Credit card not working when paying for visa

[Vacation in Thailand]

Paying for my visa online in United States.  I tried 4 different cards and it won't go through.  Checked with my banks and there is nothing wrong on their end.

[Gottfrid]

Sounds to me that you did not check with any of yours banks, as the banks can see what is wrong and why the transactions not went thorugh.

[BritTim]

I had the same problem trying to use a card to pay for my UK passport renewal. Bangkok Bank swore blind that there was no record of any attempted transaction. The charge was denied four times, once when I was actually on the phone with the HMPO (His Majesty's Passport Office). In the end, as transferring the money directly to the British Home Office account from my Thai bank account proved almost impossible (they would only transfer money to personal accounts) I had my brother pay HMPO and transferred money to him to cover it. Very irritating.

[ChaiyaTH]

4 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

Sounds to me that you did not check with any of yours banks, as the banks can see what is wrong and why the transactions not went thorugh.

Nonsense entirely. If something goes wrong on the other side the bank side would see only success or zero.

 

The OP does not say he lost money but got a failed transaction. Sigh.

 

This issue relates likely from the payment provider refusing those countrie(s) and/or banks and/or your current location.

 

OR there is simply a (temporary) error on their side (website/processor).

Edited October 13, 2023 by ChaiyaTH

[Skipalongcassidy]

Did you notify your credit card company of foreign travel?  Most will deny charges made out of country without notification from you as to your travel dates.

[RichardColeman]

Isn't the non-cash future of the world going to be fun !

[sqwakvfr]

8 hours ago, Vacation in Thailand said:

Paying for my visa online in United States.  I tried 4 different cards and it won't go through.  Checked with my banks and there is nothing wrong on their end.

Had the same problem when I applied for an OA in 2022.  Called the bank and did all the notifications.  In the end I used a debit card for the Visa Application fee.  The issue was K Bank because there was no place on the payment input screen to put in my US Billing address. Without a verified billing address the transaction could not go through.  A debit card payment did not need a billing address.

[Tom H]

you must tell card provider the countries you want to use.

basics since 15 years.

[sandyf]

7 hours ago, ChaiyaTH said:

This issue relates likely from the payment provider refusing those countrie(s) and/or banks and/or your current location.

Exactly, many factors come into play.

[sqwakvfr]

34 minutes ago, Tom H said:

you must tell card provider the countries you want to use.

basics since 15 years.

I did and it still got declined multiple times.  Part of the time is that Thai Banks do not have section to put in a billing address connected to the card. For a US based Credit Card transaction are verified by matching the cardholder name, card expiration date, security code and billing address.  Back in early 2022 MOFA(Ministry of Foreign Affairs) was using K-Bank to accept payments for an E-Visa. A representative at my bank suggested I try a debit card to complete the E-Visa transaction.  Also, like most things in Thailand AMEX is not accepted.  So the only options in my application was to use a VIsa credit or a Visa Debit Card.  The Visa Debit Card worked. 

[ifmu]

10 hours ago, ChaiyaTH said:

Nonsense entirely. If something goes wrong on the other side the bank side would see only success or zero.

 

The OP does not say he lost money but got a failed transaction. Sigh.

 

This issue relates likely from the payment provider refusing those countrie(s) and/or banks and/or your current location.

 

OR there is simply a (temporary) error on their side (website/processor).

not always   ..........  you try to make payment ... the visa people send a otp/autorization request to your cell that the bank has  (sometimes txt msg  to same number ) that will ask you to ok or not ok it ...  

[Crazy Noobie]

2 hours ago, sqwakvfr said:

I did and it still got declined multiple times.  Part of the time is that Thai Banks do not have section to put in a billing address connected to the card. For a US based Credit Card transaction are verified by matching the cardholder name, card expiration date, security code and billing address.  Back in early 2022 MOFA(Ministry of Foreign Affairs) was using K-Bank to accept payments for an E-Visa. A representative at my bank suggested I try a debit card to complete the E-Visa transaction.  Also, like most things in Thailand AMEX is not accepted.  So the only options in my application was to use a VIsa credit or a Visa Debit Card.  The Visa Debit Card worked. 

I took note on when you said AMEX is not accepted in Thailand. That is 100% false. I use an AMEX card all the time here in Chiang Mai. Yes, there might be one or two stores that don't accept the card, but that's the same with all of the cards. There are stores that don't accept the UnionPay card. 

[malt25]

Check for 3rd party credit checking companies. I had similar issues. I was referred to my bank when transaction delined. Contacted bank, no problem with the card. Nothing at all on  screen showing any issue, card or otherwise. Took screen shot of transaction decline. In small print top of screen shot noticed "wind cave", did research. Found they are a credit checking mob. Contacted them. Didn't want to know about the issue. Contacted the merchant, trader. Informed them I would be taking my business elsewhere. They requested I try transaction againin a few minutes. Bingo, transaction accepted. Not sure of the background to windcave & merchant relationship but appears the merchant can, will, in these instances overridre delined transaction. Hope this might assist.

[AAArdvark]

Many banks have a separate credit  checking entity who does not notify the bank. If you are lucky the 3rd party will have you call their number. 

[Dazinoz]

May sound silly but were you using WiFi? I was trying to pay something one time on WiFi and wouldn't work. I tried with WiFi off (4G) and worked ok. Apparently whoever I was paying regarded WiFi not as secure as 4G.

[sqwakvfr]

55 minutes ago, Crazy Noobie said:

I took note on when you said AMEX is not accepted in Thailand. That is 100% false. I use an AMEX card all the time here in Chiang Mai. Yes, there might be one or two stores that don't accept the card, but that's the same with all of the cards. There are stores that don't accept the UnionPay card. 

Where in Chiang Mai have used an AMEX card?  So far Thai Smile, Bangkok Airways, Super Sprouts are just a few of the companies that did not accept an AMEX.  I have only used my AMEX with foreign airlines and Agoda.  

[scorecard]

15 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

Sounds to me that you did not check with any of yours banks, as the banks can see what is wrong and why the transactions not went thorugh.

Of more recent times I find that K Bank and BBL call centre staff very 'switched on' and helpful. 

[digger70]

8 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Isn't the non-cash future of the world going to be fun !

The Fun started already ,some Banks in Thailand cancelling I banking .

One bank I have I Banking with stops I Banking 18/10/2023. 

[Crazy Noobie]

38 minutes ago, sqwakvfr said:

Where in Chiang Mai have used an AMEX card?  So far Thai Smile, Bangkok Airways, Super Sprouts are just a few of the companies that did not accept an AMEX.  I have only used my AMEX with foreign airlines and Agoda.  

Like I said, not all place accept the AMEX card, main reason I feel is they have a bigger transaction fee. Here are some of the places I have used my AMEX card: some of the stores at Central Festival Mall; PTT gas station; and at the following restaurants: Favola (my favorite place to eat); Palette; The House of Ginger; Rasik Local Kitchen; The Redbox; Oxygen Dining Room; Ekachan; China Kitchen to name a few. I am not going to list every place in Chiang Mai. What I do, is carry my AMEX card if I am at a place that accepts it, I use it. If not then I use my VISA card.

[Jonathan Swift]

12 hours ago, ChaiyaTH said:

Nonsense entirely. If something goes wrong on the other side the bank side would see only success or zero.

 

The OP does not say he lost money but got a failed transaction. Sigh.

 

This issue relates likely from the payment provider refusing those countrie(s) and/or banks and/or your current location.

 

OR there is simply a (temporary) error on their side (website/processor).

Nonsense? Really? You'd be surprised, if you actually tried, how much info is actually on the electronic record. You have to speak to the IT person at your bank who can read the codes and translate them. You also might have to speak to the receiving bank. There is an electronic trail throughout the path from your bank to theirs. Some banks will not process international transactions, but do not disclose this fact unless you dig into it. Could be a number of other reasons for this. Could be an oversensitive security protocol somewhere in the chain. If you want to figure this out you'll have to do the heavy lifting. 

[PETERTHEEATER]

Another potential issue is VPN. Try switching off or changing the country. setting to your registered address.

[BritTim]

A nonsense post in all caps has been removed

[sqwakvfr]

2 hours ago, Crazy Noobie said:

Like I said, not all place accept the AMEX card, main reason I feel is they have a bigger transaction fee. Here are some of the places I have used my AMEX card: some of the stores at Central Festival Mall; PTT gas station; and at the following restaurants: Favola (my favorite place to eat); Palette; The House of Ginger; Rasik Local Kitchen; The Redbox; Oxygen Dining Room; Ekachan; China Kitchen to name a few. I am not going to list every place in Chiang Mai. What I do, is carry my AMEX card if I am at a place that accepts it, I use it. If not then I use my VISA card.

Thanks.  I might try Favola and bring my AMEX.   

Edited October 14, 2023 by sqwakvfr

[Middle Aged Grouch]

Amazon also had issues a few days ago with their double authentification OTP sms that was down.

 

Looks that there is a load of issues or problem either technical with all the recent updates due to eventual cyber attacks ?

 

Gets scary to use an Android phone as they sometimes seem to need almost daily updates on the apps.

 

iPhones seem the most secure...for the moment.

 

Of course you will always have the nerd comming over, not minding his business and claiming it's not true, that iPhones are bad and ugly and bla bla...but seeing how many updates are needed on an Android, I prefer by far my iPhone that seems to have better protection agains all the cyber criminal scum.

[BritTim]

58 minutes ago, Middle Aged Grouch said:

Amazon also had issues a few days ago with their double authentification OTP sms that was down.

 

Looks that there is a load of issues or problem either technical with all the recent updates due to eventual cyber attacks ?

 

Gets scary to use an Android phone as they sometimes seem to need almost daily updates on the apps.

 

iPhones seem the most secure...for the moment.

 

Of course you will always have the nerd comming over, not minding his business and claiming it's not true, that iPhones are bad and ugly and bla bla...but seeing how many updates are needed on an Android, I prefer by far my iPhone that seems to have better protection agains all the cyber criminal scum.

That is one point of view. The other is that apps that are promptly updated to address security issues are lower risk than those where security updates only occur months after an exploit is reported. The fact is that all online systems are potentially vulnerable. Apple has tighter controls which (from a security viewpoint) lowers risk. Android is more transparent and addresses critical issues faster once reported.

[Liverpool Lou]

3 hours ago, digger70 said:

One bank I have I Banking with stops I Banking 18/10/2023. 

Which bank is that? 

"iBanking" is Bangkok Bank's terminology and that bank sure has not made that announcement.

[dick turpin]

16 hours ago, BritTim said:

I had the same problem trying to use a card to pay for my UK passport renewal. Bangkok Bank swore blind that there was no record of any attempted transaction. The charge was denied four times, once when I was actually on the phone with the HMPO (His Majesty's Passport Office). In the end, as transferring the money directly to the British Home Office account from my Thai bank account proved almost impossible (they would only transfer money to personal accounts) I had my brother pay HMPO and transferred money to him to cover it. Very irritating.

Using a Bangkok Bank card outside of Thailand is asking for trouble.

Any of the major credit credits would have solved your problem,

particularly If issued in the UK or are you not that credit worthy.

[ThaiVisaCentre]

If the payment processor is based in Thailand they require 3D Secure (3DS) supported credit cards.

You can ask your card provider if they support this type of online/OTP verification.

It's common for US cards to not support this security feature, and it is one of the core reasons why Americans have issues when trying to make payments for Thailand based online services.

 

[Bruce Aussie Chiang Mai]

21 hours ago, Vacation in Thailand said:

Paying for my visa online in United States.  I tried 4 different cards and it won't go through.  Checked with my banks and there is nothing wrong on their end.

Try using a vpn set to usa. Helped my friend

[scorecard]

8 hours ago, digger70 said:

The Fun started already ,some Banks in Thailand cancelling I banking .

One bank I have I Banking with stops I Banking 18/10/2023. 

But is your banking moving towards just one digital platform?

 

- Right now many banks (globally): have a whole digital system devoted to operating what's usually been called 'Internet Banking' on a PC or a noteboook. And

 

- Right now they have an app which works on a smartphone doing all the same functions, including International Funds Transfers but is supported by a second / separate digital system.

 

Buying, managing, maintaining, upgrading 2 full systems costs big money, therefore many/most banks are working towards operating on one system, the App on your smartphone, which can do everything.

 

One Thai bank call centre supvr told me her bank is aiming towards (and making progess) to:

 

- One digital system - an App on smartphones and closing the basically duplicate system previously called Internet Banking on PCs and notebooks.

 

- Banking by phone (note that call centre staff are nowadays much better / more comprehensively informed about all banking and can guide customers through any transacton, using their App).

 

- Closing many branches because not needed, 99% of transactions can be done on the App and/or by telephone.

 

- Closing a large % of their ATM machines:  Cash now not needed so often, and the transaction previously done on ATM screens can now be done on the smartphone App.