Step-by-Step Guide to Activating International Payments with SBI Debit and Credit Cards

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If you are an SBI account holder you may be able to use your card when you travel abroad or make international transactions. But it may first require having the right card and activating the feature. Read on to learn more about making international payments with your SBI card.

Can I use my SBI debit / credit card internationally?

A regular State Bank of India debit card will not work outside India or on international websites. A standard SBI bank account debit card is only for domestic Indian purchases.¹

That being said, SBI does offer specific debit cards that can be used internationally,for example:²

• SBI International Debit Card
• SBI Platinum International Debit Card
• Debit Card On International Websites

Each of these cards comes with a chip that can be inserted into a point-of-sale card reader abroad. The Debit Card on International Websites is specifically for purchases done on foreign marketplaces or shops online like Amazon.

You can use an SBI credit card to make purchases abroad, or from international websites, but you will need to activate international transactions for the card before it can work.³

How can I activate my SBI card for international transactions?

There are 4 main ways you can activate your SBI card for international transactions.

Let’s take a look at each one:⁴

• At an SBI bank branch
• SBI’s internet banking
• The SBI Card App
• Through the chatbot ILA ([on the website]*)

At a State Bank of India branch

You can head to your local State Bank of India branch in India to activate your card for international transactions. A bank representative can do the activation through their computer system, but be sure to bring your account information, ID, and relevant card.

SBI’s Internet Banking

You can activate international payments through SBI’s online banking. To log in, you must be already set up with online banking for the account you want, and have your login details.

Once you are in the dashboard, here are the steps:

1. Go to the main menu on the left
2. Select “Services”
3. Select “Manage Card Usage”
4. Change the transaction type from Domestic to ‘International’

The transaction type will be on Domestic as a default, and you can change it to International. If it says International already, then you are all set.

The SBI Card App

If you are already set up on SBI’s internet banking, you can log in to the SBI Card App on your mobile with the same details. You can download the app from the iOS or Android app store.

Once you have downloaded the SBI Card App and signed in:

1. Head to the main menu
2. Click on Services
3. From Services, select “Manage Card Usage”
4. Under Manage Usages, select the transaction type from Domestic to International

How do I activate international payments on the Yono app?

If you have the Yono app, you can activate international payments for your debit card. Here is how to do it:⁵

1. Open Yono on your mobile
2. Select “Services”
3. Select “Manage Debit Card”
4. Select your account from the dropdown
5. Select your Debit card number
6. From the list, turn on International Usage by selecting the button so it reads “On”

This will turn on international transactions for your selected debit card with international usage at SBI. If you would also like to make online shopping purchases or transactions, you can also turn on “E-commerice CNP txns” from the list.

SBI cards international transaction charges and fees

There are 2 main fees with SBI debit and credit cards when you use them for international payments, in person or online:⁶

• International transaction fee
• Exchange rate fee

The international transaction fee is for the bank to cover the cost of facilitating the transaction. And is usually set as a percentage of the transaction. For SBI, the international transaction fee is 3%.

The second fee for international transactions with SBI is tucked away in the exchange rate you get. When SBI has to convert the purchasing currency into Indian rupees, the bank uses a marked-up exchange rate. This is different from the real exchange rate that you see on Google.

And in that small difference between the real exchange rate and the rate you get from SBI, there is the hidden fee. So the bank takes a cut of every dollar, euro, pound, or international currency you have converted.

These fees can seem small, but they can really add up when making purchases overseas.

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