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Canadian tourist mexican credit card?

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drspoc

Can a Canadian tourist get a mexican credit card? I want to avoid carrying cash and wanted to know what is the requirements criteria?

travellight

Hi, drspoc welcome to ex-pat Mexico,

The simple answer to your question is No. They don't give out credit cards easily even to permanent residents. In order to get a card, you would have to be a naturalized resident or a resident Permanente who has a Mexican credit history and a Mexican bank account, If you have all that, but you are over 60 they are very likely not going to extend you any credit.

What I would suggest is you use an ATM and draw out what you need,  Some have used their Charles Swab investment account to avoid ATM charges. Some use Scotiabank. There are a number of banks in other countries that have a presence in Mexico.

Do not use your credit card except to reserve rooms in a hotel or to use at a secure ATM. It's actually much safer to use cash for everything else. You can easily get pesos using your debit card and avoid having your countries money involved in the form of cash,. When I travel I only carry pesos, when I go to another country I get their currency using my debit card when I arrive.

Halfwaytree

Hi despot:

travel light has provided you with good advice.

I would only add that as a fellow Canadian, from all the research I haver done, we can receive a Charles Shwab credit card in Canada but we cannot open an account to avoid paying ATM charges. I do believe Tangerine Bank in Canada says that you can use some overseas ATMs with no fees when using their debit card. You can check with them.

What I do, and I'm just telling you what works for me. I use a credit card and I move money into that cards account so I have a positive balance before I leave on vacation. This way I pay little or no interest when I use my card because the credit card company gets paid almost instantly. I find I do get charged ATM fees but I tend to only visit the ATM once or twice a week and the fees are not much in the grand scheme of things.

Something I like about traveling in Mexico is that it is generally so affordable that I always am generally surprised when I return home and find I really did not spend as much as I thought I would have.

Halfwaytree

Hi again.

The above should read "Hi drspoc" NOT "Hi despot"

Darn auto correct!

You are not a despot are you? LOL!

Mrjfortin

Why would you want a Mexican credit card ? most bank except credit union cards work every where in the world, even debit card, but that one not all of the time. If your card has the "interact" logo it will most likely work. but fees fees may apply applies. there are plenty of Nova Scotia bank in Mexico, but I used My credit cards all over the world, even some you would not think  of ever going to.

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