Last Updated on March 18, 2026 by Bruno Bianchi
Question
How does a United States visa card work in Spain? If a bar tab or hotel bill is in euros how does my Wells Fargo visa pay the bill. I don’t want lots of excess fees added.
Answers
These are the answers of some Facebook group members:
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Start the Moving to Spain Hub →“Some US cards charge up to a 3% foreign exchange fee. The ones that don’t usually have an annual fee, but that could pay for itself. Also, if the machine asks, ALWAYS process the payment in Euros/local currency. Processing in dollars there is the worst rate, by far.”
“Depends on your card. Call your bank and see if you get charged foreign transaction fees. If you do then get a a new card. Plenty of good cards that do not charge foreign fees.”
“Depends on the specific terms of the card. If it has no foreign transaction fees, the bank will use something very close to the market exchange rate. If the card does have foreign transaction fees then you’ll typically pay 3% on top of the market exchange rate.”
“Each bank charges different fees, some none (mine). Always select the local currency though when running your card. It’ll usually ask if you want € or $ during the transaction. I always select € if I’m in Spain.”
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Explore Cities →“As others have said, it really depends on the card issuer. One of my cards has a foreign transaction fee, the other doesn’t. I second the recommendation to get a Wise debit card. I just keep some Euros in my Wise account, topping up as needed. No transaction fees and the exchange rate is good. I do believe, however, that there’s a 200 Euro limit per day for ATM cash withdrawals.”
“Alternative to Spanish bank accounts: https://spainguru.es/2021/09/11/alternatives-to-a-traditional-spanish-bank-account-and-money-transfer-services-account/
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