Using your card outside the UK

No, first direct will not charge fees for using your Mastercard Debit Card to make a payment in a foreign currency.

first direct will not charge fees for using your Mastercard Debit Card for withdrawing cash from an ATM in the UK, making a cash withdrawal in a foreign currency or from a cash machine outside the UK.  Some cash machine operators may apply a direct charge for withdrawals from their cash machines and this should be advised on screen at the time of withdrawal. 

There is a daily cash withdrawal limit of £500 (or the foreign currency equivalent) at ATMs and you may need to enter your card twice depending on the ATM as some ATMs only allow lower amounts. 

Any fee incurred will be shown in GBP, on a separate line of your statement. 

We will deduct the payment from your account once we receive details of the payment from the card scheme, at the latest, the next working day. Payments normally debit within seven working days.

Any payment made inside or outside of the UK which is paid for in a foreign currency and not in GBP. For example, in a shop or restaurant. 

Any foreign currency payments (or cash withdrawals in a foreign currency) are converted to GBP by using the Mastercard Exchange Rate applying on the day the conversion is made. Mastercard Currency Converter | Currency Exchange Rate Calculator Opens an overlay [Will show a security message first]  

We pass this rate directly onto you without any additional fees or charges. 

Travelling in the European Economic Area (EEA) ¹? Take a look at how paying in local currency with your first direct debit card compares to the European Central Bank’s (ECB) latest foreign exchange rates.

You’ll be able to see the total cost of the currency conversion as a percentage mark up over the ECB foreign exchange rates depending on how you pay.

¹European Economic Area where you can pay in currency includes Aland Islands, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, French Guiana, Germany, Greece, Guadeloupe, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Martinique, Mayotte, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Reunion, Romania, Saint Barthelme, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, St-Martin, Sweden and Switzerland.

In some circumstances yes. If you use your Credit Card or Gold Card to make a cash withdrawal in foreign currency outside of the UK, you will incur both the Non-Sterling Transaction Fee and Cash Advance Fee. Have a look at our fees table for a handy break down.

Any fee incurred will be shown in UK Sterling, on a separate line of your statement. 

Transactions normally debit within seven working days.

Any transaction made outside of the UK which is paid for in foreign currency. For example, in a shop or restaurant. 

This fee is for making a cash withdrawal in foreign currency outside of the UK.

Potentially, some cash machine operators may apply a direct charge for withdrawals from their cash machines and this should be advised on screen at the time of the withdrawal.

Any Non-Sterling transactions (including cash withdrawals) are coverted to Sterling by using the relevant payment scheme exchange rate applying on the day the conversion is made.

In some cases you may also be able to claim under Section 75 of The Consumer Credit Act. Section 75 of the Act offers protection to customers who use their credit card to pay for goods or services with a total purchase price between £100.01 and £30,000. This responsibility applies even if only part of the purchase is paid with a credit card.

Travelling in the European Economic Area (EEA) ¹? Take a look at how paying in local currency with your first direct credit or Gold card compares to the European Central Bank’s (ECB) latest foreign exchange rates.

You’ll be able to see the total cost of the currency conversation as a percentage mark up over the ECB foreign exchange rates depending on how you pay. You can find out more about these fees below.

¹European Economic Area where you can pay in currency includes Aland Islands, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, French Guiana, Germany, Greece, Guadeloupe, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Martinique, Mayotte, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Reunion, Romania, Saint Barthelme, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, St-Martin, Sweden and Switzerland.