto Rico, Saint Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos Islands, U.S. Virgin Islands)
Westpac Bank (Australia and New Zealand)
China Construction Bank (Mainland China)
Santander (Mexico)"

broncoal06

PSKid, I don't know if your travels take you anywhere near Sorrento by chance, but if they do, there is a BNL there. Used my BofA ATM card there with no problems last year. Also, agree with cybertraveler that I did not see BNL ATM's in FCO (I believe they were all UniCredit, if memory serves).

uds0

Fee alert: As of November 2013 BofA does NOT waive the 3% Foreign Transaction Fee on their debit card (per confirmation with BofA via phone!

I was in Italy in October 2013 with no FTF, but while in Venice a few days ago a 3% fee showed up on my statement (no warning on ATM transaction). Note that the BNL ATM is very well hidden 1 floor above the corner cafe bar at the entrance to Piazza de Roma Venice bus station (not on ATM map!).

The waiver applies to $5 ATM fee and ATM operator fee when using Global Alliance countries, but only in the specific country(s) for each partner (BNL Italy only, BNP France only, etc). The language about the fee waivers is quite subtle because it doesn't highlight in that sentence that the 3% fee is no longer waived as of November 2013.

Looks like it's time to bail on BofA debit cards and checking accounts! I understand Charles Schwab has no fees, no minimum balance, free checks, and reimburses all ATM fees at the end of each month, so that is definitely my next stop. BofA also hog ties ACH bank to bank transfers inbound to 1k without text messaging enabled phone and charges $3 on outbound ACH's.

Sarastro

<i>Looks like it's time to bail on BofA debit cards and checking accounts!</i>

That would be, and has been, my conclusion. I might suggest investigating Schwab, USAA (for those eligible), Capital One 360, and local credit unions for checking accounts.

For credit card: those institutions listed above plus PenFed and Andrews FCU for no annual fee, no foreign transaction fee, and no currency conversion fee cards.

cybertraveler

Good information! Thanks for the updates. Capital One has been good to deal with on my credit card, so I'll look into their checking accounts.

Another item of interest: I received a notice with my last statement that the Delta American Express card will no longer charge foreign transaction fees. Good news, but I don't think it's accepted very often in Europe.

Sarastro

Capital One operates separately from Capital One 360. CO 360 is an on line bank.

There are various credit cards, other than those mentioned, which have no foreign transaction fees. I don´t mention them because they have very high annual fees and for many people, it would be less costly overall to pay the foreign transaction fees on an otherwise free credit cards than to pay an annual fee to avoid the transaction fees.

Ackislander

1. How to find BNL or any other bank branches:

Google BNL or BNP or whatever for the city where you will be in Google Maps.

Look at map in satellite view.

Bank branches will be called out.

2. Bank rules change frequently these days. None of us should base our plans on our experience last year or what was written as gospel on here in January. Do what uds0 has done and hope the rules don't change while you are gone.

3. Note in uds0's two posts that the rules differ for ATM cards and debit cards. Many users do not distinguish between the two. An ATM card can only be used in an ATM. A debit card may be used at a merchant. Banks make huge fees from the merchant on debit cards, so they do not advertise ATM cards. People who are conservative about their finances do not like debit cards because someone who steals your debit card and PIN can empty your entire bank account. You will get it back, but not nearly as quickly as you might hope. It is harder to steal a lot of money with an ATM card and your liability is much more limited.

4. All these remarks are based on US practice and may not apply if your primary bank is elsewhere.

Magster2005

As others have said, BOA has recently implemented a 3% fee for all foreign ATM transaction -- even those at their partner banks (partners like BNP in France and BNL in Italy). I discovered this the hard way last month when I was in France and Italy. I was furious when I came home and saw I'd been charged $70+ in fees. Especially since I went out of my way to find BOA partner ATMs! Never again -- will be using my Cap One Checking account for all future trips.

cybertraveler

Magster, thanks for posting about your experience with BOA. We'll be leaving for Spain and Italy soon, and I still need to set up that Capital One 360 account: #1 on my list for tomorrow.

BTW, so far I haven't been able to use my "no foreign fee" American Express card for booking any tours, shows, etc in Spain or Italy. However, I did use it for some Alitalia tickets.

cybertraveler

So glad I read this post again! I just signed up for our Capital One 360 account, and we won't get our cards for about 7-10 business days, after a 1-2 day waiting period while they verify our funding account at Bank of America. Cutting it close for a departure in 17 days!

Steve855

Just returned from Italy, I didn't notice that BNL Italia branches were exactly plentiful, but they were easy enough to spot in Florence and Rome on main streets without too much effort. I actually didn't notice any in Venice, but since that was my first stop I wasn't exactly looking, since I had brought some Euro's with me (at $1.27/Euro in midtown Manhattan). With the 3% BOA Fee the exchange rate was $1.285/Euro. Check with your credit card company about travel in Europe, seems like they might offer the best conversion rate, my Marriott Rewards was converting at $1.255/Euro.

Sarastro

Conversion rates for ATM withdrawals or credit card purchases are really not the overwhelming concern for most travelers as banks access large networks which handle the process for a relatively modest 1%.

The concern for most travelers is with local, US banks that add fees to foreign transactions for no other reason than they can; B of A, Wells Fargo and Citibank are examples. Many other banks or credit unions in the US add no fees on foreign transactions, many actually absorb the 1% currency conversion fee. Customers of PenFed, Andrews, Capital One and others pay no annual fees and 0% on foreign credit card transactions.

Christina

Many other banks or credit unions in the US add no fees on foreign transactions, many actually absorb the 1% currency conversion fee.>>

That may be overstated, I think some do but I wouldn't say "many" do that. I think most large corporate bank chains in the US do not do that. I bank at Cap One and they do (I have no fees for ATM use and no foreign conversion fee), but I don't think that is really common. You only named one bank yourself (Cap One), the other two are credit unions that you named. And the ones you name are not local banks, but national ones that have fees (B of A, etc).

aliced

So you're spending your time in Italy looking for particular bank branches -- come on!! Take Euros with you to cover first few days (we usually take 200), and get a card (there are several) without any foreign transaction fees, regardless from which ATM you withdraw. Is this really a vacation deal-breaker??! Just be sure not to use your debit card as a credit card, that's where the fees get crazy. If you use your credit card to charge meals and most purchases, you should find that you do not need much cash on hand except at the tabac (oops, sorry, that's in France) for postage, etc.

Dukey1

Unfgortunately, the only thing this is going to do with Bank of America is avoid the $5.00 ATM fee. B of A is going to charge a percentage of the amount withdrawn as a foreign currency withdrawal fee.

How do I know this? Ask me what the name of my bank is.