Contact the Visa card issuing bank five to six days prior to your departure. Inform them of your upcoming trip, the dates, and where you will be. Tell them not to flag the use as suspicious to avoid unwanted lock-outs on the card during the travel.
Ask the issuing bank what the daily spend limits are along with the maximum ATM withdrawal amounts. If these are not adequate for the trip ask if they will raise or lower them to your needs. Ask also for fees that you may be charged for using your card out of the country. Make arrangements before you leave to ensure smooth use of the card overseas.
Memorize your card's PIN number. Do not write it down. Use this to withdraw money from overseas ATM machines. Use ATMs at banks and hotels only. Avoid small random ATMs as they may not be safe.
Log in to the Visa website and write down the customer service numbers for the countries of your travel. Use these to call local Visa representatives should the card be lost or stolen. These numbers are available at the Visa website. Please see Resources for this information.
Write down your Visa account number and leave it with a trusted friend or relative. Include the expiration date and the three-digit code on the back of the card. You may need this information in emergency situations or to book hotels via the internet if you should lose the card.
