FAQs

State Bank Multi-Currency Foreign Travel Card is a prepaid card, which can hold multiple currencies and can be used abroad, to withdraw local currency at ATMs or to pay directly at merchants (including shops, restaurants and entertainment venues), displaying the Mastercard® Acceptance Mark.

Please note, due to FEMA regulations, the State Bank Multi-Currency Foreign Travel Card cannot be used at ATMs or merchants in India, Nepal and Bhutan, or for internet purchases where the website is registered in India, Nepal or Bhutan, or at websites accepting payment in Indian Rupees or the currencies of Nepal and Bhutan.

The State Bank Multi-Currency Foreign Travel Card can be loaded or reloaded using Indian Rupees (INR) only, which will then be converted, at an exchange rate determined by the branch where you (re)load it, in any of the following 7 currencies: US Dollars, Great British Pounds, Euros, Singapore Dollars, Australian Dollars, Canadian Dollars and Dirhams.

The State Bank Multi-Currency Foreign Travel Card has built in functionality to ensure that if you have insufficient funds in a particular currency to pay for a transaction (and provided that you have sufficient balance across all the currencies loaded on your card).

The balance of the transaction will automatically be deducted from any other available currencies on your card, in the following order of priority: USD, EUR, GBP, SGD, AUD, CAD & AED, subject to the applicable exchange rate and fee (see Fees and Limits Table in the fees and limits section of this website or in the Terms and Conditions).

If you are visiting a country whose currency is not supported on the card you can still use it to make a payment. The State Bank Multi-Currency Foreign Travel Card will automatically convert the amount of the transaction from local currency into the currency (-ies) available on your Card, in the order described above, (subject to a fee -see the Fees and Limits Table in the fees and limits section of this website or in the Terms and Conditions for more details).

If you don’t have enough funds on your Card for a transaction, you may be able to pay the balance with another card or cash, if the merchant supports partial payments. Just make sure you tell the cashier before paying. The cashier should process your State Bank Multi-Currency Foreign Travel Card payment first, and then accept the other form of payment you are using to settle the remainder of the transaction.

“For example, suppose a purchase is made using your Card overseas for US$150.00, and you have the following Card Fund balances US$50, GBP 0, EU€60, SGD100 then the following application of funds will take place.”

Yes.

Your State Bank Multi-Currency Foreign Travel card can be used for mail order and telephone order (MOTO) transactions.

Please note, due to FEMA regulations, the State Bank Multi-currency Foreign Travel Card cannot be used at merchants in India, Nepal and Bhutan, or for MOTO transactions where the merchant is registered in India, Nepal or Bhutan or accepting payment in Indian Rupees or the currencies of Nepal and Bhutan.

Even with a zero balance, your Card may still be valid (up to the expiry date printed on the front of the Card), and you can reload it before your next trip.

State Bank Multi-Currency Foreign Travel Card is chip and PIN protected, for added security.

To reduce the threat of fraud, State Bank Multi-Currency Foreign Travel Card does not reveal any personal information and it is completely separate from your bank account.

No, cash back is not available on State Bank Multi-Currency Foreign Travel Card.

You can use your State Bank Multi-Currency Foreign Travel Card to shop online (within the limits and restrictions of your Card) at merchants that accepts Mastercard cards.

For your security, you may be asked to provide the security code that's printed on the signature strip on the back of the Card.

Please note, due to FEMA regulations, the State Bank Multi-currency Foreign Travel Card cannot be used at ATMs or merchants in India, Nepal and Bhutan, or for internet purchases where the website is registered in India, Nepal or Bhutan or at websites accepting payment in Indian Rupees or the currencies of Nepal and Bhutan.

The Card may not be used for money transfers or for accessing or purchasing goods from adult or gambling locations or internet sites and must not be used for any unlawful activity. You must comply with all laws and regulations (including any foreign exchange controls) in respect of the Card in the country of purchase and/or use.

State Bank Multi-Currency Foreign Travel Card is a convenient and safe way of carrying your travel money overseas.

The Card offers peace of mind and the security of traditional travellers cheques, plus the convenience of cards.

Pre-loading your State Bank Multi-Currency Foreign Travel Card gives you more control of your travel budget than a standard debit or credit card and with fixed ATM fees and no transaction fees on purchases, it's easier to manage your overseas spending. To reduce the threat of fraud, State Bank Multi-Currency Foreign Travel Card does not carry your name or reveal any personal information and it is completely separate from your bank account.

In some countries, you may be asked for a six digit PIN when using an ATM.

However, State Bank Multi-Currency Foreign Travel Card uses a standard four digit PIN, which will still be accepted if the ATM has been set up correctly in compliance with Mastercard regulations.

You can use your State Bank Multi-Currency Foreign Travel Card to withdraw local currency at ATMs worldwide, displaying the Mastercard® Acceptance Mark.

Alternatively, you can use the Card to pay directly for goods or services at any merchants abroad (in store or online) that accept Mastercard cards.

Please note, due to FEMA regulations, the State Bank Foreign Travel Card cannot be used at ATMs or merchants in India, Nepal and Bhutan, or for internet purchases where the website is registered in India, Nepal or Bhutan, or at websites accepting payment in Indian Rupees or the currencies of Nepal and Bhutan.

There are also a number of other countries and geographical regions where the use of State Bank Foreign Travel Card is currently not allowed. If you attempt to withdraw cash or use your Card at merchants in any of these countries or geographical regions, your request will be declined.

The countries currently affected by sanctions are:

Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Syria and Crimea.

You can use your State Bank Multi-Currency Foreign Travel Card in countries or areas with a different currency to those on your Card. The system will automatically convert your stored currency (-ies) to the local one. Please note that for any transactions in a currency different from the currencies loaded on your Card, the funds available on the Card will be used in the following order of priority: USD, EUR, GBP, SGD, AUD, CAD & AED, at an exchange rate determined by Mastercard on the day the transaction is processed, increased by the cross currency and Cross Currency fee (see Fees and Limits Table)

Please click the link below for full details of the fees and limits.

Fees and Limits

Normally, the only time this will happen is if you don’t have enough funds on your Card to cover the cost of a purchase.

You may be able to use the balance on your State Bank Multi-Currency Foreign Travel Card for part payment and complete the purchase with another payment method, as long as you don't exceed your foreign currency limits as prescribed by FEMA.

Please be aware that some merchants, such as restaurants and mail order companies, may require the Card to have an available balance greater than the purchase amount, before they will authorise the payment.

In some countries, there may be daily or weekly withdrawal limits set by ATM operators, which may be lower than the limit on your State Bank Multi-Currency Foreign Travel Card.

You can either redeem your funds and load a new Card or cash out the balance and close your Card.

State Bank Multi-Currency Foreign Travel Card should work in any ATM, outside India, Nepal and Bhutan, displaying the Mastercard® Acceptance Mark.

If it doesn't, the Card may be faulty and you can get 24/7 help from Card Services, via the Global Assistance numbers.

Please note:-

If an ATM screen prompts you to choose 'which account?', it is recommended that you choose the 'Credit' option.

You can only withdraw cash from an ATM up to the available balance on your Card (including any applicable fees) and if the amount is within the ATM's issuing limit.

If your Card is still valid, but you’re not planning to travel again soon, you can withdraw your remaining balance, whilst abroad, from an ATM displaying the Mastercard® Acceptance Mark (assuming it is within the ATM's withdrawal limits).

Alternatively, you can take your State Bank Multi-Currency Foreign Travel Card (and valid passport) back to any FTC issuing branch of State Bank of India, and they will refund any remaining balance in Indian Rupees. The exchange rates, applicable on the day that the cash out is processed (these vary from day to day) will be applied by the branch. A cash out fee will be charged for this service (please refer to your terms and conditions for more information).

Click here for a detailed list of branches.

If your State Bank Multi-Currency Foreign Travel Card is lost, stolen or damaged, contact our Card Services team immediately, so they can cancel the Card.

Your card is chip and PIN protected and if you have an additional card, you can still access your funds with the additional card. If you only have one card, or both your State Bank Multi-Currency Foreign Travel Cards are lost or stolen, our Card Services team can offer further assistance, including a replacement card or emergency cash up to the available balance on your Card (subject to availability in the relevant location).

Click here for Card Services Global Assistance contact details.

It is not possible to change your State Bank Multi-Currency Foreign Travel Card PIN, however, you can phone the Card Services team and select the PIN option, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to get a PIN reminder.

If you think your PIN has been compromised, please contact Card Services immediately.

Full details on how to contact Card Services can be found by following the link below.

Contact Card Services.

'My Account' is a Card management web application where, once you have registered your State Bank Multi-Currency Foreign Travel Card, you can check your balance(s), review your transaction history and update your personal details.

To go to 'My Account', please click here.

Click on 'Register' in the menu.

You will be prompted for your full 16-digit State Bank Multi-Currency Foreign Travel Card number, to begin registration.

Next, you will need to enter the security information you provided at the time of purchase and create a password for your account.

After you have completed the registration process, you will then be able to log in to 'My Account'.

You can check your balance(s), view transactions or change your personal details, as soon as you’ve registered the Card in ‘My Account’.

Alternatively, you can call one of the Card Services numbers.

It is not possible to change your State Bank Multi-Currency Foreign Travel Card PIN, however, you can phone Card Services and select the PIN option, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to get a PIN reminder.

No, we do not issue paper statements. You can always view your transactions and statements securely by visiting ‘My Account’ online, and print those details at your convenience.

If you have any queries about your State Bank Multi-Currency Foreign Travel Card balance or you notice a Card transaction that you do not recognise, please notify the 24 hour Card Services team without undue delay, and in any event no later than 30 days after the transaction debit date.

They will be happy to check and confirm the transaction details for you.

If there is a transaction which is not correct, Card Services can start the dispute process on your behalf and may request you to provide additional written information concerning any unrecognised transaction, or to complete a dispute form and send it to cardservices@sbitravelcard.com Please help them to assist you by providing as much information as you can.

It is recommended that you check your transaction history and Card balance at least once a fortnight. You can do this online, once you have registered your Card on 'My Account'.

Click here for further details on how to download and complete a dispute form.

In order to purchase a State Bank Multi-Currency Foreign Travel Card, the following documents are required;

• Signed application form, containing a declaration (as per Section 10(5) Chapter III of FEMA 1999)
• Copy of your valid passport/visa
• Form A2 (if loading more than US$ 5000, or equivalent, onto the Card)
• PAN number of Form 60

At the time of purchase, you may request an additional Card, subject to a fee, which can be used only by you, as a backup, in case your first Card is lost, stolen or damaged.

When using your Card at merchants where tolerance is applied, in some locations your Card may be authorised by the merchant prior to you agreeing the final bill, e.g. where you allow your Card to be swiped at a bar to open a tab.

The amount authorised by the merchant at this time plus the tolerance amount is reserved from your available balance. This is the case whether your Card only has a magnetic stripe or is chip and PIN protected. We do not know at the time how a merchant will process a transaction and whether the merchant will initially authorise the transaction and later ask you to sign for or validate the transaction by PIN, together with an additional charge or tip agreed to by you. Therefore, a tolerance is added automatically where the merchant falls into one of the categories listed below.

Merchant Category Tolerance (% of the authorised amount)
Bars (or other similar drinking places) 10-20%
Restaurants (or other eating places) 10-20%
Taxis and limousines 10-20%
Telecommunications services 10-20%
Automated fuel dispensers £10-£50 (or Currency equivalent)
Please also see the ‘Using the Card’ section of your Card Terms and Conditions.

As a merchant may not settle the final bill immediately, tolerance is applied to ensure that there are sufficient funds available when the final bill is settled.

The amount authorised by the merchant plus the tolerance percentage or fixed amount is reserved from your available total balance of funds until the merchant settles the final amount (i.e. payment is requested), at which time the exact final amount is debited from your Card, or for 7 days, whichever is sooner.

If the final settlement amount exceeds the relevant available currency balance on the Card, the remaining amount will be funded by converting that amount in the order of priority. Please see your State Bank Multi-Currency Foreign Travel Card terms and conditions for further information on the order of priority. The exchange rate used is the rate determined by Mastercard® to be the wholesale rate in effect on the day the transaction is processed by Mastercard plus a foreign exchange margin (the Cross Currency fee). Please note that the exchange rate used at the time the transaction is authorised (and the funds are reserved) may be different to the exchange rate used on the day the transaction is settled, however, you will only be charged for the actual and final amount of the transaction you sign for or validate by PIN.

As the merchant may not settle (i.e. ask for payment) the final bill within the 7 days and in some cases may take up to 30 days to settle(at which time the funds are debited from your State Bank Multi-Currency Foreign Travel Card), we recommend that you check your transaction history regularly via ‘My Account’ and take this into account, including the tolerance, to ensure you have sufficient funds available for your spending. Typically, a merchant will submit the settlement request within 24 hours of you authorising the transaction.

Please see ‘What happens if I do not have sufficient funds available on my Card to cover the value of the transaction plus the tolerance amount?’ for further information on this?

If you do not have sufficient funds available across all the currencies on your card to cover both the value of the transaction plus the tolerance amount, the transaction may be declined.

For example, you have lunch at a restaurant and the total bill is US$50.00. You only have US$50.00 on your Card and there is a 20% tolerance applied to restaurant transactions. If the restaurant tries to charge your Card with US$50.00, it will be declined because 20% tolerance is added to the transaction amount and there will be insufficient funds to cover US$60.00 ($50 + 20% tolerance ($10) = $60.00).

Please ensure you remember to take the tolerance amount into account. If you are using your card at one of the merchant types where tolerance is applied, you may be unable to use your card, unless you have enough funds available across all the currencies on your card to cover the addition of tolerance. If the merchant supports it however, you can use your card to make a partial payment, and cover the balance with some other payment method. Just make sure you tell the cashier before you start the transaction and confirm the amount you want deducted from your card. The cashier should process your card payment first, and then accept the remainder of the balance in whichever way you want to pay it.

Please also see the ‘Using the Card’ section of your Card terms and conditions.

No, you do not need to be a State Bank of India account holder to purchase a State Bank Multi-Currency Foreign Travel Card.

To purchase a Card, please visit any participating branch of State Bank of India.

Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC) is an optional service that is sometimes offered by retailers and ATM operators abroad, giving cardholders the choice of paying in either the currency of the country they are visiting or their own domestic currency.

You should not use your State Bank Multi-Currency Foreign Travel Card to make a purchase or ATM withdrawal in Indian Rupees (as you are prohibited from doing so by law) and you should choose to pay in the local currency. Please note that there will be an additional cost if the point of sale transaction or ATM withdrawal is in a currency other than the currencies on the card, or if more than one currency on your card is used to pay for the transaction. Please refer to the Fees and Limits Table in the fees and limits section of this website or in the Terms and Conditions for further information.

When using your Card at some merchants (see table below), you may be required to have an available balance greater than the value of the transaction you wish to make.

When using your Card at some merchants (see table below), you may be required to have an available total balance on the Card that is greater than the value of the transaction you wish to make. This is because: (i) a merchant may request more funds than you initially authorised to cover the amount of the transaction (e.g. the meal or bar bill) plus an additional gratuity, tip or service charge agreed by you; or (ii) in the case of an automated fuel pump transaction or when you use your Card to pay for telecommunication services, to ensure there are sufficient funds available to cover the final cost of the transaction.

The addition of this percentage or fixed amount to the amount of the transaction authorised by the merchant is called ‘tolerance’. Tolerance is only applied to certain merchant categories listed below.

Merchant category Tolerance (% of the authorised amount)
Bars (or other similar drinking places) 10-20%
Restaurants (or other eating places) 10-20%
Taxis and limousines 10-20%
Telecommunications services 10-20%
Automated fuel dispensers £10-£50 (or currency equivalent)

Please see ‘How much more than the bill amount do I need to have on my Card for transactions at bars, restaurants, petrol stations, for taxi and limousine transactions, and for telecommunication services?’ for further information on the additional amounts required.

You may also find that you have less money available on the Card than you thought because you have used your Card as pre-authorisation of a final payment. Please see ‘What is pre-authorisation?’ for more information on this.

Please see also the 'Using the Card' section of your Card terms and conditions.

When using your Card at the merchants listed below a percentage or a fixed amount may be added to the amount of the transaction when it is submitted by the merchant for authorisation.

The addition of this percentage or fixed amount to the transaction amount authorised by the merchant is called ‘tolerance’. This means that the value of the transaction plus the tolerance percentage or flat amount is reserved (‘ring-fenced’) from your available balance. The table below sets out the typical percentage or fixed rate that may be added to the value of the transaction.

Merchant category Tolerance (% of the authorised amount)
Bars (or other similar drinking places) 10-20%
Restaurants (or other eating places) 10-20%
Taxis and limousines 10-20%
Telecommunications services 10-20%
Automated fuel dispensers £10-£50 (or currency equivalent)

For example, you have lunch at a restaurant and the total bill is US $50.00. You have US $50.00 on your Card that you would like to use and there is a 10% tolerance applied to restaurant transactions. You are required to have an available balance of at least US $55.00 for the transaction to be authorised: US $55.00 ($50 x 10% = $5 + $50 = $55.00).

Please see ‘When I use my Card at a bar, restaurant, petrol station, or for taxi and limousine, and telecommunication services transactions, how long are the funds reserved for and why?’ for further information on this?

Please see also the ‘Using the Card’ section of your Card terms and conditions.

If the value of the transaction plus the tolerance percentage or flat amount exceeds the relevant available currency balance on the card, the remaining amount will be funded by converting that amount into the next available currency in the prescribed order of priority.

Please note that for any transactions in a currency different from the Currencies loaded on your Card terms and conditions for further information on the , the funds available on the Card will be used in the following order of priority: USD, EUR, GBP, SGD, AUD, CAD & AED, subject to the applicable exchange rate used is the rate determined by Mastercard® to be the wholesale rate in effect on the day the transaction is authorised by the merchant plus a foreign exchange margin (the cross currency fee Terms and Conditions).

Please also see the ‘Using the Card’ section of your Card terms and conditions.

For full details of cashing out or closing your State Bank Multi-Currency Foreign Travel Card, click the link below.

Click here for details on cash out and closing your Card.

In some places you may be asked for your State Bank Multi-Currency Foreign Travel Card as “pre-authorisation” of your final payment.

It is not recommended to use your State Bank Multi-Currency Foreign Travel Card as a deposit with car hire companies, hotels or cruise lines. This is because they will estimate the final bill and will require a sum of money to be reserved on your Card to cover this. You will not be able to spend the reserved amount for some time. You can of course use your State Bank Multi-Currency Foreign Travel Card to settle your final bill.