Finishing up the B&B booking for our trip in May and one of the B&B told me I could no longer reserve the room via credit card because a new law went into effect March 17th that will not allow them to accept paper vouchers for credit? She told me that due to security reasons effective March 17th most banks now require pin and chip (whatever that means) and most Americans don't have it. Can anyone expand on this? Will we be able use our ATM and credit card in Ireland? I would assume so but have no idea what pin and chip is. Sorry to sound ignorant? Maybe this is something that effects them as a business but has no effect on the general public?

Chip and pin is coming in throughout Europe. Both my CC and my ATM card have embedded microchips and I "sign" electonically by keying in a 4-digit number.

Traders in Ireland are now obliged to operate the new technology for Irish-issued cards. They are permitted to use old technology for cards issued in places where chip and pin has not become standard (like the US). As the rules are new, there will be confusion for a while.

If your bank can supply chip and pin cards, you will avoid the confusion; if not, you will be able to use your cards, but not always as readily as in the past.

Here we go again with so much misinformation on this and the b & b is absolutely wrong.

The eu is pushing banks to implement a strategy to combat fraud called chip and pin...it has been in the UK for about a year...UK issued credit cards must be of the chip and pin variety...you insert the card in a terminal and instead of signing a sales voucher, you enter a pin number...the terminal reads the chip in the card and if it is a match approves the transaction...however since the US banking industry I'm sure has done a study and probably found that losses due to fraud while significant would be less than the cost of implementing chip and pin so no US bank issues a chip and pin card.

Now obviously merchants and the tourist industry don't want to give up the US market so provision has been made that the terminals all accept the old fashioned magnetic stripe cards and produce paper receipts for those from "backward" countries such as the USA to sign...USA credit cards lacking chip and pin are 100% valid in the UK and will be so in Ireland when they adopt chip and pin. Unfortunately some merchants don't comprehend this (they are not properly trained) and all the time when I am in London, I get merchants sticking my US issued non chip and pin card in the chip and pin slot of the terminal...some of these imbeciles tell me my card is no good and I tell them to run the transaction through the magnetic stripe reader...they insist they can't do it and I demand to see the manager (in other cases, they are quite used to tourist cards lacking chip and pin)...but I repeat, the banking regulations are clear that non chip and pin cards issued in countries that have not adopted chip and pin are 100% valid so the b&b is WRONG like in WRONG and should be so informed.

And don't go running out and getting pins for your American credit cards...without the chip the pin means nothing.

BTW statistics show that credit card fraud in the UK has dropped substantially because of the use of chip and pin but it's only a matter of time, of course, before the vermin running these credit card and identity theft rings in Eastern Europe and Nigeria compromise the situation. Just wait and see.

Thanks for the clarification. Totally makes sense. Sounds like we might hit a snag every now and then but 90% of the time or more shouldn't have a problem. I'd assume 95% of the time we'll use the ATM to draw Euro. On our last trip to Paris we didn't even use our credit card. Thanks again.

Sorry, the explanation as it pertains to merchants makes since. I'm assuming we'll have no problem at the ATM as long as we use a standard 4 digit password that is required at most ATMs in Europe? Thanks

Thanks for this info, xyz. I had just read of something similar in the Netherlands (where I'll be in 2 weeks) and ATM cards and was concerned about my ATM card usage.

ATMs should be no problems. Make sure you know your pin numerically, don't expect there to be alphanumeric labelling on the keys.

The Netherlands still has swipe credit cards. You still sign for a transaction as in the US. Gruadually, as the credit cards are renewed they are introducing chips. Last year in the UK we had a few problems with our card - mostly because they were unsure of the procedures, but usually a manager was called who knew what to do. We never had our non chip CC turned down.
We have had chips in our bank cards in NL for a very long time, and can load those up with money and use them instead of cash as an electronic purse for small amounts,, for parking meters and the like. Some cities only have chip payments on their parking meters, but not many. For payments in shops an the ATMs it still has a swipe strip that is used.

<<< BTW statistics show that credit card fraud in the UK has dropped substantially because of the use of chip and pin >>>

I thought that CC fraud in the UK had gone up but since C&P came in it's shifted to "User not present" fraud like mail or internet ordering

XYZ123
Thank you for a very clear explanation of the chip and pin situation. Could not have been expained more clearly.

Re C&P technology:

Many fuel stations have automated pumps that use C&P only.

Make sure to fill up on Saturday, because you might not be able to buy gas on Sunday when the pumps are not staffed.

In any case the original statement about not being able to reserve a room via credit card because of the lack of a chip makes no sense. The chip can't be read over the internet, telephone or regular mail.

I emailed Bank of Ireland about 10 days ago with a similar question. Here's their response:

"Thank you for your email.

Please be advised that even though your card is not a chip and pin card the machines will still be able to process transactions as it will fall back to your magnetic strip and you can sign for purchases.

Please note that the retailers have the final decision on whether or not to accept your card.

If you have any further queries, please do not hesitate to contact our Customer Service team at 1890 251 251 or alternatively if you are calling from outside the Republic of Ireland you can call 00353 56 7757 747."

Bank of Ireland indicates a retailer could refuse your card. I can't imagine that any business in a major tourist area would refuse a card since a good portion of their business caters to a market that may not have the chip and pin system. I can see it being a problem in smaller towns, or less touristy areas (which could include grocery stores, department stores, bookstores, etc.) as they, apparently, have the right to refuse your card.

I'd say it would be best to keep cash on hand as a back up. It will do you no good to be right if the person you're dealing with is mistaken and won't take your card.