The Global ATM Alliance is a joint venture of several major international banks that allows customers of their banks to use their ATM card or debit card at another bank within the Global ATM Alliance with no International ATM Access fees. However, other fees, such as an international transaction or foreign currency fee, may still apply for some account holders. Participating banks cover Australasia, Asia, Europe, Africa, North America and South America.
Participating banks are as follows (however note that some banks, e.g. Bank of America, will only honor ATM reciprocity for one country per bank, e.g. fees will not be charged for Barclays branches in the UK or Deutsche Bank branches in Germany, but fees are charged for branches of those banks in other countries, see "Coverage Areas" below):
Contents |
There are two separate fees that may apply to Bank of America account holders using their ATM card or debit/check card in a foreign country:
For Bank of America account holders:
The Non-Bank of America International ATM Fee is waived for account holders using their ATM card or debit/check card at ATMs in the Global ATM Alliance within specified coverage areas:
| Coverage Area | Bank Name |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom. United Kingdom countries include: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Jersey, Guernsey and the Chanel Islands. | Barclays |
| France | BNP Paribas |
| Italy | BNL D'Italia[4] |
| Germany | Deutsche Bank |
| Canada and the Caribbean. Caribbean countries include: Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Jamaica, Netherlands Antilles (St Maarten), St Kitts-Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & The Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos Islands, US Virgin Islands. | Scotiabank |
| Australia and New Zealand | Westpac Bank |
In addition to the Global ATM Alliance banks in the coverage areas listed above, Bank of America has arrangements for Bank of America account holders to be able to use their ATM cards or debit/check cards in China at China Construction Bank ATMs (China Construction Bank ATMs in Hong Kong excluded) and in Mexico at Banco Santander with no ATM Operator Fees or Non-Bank of America International ATM Fees (aka International ATM Access Fee).
Otherwise, when using an ATM card or debit/check card in a foreign country at a non-Bank of America ATM outside of the Global ATM Alliance, China Construction Bank, or Banco Santander, Bank of America may charge its account holders a non-Bank of America International ATM Fee (aka International ATM Access Fee) of US$5 for each withdrawal, transfer, and balance inquiry.[5][6]
For transactions in currencies other than U.S. Dollars when using a Bank of America ATM card or debit/check card, Bank of America may charge its account holders an International Transaction Fee for purchases or ATM cash withdrawals regardless of whether the transaction occurs within the Global ATM Alliance or outside the Global ATM Alliance.[3] For each converted ATM cash withdrawal, this International Transaction Fee is 1% of the U.S. Dollar Amount, and for each converted purchase, this International Transaction Fee is 3% of the U.S. Dollar Amount. This fee appears as a separate item on the Bank of America account holder's banking statement for each international transaction.[3]
When withdrawing cash from Westpac savings or transaction accounts at overseas ATMs, the usual Overseas ATM Cash Withdrawal Fee of AU$5/NZ$8 is waived at ATMs of participating Global ATM Alliance partners in the following countries:
| Country/Territory | MasterCard/Cirrus ATM network |
|---|---|
| New Zealand | Westpac NZ |
| Fiji, Vanuatu, Cook Islands, Samoa, Tonga, PNG, Solomon Islands | Westpac Pacific Banking |
| France | BNP Paribas, Ukrisbbank - Private Bank Group |
| Germany, Spain, Italy, Poland | Deutsche Bank |
| Botswana, France, Ghana, Gibraltar, Kenya, Mauritius, Pakistan (including AJK), Portugal, The Seychelles, Spain, Tanzania, Uganda, United Kingdom, Zambia, Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe Dollar transactions currently suspended per Reserve Bank directive) | Barclays Bank plc |
| South Africa | ABSA |
| USA | Bank of America |
| Canada, Mexico, Chile, Peru, Guyana and the Caribbean. Caribbean countries include: Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Jamaica, Netherlands Antilles (St Maarten), St Kitts-Nevis, St Vincent & The Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos and the US Virgin Islands. | ScotiaBank |
| Ukraine | Ukrsibbank - Private Bank |
For Westpac savings or transaction accounts, withdrawals in a foreign country using ATMs not listed above incur the AU$5 Overseas ATM Cash Withdrawal Fee.
Westpac account holders may incur a Westpac Foreign Transaction Fee (aka Foreign Currency Conversion Fee) of between 2.2% and 3% that is incorporated into the $AUD transaction amount shown on the account holder’s banking statement for transactions that occur in a foreign currency. A fee of 3% of the $AUD transaction amount is incurred where a transaction is made in a foreign currency and the merchant or financial institution accepting the card is located outside of Australia (consisting of a 2% Westpac Processing Fee plus a 1% Westpac On-Charged Scheme Fee). A fee 2.2% of the $AUD transaction amount is incurred where a transaction is made in a foreign currency and the merchant or financial institution accepting the card is located in Australia (consisting of a 2% Westpac Processing Fee plus a Westpac On-Charged Scheme Fee of 0.2%).[9]
Withdrawing cash from a Barclays account from a cash machine in the Global Alliance is free of transaction charges. If you use a cash machine that isn't in the Global Alliance or if you use your Barclaycard, additional charges apply.
For Barclays account holders:
| Coverage Area | Bank Name |
|---|---|
| Australia | Westpac Bank |
| Canada | Scotiabank |
| France | BNP Paribas |
| Germany | Deutsche Bank |
| Guatemala | Scotiabank |
| Mexico | Scotiabank |
| New Zealand | Westpac Bank |
| Pacific Islands | Westpac Bank |
| South Africa | Absa |
| Ukraine | UkrSibbank |
| United States | Bank of America |
| Great Britain, Worldwide | Barclays |
For Deutsche Bank account holders:
| Coverage Area | Bank Name |
|---|---|
| Germany and worldwide | Deutsche Bank |
| United States | Bank of America |
| Great Britain, Kenya, Mauritius, Tanzania, Zimbabwe | Barclays |
| France | BNP Paribas |
| Canada, Chile, Mexico | Scotiabank |
| Australia, New Zealand | Westpac Bank |
For Scotiabank account holders, visit Scoitabank's website for a complete and up to date list.
Scotiabank - Global ATM Alliance