The date of June 17, 2008 saw the official start of Chinese visitors’ group tour to America, which aroused the broad attention on issue of consumption payment for Chinese travelers in US. According to China Unionpay (CUP), the deepening acceptance of CUP cards in America will provide Chinese visitors much payment convenience.

Deepening Acceptance of CUP Cards in America

CUP launched its card acceptance in America in 2005 and attained its rapid and sound development for the achievement of CUP’s goal of “where there is Chinese people, where there is CUP card service”. The cooperation between CUP and PULSE network and Citibank has made CUP debit cards accessible to more and more American merchants and credit and debit cards accepted on more than 200 thousand ATMs in America.

At present, CUP cards are highly available at places where Chinese travelers frequented and convenient for consumption of withdrawal on ATMS at some key tourism destinations like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Hawaii, Las Vegas, New York, and Washington D.C. The branded stores or large-sized departments where Chinese travelers frequently visited, such as GAP、Banana Republic、Ann Taylor、Guess、Apple、DFS Galleria, Macy’s、Bloomingdales、Nordstrom、Sears、Costco 、Barstow Outlets are open to the acceptance of CUP debit cards.

With the increasing development of CUP’s international acceptance network, Chinese citizens may enjoy more secure, convenient and favorable payment services in more countries and regions including the USA, suggested by CUP. 

Benefits of Using CUP Cards in America

Using CUP debit cards rather than the credit cards in America is more convenient and beneficial, CUP cautions. By using debit card for consumption or money withdrawal, the exchange rate is based on the selling price established by the domestic bank’s rate of RMB against US Dollar of the day and is deducted from the card account by direct transference to RMB, which allows the Chinese travelers to deposit sufficient sum of RMB instead of dollars before leaving China.

In addition, there’s no need to pay for any commission charge when using debit cards for consumption. The travelers can just input the password instead of affixing signature on the signing sheet when consumed, which is more facilitative and suitable to Chinese people’s habit of using bankcard. In the meanwhile, benefits like presents or cash returning are available at many merchants when using debit cards in America.

Currently, only CUP debit cards are accepted at American merchants, and credit cards and debit cards can both be used on ATMs in America that are open to CUP card acceptance. However, when using credit card for withdrawal, a relatively high commission charge for cash borrowing in advance shall be paid. According to the state provisions for foreign exchange control, consumers can withdraw the sum of dollar equivalent to 5000 RMB with each debit card per day at present. Chinese visitors may bring several debit cards during the 11-day tour to America if more cash withdrawal is needed.

Tips by CUP

In light of the big difference of card using habit between American and Chinese, CUP puts out the following tips on using bankcard in America to Chinese visitors in the hope that Chinese travelers may be growing familiar with the relevant proceedings to fully enjoy the pleasant tour to America.

CUP card logo is not pasted at most American merchants, but the CUP debit card is basically accepted if there is a keyboard that is used for password input attached to POS terminal at the merchant.

Cash withdrawal is available on ATMs with any logo of CUP, PULSE or Citibank. The Chinese Menu has been installed on many ATMs.

If withdrawal of cash on ATM is needed, commission charge will be drawn by the domestic card-issuing banks and the ATM operators in America will draw a certain sum of service commission fees. However, such sum of fees will not be drawn when using CUP cards on ATMs of CITI, PNC, UCB, and CHASE.

Operatiing on the ATM in America is a little bit different from that in China. Consumers shall insert the card first and then put the card out so that the operator interface will appear. To bring convenience of consultancy for Chinese travelers in America, CUP opened its service line 866-567-5516.