Can you use these for purchases, the same as a credit card as you do at home? We use our Bank of America Visa Card (which is basically our ATM card with the Visa on it, you know-- your check card) for everything. The responses below confused me. I'm able to use this as a regular credit card if I choose at home (without putting in a pin). Will I be able to use it just like a regular Visa/Mastercard in Paris? I remember in London we were able to do so just fine, and in Rome, I believe... Am I missing something here?

Hi L,

If it worked in London and Rome, it is unlikely not to work in Paris.

All of my Visa and MC cards work in Paris.

Okay, thanks, Ira. Maybe other people were referring to regular debit cards w/o Visa and MC logos, but I didn't know such things still existed....

lukesaunt - the non-visa/mastercard logo'd debit-card-only are EXTREMELY common in Canada...it's only very recently that the visa/mastercard debit cards have even been available here, as far as I know....

OH, Canada! Okay, now that makes sense. Glad you all are getting the Visa/MC versions now. Much more convenient!

I went to use my debit card in Sardinia last May and it was rejected.
When I got home I contact my bank and was told they cancelled it due to a great deal of fraud in Italy. They suggested next time I travel abroad to contact them before I go.

Hope this helps.

Make sure you know when your bank does its overnight processing.

I used my Bank of america debit card like a credit card through Europe and never had any problems.

However, BofA now wants you to notify them before you leave for Europe otherwise you have a stop placed on your account.

More convenient, maybe, but also more expensive. When used at an ATM, Visa/MC debit cards are processed through their respective networks, which add 1% to the amount. No-logo ones don't go through those networks, so if the ATM and your bank don't add anything, you don't have to pay the extra %.