It is generally recommended that you bring VISA and Master credit cards when going abroad. Although UnionPay cards can also be used for payment abroad, the payment scenarios are more limited. Many merchants cannot use UnionPay cards, but only support VISA and Master credit cards. Therefore, it is best to bring VISA and Master credit cards with you when going abroad.
Visa card
Visa card is the most convenient and can be used all over the world, but the application procedure is more troublesome and takes a long time. If you have a visa card, you can bring it with you for free. There is no need to worry about finding a dedicated cash machine.
Mastercard
Mastercard is also an internationally accepted credit card. It is similar to visa card. Basically all places in Japan where you can swipe cards for consumption and withdrawals have the visa and Mastercard logos. , but visa is more widely distributed and used by more people. Mastercard is also a good choice for international students, but similarly, its procedures are more cumbersome and the time interval is longer.
JCB
JCB is also an international credit card, jointly issued by Japan’s three major banks, so it will be very convenient for you to choose to bring a JCB credit card if you go to Japan to study. Currently, domestic JCB double Most currency cards are RMB-USD dual-currency cards. Only Bank of China’s is a RMB-Japanese-Yen dual-currency card. However, since it is also a credit card, materials and time are definitely needed.
UnionPay Card
This is the most common card and the most common one in China. The application is quick and the materials are simple. However, this card is restricted in Japan and can only be used in certain places. For consumption and withdrawal in shops and banks, it is best to use a visa card. MasterCard cards can also be used to withdraw money and pay directly in many places. UnionPay cards have some restrictions and cannot be used everywhere. For example, Japanese post offices and Mitsubishi Bank can withdraw money, and the procedures are The fee is very cheap, and you can also directly swipe UnionPay cards in some places where foreigners gather.
Effective from January 1, 2016, the cumulative overseas cash withdrawals of each UnionPay RMB card in China shall not exceed the equivalent of RMB 100,000 per year. From October 1 to December 31, 2015, the accumulated value of each card shall not exceed the equivalent value of RMB 50,000.
For credit cards, due to credit limit and other reasons, the card-issuing bank may set a separate limit. Please consult the card-issuing bank for details. Various overseas countries and regions also have different limits on the amount of a single ATM withdrawal. Please refer to the instructions of the local machine for details.
For overseas ATM cash withdrawals with UnionPay cards from ICBC and China Construction Bank, a handling fee of 1% of the cash withdrawal amount plus RMB 12 is charged. ICBC stipulates that the minimum is RMB 14 and the maximum is RMB 112. When using the China Merchants Bank All-in-One Card to withdraw funds from UnionPay system ATMs overseas, a handling fee will be charged at 0.5% of the amount of each transaction, with a minimum of 10 yuan per transaction.