When we wish to travel or settle in the United States for a shorter or longer period, it is certain that we must first take care of entry formalities, but also of the financial aspect.
Indeed, questions arise such as: How to pay in the USA? What are the withdrawal and payment fees in the USA? What exchange rate? Which bank card for the United States without additional fees?
You should not choose the first bank card that comes along, but rather one that offers both insurance and no hidden fees on withdrawals and payments.
The visa application for the United States
As we have mentioned, if you wish to establish yourself in the USA, you will need to apply for a visa or an ESTA to travel to the USA.
The ESTA and the Visa are two different things for which you will not go through the same procedures. For European citizens, you can use an ESTA. Indeed, applying for an ESTA will save you money and time compared to applying for a Visa, provided you are eligible for this request.
American visas can be divided into two categories: non-immigrant visas and immigrant visas. The difference is that a non-immigrant visa is a visa that allows temporary travel to the United States, such as for tourism, business, or education. Meanwhile, an immigrant visa is for individuals who wish to immigrate to the United States for a longer or shorter period (and among the visas, there are still different, more specific categories).
Bank fees for a bank card in the USA for a French citizen
If you are French and planning to settle in the United States, you must absolutely check the guarantees of your bank card and any possible fees applied.
Finding a suitable bank card for traveling to the United States is not as easy as when traveling to Europe or Asia. For example, most traditional banks charge high fees per transaction, so a simple business or tourist trip can end up costing you a significant amount. You should know that all Visa or MasterCard cards come with overseas assistance, with varying limits.
However, they do not always include specific coverage that mainly covers medical expenses. To choose a bank card for the United States, two characteristics need to be emphasized:
1- Insurance and assistance
2- Fees for withdrawals and payments.
Bank cards without fees in the USA: what are the other options?
Apart from bank cards, know that nowadays, it is possible to obtain a free bank card with no fees on payments and withdrawals worldwide.
The question that also arises is how to avoid paying fees on withdrawals at ATMs, currency exchanges, or payments in foreign currencies?
During your research, you will also find that it is possible to have a free bank card without fees in the USA to save on banking fees and enjoy other benefits. Indeed, for several years now, neobanks (e.g., Revolut) and online banks offer a tailored service of international bank cards with €0 fees for all your transactions in foreign currencies (such as the Dollar).
This is an ideal solution for travelers or those going abroad for professional reasons or studies. A bank account can be opened for free in minutes, 100% online and at no cost.
So, all you need to do is simply open a second bank account to use your free bank card without fees in the USA or make it your primary account for your operations.
✓ Wise: a multi-currency account and international card without fees in the USA
As an example, Wise is a multi-currency account that allows you to make transfers at a lower cost and obtain an account with an American IBAN and in Dollars. This way, you can pay without fees and enjoy the real exchange rate, which significantly reduces banking fees.
It’s the ideal card for a stay or expatriation in the USA. To learn more, we invite you to check out our Wise review by our experts.
✓ Revolut: a free and feeless international bank card in the USA
A second option is available to you to avoid paying banking fees in the United States: Revolut.
Revolut review from the neobank
If you want to know all the specifics of this feeless bank card in the US, we invite you to read our Revolut review.
With the standard offer (free card in the USA), you have access to a wide range of benefits, including free payments worldwide and especially in the USA.
The Revolut account and bank card with no fees include:
- Cashback on every card payment and on accommodations
- Fee-free withdrawals from ATMs
- Partner subscriptions
- Daily insurance
- Access to US airport lounges
- Specific insurance coverage (liability, international medical, trip and event cancellation) during your stay in the USA
- Dollar exchange with no additional fees from Monday to Friday
- Commission-free stock trading.
The higher you go in choosing your fee-free bank card in the USA, the more services provided will be numerous. Let’s take the example of the Metal card at €16.99 per month.
The Metal card offers:
- Over 40% reduction in fees for international transfers to the USA
- The ability to exchange your money in more than 29 currencies from Monday to Friday in addition to the dollar
- Travel insurance for your stay in the USA
- Withdrawals of up to €800 per month without additional fees
- Discounted access to airport lounges (over 1,400 worldwide)
- Free access (for you and three friends) to airport lounges (if check-in is done at least two hours before departure and the flight is delayed by more than one hour)
- 0.1% cashback on your purchases in Europe and the UK, 1% elsewhere
- 24/7 customer service via the app
- Secure your money.
In short, with Revolut, there is no need to break the bank to be able to pay without fees and serenely from the United States.
With the free standard offer, it is possible to obtain an international card with free payments in the USA. Now, it’s up to you to choose the card that best suits your needs!