How To Get a Visa Debit Card

In order to get a Visa Debit Card, you need a checking account.  Pretty much anywhere that you can open a checking account, you can sign up for a Visa Debit card. 

There IS a difference between a plain debit card and a Visa debit card.  With a plain debit card you can use the ATM and that’s about it.  With a Visa debit card, you can use it to make purchases.  Either way, the money comes directly out of your checking account.  But obviously, the Visa debit card gives you much greater flexibility.

You will need to apply at your bank for a Visa debit card.  Some banks may offer you the card with your account application.  Others may ask you to fill out additional paperwork just for the Visa debit card.  You need to be aware that some banks may check your credit report.  You may want to check with your bank prior to filling out your application. 

You can use a Visa debit card in several different ways.  You can still use it at the ATM, just like a regular ATM card.  You will obviously need a pin number to use it in this manner.  You can also use it for Point of Sale (POS) transactions.  If you purchase food, or gas, or just about anything else, you can pay for it with your debit card by using your pin.  You can also usually use it like a credit card where you don’t use a pin but you have to sign a receipt. 

You need to check to see what kinds of protection are offered by your bank.  It can vary depending on how you use the card.  There may be different protections offered to POS transactions as compared to credit type transactions.  You should also know that a Visa debit card may not offer exactly the same protection as you would get with a regular credit card, even when you use it like a credit card.  There’s a lot of confusion out here regarding this. 

While on the surface they may appear to be the same, some of the protections provided by credit cards are enforceable by law.  Some of the protections afforded by debit cards are policies held by the issuer.  In other words, the card issuer has a policy to provide you with the same protections as your credit card.  However, with a policy, the issuer has the ability to change it at any time.  Your issuer probably isn’t going to want to reap the bad publicity that will certainly come with change, but it is a possibility.

A Visa debit card is certainly a handy item to have.  You have flexibility with how you want to use it.  Some even put your picture right on the card providing you with another picture ID.  Many people want one even if they rarely use it.  It isn’t that hard to get one, just ask your bank.