Halifax's Visa Debit Card

flogen

I've just set up a Halifax current account - one of the main reasons for doing this was because of their Visa Debit Card which I assumed would allow me to buy online, unlike the Laser/Maestro card available to AIB customers.

I've yet to actually test it out properly so far but I did try and register my card with a paypal account but it won't let me. It either tells me the details are wrong or that "This credit card has been denied by the bank that issued your credit card."

Does anyone have any experience with this or know what's going on? Is it that this card won't work like a Visa CC would, which I had expected it would?

Edit: trying to enter the same into iTunes to no avail.

BuffyBot

It should work just the same way. Does it need to be activated with the bank before first use?

flogen

Got a call from them this morning about this - they wanted to make sure it was me trying to use the card and it wasn't stolen.

I asked the girl if I could use it on paypal/itunes etc. and she said yea, it should work just like any Visa card but because it didn't have funds in when I tried it wouldn't work that time.

I thought that was a bit odd, considering the fact that I was only registering my details with them rather than trying to buy anything but I'll try once the money transfers over.

I assume it showed up on Halifax's end as a transaction which they automatically rejected because there was no money in my account...

BuffyBot

Some companies perform a test authorisation of cards for a nominal amount (say €1) to check validity when you register with a card etc. If the balance was 0, then the authorisation would have been declined, which is why you got that error.

Good to see they were on the ball and called out though.

Thundercracker

flogen wrote: »

I've just set up a Halifax current account - one of the main reasons for doing this was because of their Visa Debit Card which I assumed would allow me to buy online, unlike the Laser/Maestro card available to AIB customers.

Ive just switched my account from AIB for this very reason, so Im in the exact same position as yourself, could you tell me if you got this problem sorted and if the switch went ok for you as theyre sending me out the switching pack from today?

I assume that the standard ATM card that they issue with a current account also doubles up as a Visa Electron card (or maybe they call it Visa Debit), if you have such an ATM card maybe you could clarify what it says it is?

Thanks

flogen

BuffyBot wrote: »

Some companies perform a test authorisation of cards for a nominal amount (say €1) to check validity when you register with a card etc. If the balance was 0, then the authorisation would have been declined, which is why you got that error.

Good to see they were on the ball and called out though.

Yeah - I know as part of the paypal verification they debit your account with a few cent and then ask you how much it was (to see if you have access to the account) but anyway - will probably be able to sort it tomorrow.

Certainly good to see how quick they were to get onto me - I tried the Paypal one a few times to see if I had my details wrong and the iTunes one once or twice so it was obviously flagged - good start for Halifax!

Thundercracker wrote: »

Ive just switched my account from AIB for this very reason, so Im in the exact same position as yourself, could you tell me if you got this problem sorted and if the switch went ok for you as theyre sending me out the switching pack from today?

I assume that the standard ATM card that they issue with a current account also doubles up as a Visa Electron card (or maybe they call it Visa Debit), if you have such an ATM card maybe you could clarify what it says it is?

Thanks

I didn't switch myself, just set up the account alongside my AIB one; from what I've been told it should work like a Visa CC but will know for sure tomorrow (I hope) when the transfer I made goes through and I have some cash in it to make a transaction with. I'll post then and update you.

As for the card itself, yeah the ATM card doubles as the Visa Debit card - just like your laser/maestro would with the Irish banks. It seems to be a Visa Debit rather than electron - It just has the Visa logo at the bottom left and "DEBIT" at the top right, which I assume is there for the benefit of the shop and customer more than anything!

Other than that it would pass for a CC on looks at least - visa logo, standard number string, expiry date and CCV number on the back. It is a manky kind of light blue/ turquoise colour though!

BuffyBot

It's a Visa Debit, not electron. It works just like a normal Visa card on and offline, subject to balance of your current account.

flogen

The money transfered over tonight so I tried it out - worked no problem with iTunes, Paypal and mx2.co.uk so it seems to work just like a Visa card should.

This makes me happy.

(by the way, what's the difference between a Visa and a Visa Electron? Is it like the difference between Mastercard and Maestro?)

Thundercracker

flogen wrote: »

(by the way, what's the difference between a Visa and a Visa Electron? Is it like the difference between Mastercard and Maestro?)

Visa Electron is a debit or credit card available across most of the world, with the exception of the United States, Canada and Australia. The card was introduced by VISA in the 1980s and is a sister card to the Visa Debit card. If the Visa Electron logo is the only VISA logo on the card, the card will always require online authorization; funds are checked for each transaction.

Visa Debit can be used just like a Visa credit card both internationally and in the UK. Retailers in some countries can however accept the card as a debit card rather than a normal Visa card. In this case, the store is not charged a percentage, but rather a small fixed charge of around 50p (~US$1) per transaction. All transactions are in any case processed through the Visa clearing system, using the same card number, distinguishing it from other national debit card schemes which can be combined with Visa on a debit card.

Thundercracker

flogen wrote: »

The money transfered over tonight so I tried it out - worked no problem with iTunes, Paypal and mx2.co.uk so it seems to work just like a Visa card should.

Im very happy to hear that, and very glad I opened an account with Halifax so

nava

Hi

Was searching about the Halifax card and found this thread, so hope you can answer some of my questions as existing users.

Have you tried booking online with Ryanair? is is consider a Visa Debit (€2 per booking) or Visa Electron (€0 per booking)? even as a Visa Debit I will be saving €4 per ticket so €16 per trip.

For the government charge is it consider a Credit card or Laser?

I want to open an account and mainly use it for the Visa card, do you know if you can get 1 just by opening a current account and deposit money? do you need to go thought the whole process of credit checks.

How is their online banking compared to AIB? doesn't look as having as many facilities, can you do international transfers online, can you see the transactions from the Visa straight away online?

THANKS in advance.

BuffyBot

Should be accepted as Visa Debit, not Electron.

Govt charge is the same as any other debit card.

Davy

nava wrote: »

Hi

Was searching about the Halifax card and found this thread, so hope you can answer some of my questions as existing users.

Have you tried booking online with Ryanair? is is consider a Visa Debit (€2 per booking) or Visa Electron (€0 per booking)? even as a Visa Debit I will be saving €4 per ticket so €16 per trip.

For the government charge is it consider a Credit card or Laser?

I want to open an account and mainly use it for the Visa card, do you know if you can get 1 just by opening a current account and deposit money? do you need to go thought the whole process of credit checks.

How is their online banking compared to AIB? doesn't look as having as many facilities, can you do international transfers online, can you see the transactions from the Visa straight away online?

THANKS in advance.

-Payments can be made from your Halifax Current Account to any other Halifax account and to non Halifax accounts including banks, credit cards and utilities (e.g. Bord Gais, ESB, NTL) within the Republic of Ireland.

-DEBIT CARD STAMP DUTY - POS €5
-DEBIT CARD STAMP DUTY - ATM €5

-You can see the visa transactions straight away from the DEBIT card only, and not there CREDIT card, at the moment away.
-Used AIB Internet banking, find Halifax version fine.

cormie

Is there any limit as to what you can spend per transaction/week/month/year/lifetime on this?

Whatever you put into it, you can use it. Like any card, if you use it so many times a week or the notice anything unusual they may require the retailer to authorise the card, but thats about it.

cormie

Does anyone have any idea how I'd get on trying top open an account if my only reason for opening one was to get this card?

Eddie108

I wander can you use it for car rental and other online stores?

BuffyBot

Online stores should let you use it without issue.

Car rental may be restricted to credit cards only, for security reasons.