Does Walmart Take International Credit Cards?

If you are traveling in America, especially across the country, the odds are in your favor that you will come across one of the 5,000 Walmart stores. If you find yourself in need of groceries, toys, clothes, or any other household products sold in Walmart, you can purchase what you need if you carry the right kind of card.

Foreign visitors to Walmart locations in the United States can use their international credit cards if they are affiliated with American Express, Discover, Mastercard, and Visa.

Using Your International Credit Card at Walmart Stores

To be sure what credit cards are accepted at the Walmart store you're visiting, consult the "We gladly accept" sign located at the store's entrance. The international financial institution that issued your credit card may require advance notification that you're traveling to authorize transactions abroad. Call the customer service line on the back of your card and notify the representative about your travel plans to prevent any problems.

The chip-and-pin cards are still relatively new in some parts of the U.S., as compared with Europe. Some Walmart pay terminals may ask you to provide a signature instead of your card's PIN, but most have adapted to the chip system. If you run into any issues when processing your card's chip, payment terminals at Walmart are still equipped with magnetic stripe readers. If your card has a magnetic stripe, you can use it as a backup plan for payment.

An Alternative to Credit Cards

If you are traveling abroad and plan to shop at Walmart stores during your trip, it may be easiest to purchase a Walmart gift card with cash when you arrive and use it on your vacation to shop at Walmart stores. If you plan to spend time on the road in the U.S., as part of your holiday, a prepaid Walmart gift card can be used at any Walmart store.

Special Considerations

Unfortunately, you cannot use your international credit card (unless it is a Visa, Mastercard, or Discover) to shop on Walmart.com. Walmart's site only delivers orders to the 50 states, APO/FPO military addresses, and U.S. territories.

Also, according to the company, Walmart.com does not accept the following forms of payment: cash on delivery (COD) purchase orders, FSA cards, gift cards from other merchants, international credit cards, and Electronic Benefits Transfer cards.