Travel hints and tips
Fees and charges
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Fees for using your card abroad

There may be fees for making a purchase or withdrawing cash in a foreign currency. What you'll pay will depend on the transaction you make and the card you use.

We are working to make currency conversion charges for card transactions more transparent. This is in line with new European regulations. In future we will show total card currency conversion charges as a percentage mark-up over the latest euro foreign exchange rates issued by the European Central Bank. This is to help you compare the costs of using different providers.

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  • FlexAccount Debit
  • FlexDirect Debit
  • FlexPlus Debit
  • CashCard+ Debit
  • FlexStudent Debit Card
  • FlexGraduateDebit Card
  • FlexOne Debit Card + Cash Card
  • Credit Card
  • Select Credit
  • Cash Reward Credit Card
  • Gold Credit
  • Classic Credit Card

Foreign purchase example
Information

Based on a purchase of €100 processed on or after 1 August 2019.

You make a foreign purchase whenever you use your card to buy something in a foreign currency. The examples below show how a foreign purchase is converted into sterling and how our fees are applied.

Find out more about using your cards abroad.

Please select at least one card from the above list

Examples of foreign purchase charges when using your card abroad
 

FlexAccount Debit Card

FlexBasic Debit Card

Nationwide Credit Card

Purchase amount

 €100 €100 €100 €100 €100
Information

Commission-free allowance

 Not applicable Not applicable No allowance earned yet £50.00 allowance earned Sufficient allowance to cover purchase
€100 @ Visa Exchange Rate £88.76 £88.76 £88.76
 £88.76
 £88.76

Visa Exchange Rate on 3 June 2019 was €1 = £0.887578. Shown on statement as £1 = €1.126662.
Information

Non-Sterling Transaction Fee

 £2.65 (2.99%) £2.65 (2.99%)
 £1.76 (2%)
£88.76
-£50.00
£38.76 @ 2%
£0.78
No fee

Cost to you

 £91.41 £91.41 £90.54 £89.54 £88.76

Points to note

Nationwide Credit Card commission free allowance

Every time you make a purchase transaction with your Nationwide Credit Card in sterling you will earn commission-free allowance at a rate of 5:1 that entitles you to make commission-free non-sterling purchases up to the value of that allowance.

For example, if you spend £100 on your shopping in the UK, you will automatically be rewarded with £20 worth of commission-free allowance to use on non-sterling purchases (not cash withdrawals).

You can find details of the commission-free allowance you have earned on your statement.

Example of a foreign purchase outside the Visa Europe region
 

FlexAccount Debit Card

FlexDirect Debit Card

FlexPlus Debit Card

FlexBasic Debit Card

FlexStudent Debit Card

FlexGraduate Debit Card

FlexOne cards

Nationwide Credit Card

Select Credit Card

Cash Reward Credit Card

(closed to new business)

Gold Credit Card

(closed to new business)

Classic Credit Card

(closed to new business)
Example of a foreign purchase outside the Visa Europe region

Purchase amount

 Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable $100 $100 $100
$100 @ VISA Exchange Rate adjusted by 1% Payment Scheme Exchange Fee

Visa Exchange Rate on 3 June 2019 was $1 = £0.796289
Plus 1% for Payment Scheme Exchange Fee = £0.804252
Shown on statement as £1 = $1.255825

The cost to you of the 1% Payment Scheme Exchange Fee can be calculated from the sterling amount printed on your statement. In this example:
£80.43x1/101 = 80p

 £79.63 £79.63
 £79.63
Information

Non-Sterling Transaction Fee

 No Fee No Fee No Fee

Cost to you

 - - - - - - - - - £79.63
 £79.63
 £79.63

Foreign cash withdrawal example
Information

Please select at least one card from the above list

Example of a foreign cash withdrawal - outside the UK
Information

Examples of foreign cash withdrawals when using your card abroad
 

FlexAccount Debit Card

FlexBasic Debit Card

Nationwide Credit Card

Cash withdrawal amount

 €100 €100 €100
€100 @ Visa Exchange Rate £88.76 £88.76
 £88.76

Visa Exchange Rate on 3 June 2019 was €1 = £0.887578. Shown on statement as £1 = €1.126662.
Information

Non-Sterling Transaction Fee

£2.65 (2.99%) £2.65 (2.99%) Not applicable
Information

Non-Sterling Cash Fee

 No fee No fee £3.00
(2.5%, min. £3.00)

Cost to you

 £91.41 £91.41
 £91.76

The bureau / ATM owner may also make a charge. For credit card cash withdrawals, you'll be charged interest at 'cash rates' from the date the transaction is posted to your account.

Example of a cash withdrawal outside the Visa Europe region

Example of a cash withdrawal outside the Visa Europe region
 

FlexAccount Debit Card

FlexDirect Debit Card

FlexPlus Debit Card

FlexBasic Debit Card

FlexStudent Debit Card

FlexGraduate Debit Card

Nationwide Credit Card

Select Credit Card

Cash Reward Credit Card

(closed to new business)

Gold Credit Card

(closed to new business)

Classic Credit Card

(closed to new business)

Cash withdrawal amount

 Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable $100 $100 $100
$100 @ VISA Exchange Rate adjusted by 1% Payment Scheme Exchange Fee £79.63 £79.63
 £79.63
Information

Non-Sterling Cash Fee

 £3.00
(2.5%, min. £3.00) 		£3.00
(2.5%, min. £3.00) 		£3.00
(2.5%, min. £3.00)

Visa Exchange Rate on 3 June 2019 was $1 = £0.796289
Plus 1% for Payment Scheme Exchange Fee = £0.804252
Shown on statement as £1 = $1.255825

The cost to you of the 1% Payment Scheme Exchange Fee can be calculated from the sterling amount printed on your statement. In this example: £80.43x1/101 = 80p

Cost to you

 - - - - - - - - £82.63 £82.63
 £82.63

The bureau / ATM owner may also make a charge

Example of withdrawing or buying foreign cash - within the UK
Information

Example of withdrawing or buying foreign cash
 

FlexAccount Debit Card

FlexDirect Debit Card

FlexPlus Debit Card

FlexBasic Debit Card

FlexStudent Debit Card

FlexGraduate Debit Card

FlexOne cards

Nationwide Credit Card

Select Credit Card

Cash Reward Credit Card

(closed to new business)

Gold Credit Card

(closed to new business)

Classic Credit Card

(closed to new business)
LINK ATM or over-the-counter Non-LINK ATM LINK ATM or over-the-counter Non-LINK ATM LINK ATM or over-the-counter Non-LINK ATM LINK ATM or over-the-counter Non-LINK ATM LINK ATM or over-the-counter Non-LINK ATM

Cash withdrawal amount

 €100 €100 €100 €100 €100 €100 €100 €100 €100 €100 €100 €100 €100 €100 €100 €100 €100
Information

€100 @ an exchange rate set by your supplier

 £88.76 £88.76
 £88.76
 £88.76
 £88.76
 £88.76
 £88.76
 £88.76
 £88.76
 £88.76
 £88.76
 £88.76
 £88.76
 £88.76
 £88.76
 £88.76
 £88.76

For example, Visa Exchange Rate on 3 June 2019 was €1 = £0.887578. Shown on statement as £1 = €1.126662.
Information

Non-Sterling Transaction Fee

 No fee £2.65 (2.99%) No fee £2.65 (2.99%) No fee No fee £2.65 (2.99%) No fee No fee No fee No fee No fee Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable
Information

Non-Sterling Cash Fee

No fee No fee No fee No fee No fee No fee No fee No fee No fee No fee No fee No fee £3.00
(2.5%, min. £3.00) 		£3.00
(2.5%, min. £3.00) 		£3.00
(2.5%, min. £3.00) 		£3.00
(2.5%, min. £3.00) 		£3.00
(2.5%, min. £3.00)
Information

Indicative cost to you

£88.76
 £91.41 £88.76
 £91.41 £88.76
 £88.76
 £91.41
 £88.76
 £88.76
 £88.76
 £88.76
 £88.76
 £91.76 £91.76 £91.76
 £91.76
 £91.76

The bureau / ATM owner may also make a charge. For credit card cash withdrawals, you'll be charged interest at 'cash rates' from the date the transaction is posted to your account.

Points to note

You'll be charged interest at 'cash rates' on credit card cash withdrawals from the date the transaction is posted to your account.

Where you can buy foreign currency in the UK

Nationwide does not sell foreign currency in the UK nor do our ATMs dispense foreign currency. You can withdraw foreign currency over-the-counter at a bureau-de-change/bank/Post Office ®, or at a non-Nationwide ATM that dispenses foreign currency. Your supplier should advise you of the rate of exchange they have used, which may be different from the Visa Exchange Rate for that day.

About our worked examples of foreign currency cash withdrawals within the UK

Nationwide does not know either your supplier's rates of exchange or their source(s) for those rates. We have, however, used the Visa Exchange Rate in our UK cash withdrawal examples to illustrate the indicative costs to you. As your provider may use some other source for their exchange rates, our examples can only be indicative of the costs you might pay.

Using a LINK or non-LINK ATM to buy foreign currency within the UK

  • If you use a UK-based ATM that dispenses foreign currency and it displays the LINK logo, then your transaction will come to us as a sterling cash transaction and so no Non-Sterling Transaction Fee (commission) will be payable.
  • If you use a UK-based ATM that does not display the LINK logo then the transaction will come to us in the same way as if the ATM had been located outside the UK, and we will receive the non-sterling amount of the foreign transaction (along with its sterling equivalent, as converted by your ATM provider) and so our Non-Sterling Transaction Fee (commission) will be payable.

Fees in detail

Please note that all fees are cumulative, so you'll pay all the fees that apply. 

Find out more about using your cards abroad.

Please select at least one card from the above list

Our fees in detail
 

FlexAccount Debit Card

FlexDirect Debit Card

FlexPlus Debit Card

FlexBasic Debit Card

FlexStudent Debit Card

FlexGraduate Debit Card

FlexOne cards

Nationwide Credit Card

Select Credit Card

Cash Reward Credit Card

(closed to new business)

Gold Credit Card

(closed to new business)

Classic Credit Card

(closed to new business)
Purchases made in a foreign currency

Payment Scheme Exchange Fee

A fee for converting transactions made in foreign currencies outside the Visa Europe region which is applied by adjusting the Visa Exchange Rate.

 Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable No Fee within Visa Europe region

1% added to Visa Exchange Rate if outside the Visa Europe region		 No Fee within Visa Europe region

1% added to Visa Exchange Rate if outside the Visa Europe region		 No Fee within Visa Europe region

1% added to Visa Exchange Rate if outside the Visa Europe region

Non-Sterling Transaction Fee

Our commission charge for transactions made in a foreign currency.

 2.99% of the transaction amount 2.99% of the transaction amount No fee 2.99% of the transaction amount No fee No fee No fee 2% of the transaction amount not covered by any commission-free allowance you may have earned No fee No fee No fee No fee
The fee(s) above also apply when you buy in a foreign currency on the internet or by phone
Cash withdrawals in a foreign currency - outside the UK

Payment Scheme Exchange Fee

A fee for converting transactions made in foreign currencies outside the Visa Europe region which is applied by adjusting the Visa Exchange Rate.

 Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable No Fee within Visa Europe region

1% added to Visa Exchange Rate if outside the Visa Europe region		 No Fee within Visa Europe region

1% added to Visa Exchange Rate if outside the Visa Europe region		 No Fee within Visa Europe region

1% added to Visa Exchange Rate if outside the Visa Europe region

Non-Sterling Transaction Fee

Our commission charge for transactions made in a foreign currency.

 2.99% of the transaction amount 2.99% of the transaction amount No fee 2.99% of the transaction amount No fee No fee No fee Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable

Non-Sterling Cash Fee

Our commission charge for cash withdrawals made in a foreign currency (abbreviated to 'cash fee' on credit card statements). For Debit cards this fee is in addition to the Non-Sterling Transaction Fee.

No fee per withdrawal No fee per withdrawal No fee No fee per withdrawal No fee No fee No fee 2.5% of the transaction amount (min £3.00) 2.5% of the transaction amount (min £3.00) 2.5% of the transaction amount (min £3.00) 2.5% of the transaction amount (min £3.00) 2.5% of the transaction amount (min £3.00)
Cash withdrawals in a foreign currency - within the UK

Payment Scheme Exchange Fee

A fee for converting transactions made in foreign currencies outside the Visa Europe region which is applied by adjusting the Visa Exchange Rate.

 Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable

Non-Sterling Transaction Fee

Our commission charge for transactions made in a foreign currency.

 No Fee at LINK ATMs or over-the-counter

2.99% of the transaction amount at non-LINK ATMs		 No Fee at LINK ATMs or over-the-counter

2.99% of the transaction amount at non-LINK ATMs		 No Fee No Fee at LINK ATMs or over-the-counter

2.99% of the transaction amount at non-LINK ATMs		 No Fee No Fee No Fee Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable

Non-Sterling Cash Fee

Our commission charge for cash withdrawals made in a foreign currency (abbreviated to 'cash fee' on credit card statements). For Debit cards this fee is in addition to the Non-Sterling Transaction Fee.

No Fee at LINK ATMs or over-the-counter

No fee per withdrawal non-LINK ATMs		 No Fee at LINK ATMs or over-the-counter

No fee per withdrawal non-LINK ATMs		 No Fee No Fee at LINK ATMs or over-the-counter

No fee per withdrawal non-LINK ATMs		 No Fee No Fee No Fee 2.5% of the transaction amount (min £3.00) 2.5% of the transaction amount (min £3.00) 2.5% of the transaction amount (min £3.00) 2.5% of the transaction amount (min £3.00) 2.5% of the transaction amount (min £3.00)
The bureau / ATM owner may also make a charge for cash withdrawals
Over-the-counter could be at a bureau-de-change/bank/Post Office ®.

Points to note

Nationwide Credit Card commission-free allowance

Every time you make a purchase transaction with your Nationwide Credit Card in sterling you will earn commission-free allowance at a rate of 5:1 that entitles you to make commission-free non-sterling purchases up to the value of that allowance.

For example, if you spend £100 on your shopping in the UK, you will automatically be rewarded with £20 worth of commission-free allowance to use on non-sterling purchases (not cash withdrawals).

Where you can buy foreign currency in the UK

Nationwide does not sell foreign currency in the UK nor do our ATMs dispense foreign currency. You can withdraw foreign currency over-the-counter at a bureau-de-change/bank/Post Office ®, or at a non-Nationwide ATM that dispenses foreign currency. Your supplier should advise you of the rate of exchange they have used, which may be different from the Visa Exchange Rate for that day.

About our worked examples of foreign currency cash withdrawals within the UK

Nationwide does not know either your supplier's rates of exchange or their source(s) for those rates. We have, however, used the Visa Exchange Rate in our UK cash withdrawal examples to illustrate the indicative costs to you. As your provider may use some other source for their exchange rates, our examples can only be indicative of the costs you might pay.

Using a LINK or non-LINK ATM to buy foreign currency within the UK

  • If you use a UK-based ATM that dispenses foreign currency and it displays the LINK logo, then your transaction will come to us as a sterling cash transaction and so no Non-Sterling Transaction Fee (commission) will be payable.
  • If you use a UK-based ATM that does not display the LINK logo then the transaction will come to us in the same way as if the ATM had been located outside the UK, and we will receive the non-sterling amount of the foreign transaction (along with its sterling equivalent, as converted by your ATM provider) and so our Non-Sterling Transaction Fee (commission) will be payable.
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