Using your debit card
Your Virgin Money Debit Card is the perfect partner. It allows you to withdraw cash and pay for goods and services at millions of locations worldwide, just look for the Mastercard® acceptance mark.
Contactless payments
If your debit Mastercard is contactless, you can refer to the Mastercard guidelines Link opens in a new window for how much you can pay without having to enter your PIN. Just touch your card against the contactless card reader when you’re ready to pay. You’ll hear a beep and see a green light on the reader. You’ve paid.
Using contactless is just as safe as Chip and PIN. You have the same protection against fraud, and if you think you've been incorrectly charged, just let us know.
For extra security if you use contactless frequently or if you haven't used Chip and PIN in a while you may be asked to enter your PIN. If the card terminal has not been upgraded, a ‘card declined’ message will appear. In the event of receiving a declined message, you should attempt to pay using Chip and PIN rather than contactless. Please note that we only offer Apple Pay and Google Pay.
Depositing cash and cheques
You can deposit cash and cheques up to the value of £2,000 per day at any Store deposit ATM using your Virgin Money Debit Card. The single transaction limit is £1,000, 25 cheques or 50 notes.
If you exceed these limits the deposit ATM will advise you that you have exceeded the daily transaction or deposit limit.
You can speak to any member of the team in our Stores who will show you how to use this service.
Using your debit card abroad
You don't need to tell us when you are travelling abroad, we will monitor your account in the same way as if you were using your card in the UK.
Exchange rates
If you make a debit card payment in a foreign currency, we will convert this at the Mastercard exchange rate, usually on the day you use your card. You may be able to convert the currency directly with the retailer or ATM provider. In this case, they will show the exchange rate and any fees to you on screen before you agree to go ahead with the transaction.
The rate that you will see on your account statement will be the Mastercard exchange rate. Additional fees (if applicable) will be shown separately in the statement wording (see "Fees for card payments outside the UK").
You can find the latest and historical payment scheme exchange rates at the Mastercard website Link opens in a new window.
For card transactions made within the EEA or in an EEA currency you can find out the reference exchange rate by calling us on 0800 678 1230.
You can find out how the exchange rate for EEA currencies compares with the latest foreign exchange reference rate issued by the European Central Bank by using our currency conversion calculator.
These are charges you pay if you use your debit card to pay a supplier based outside the UK.
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Debit card payment in foreign currency | None |
| Debit card payment to a company based outside the UK | None |
International purchase limits
International purchase limits also apply to transactions with suppliers outside the UK:
- £5,000 per day (Debit Mastercard online contactless or Debit Mastercard Non-Contactless (no longer issued)) or
- £10,000 per day (Retail/Private Debit Mastercard contactless).
To find out what countries are part of the EEA, please visit www.gov.uk/eu-eea Link opens in a new window.
These are charges you pay if you use your debit card to withdraw cash from an ATM.
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Cash withdrawal in a foreign currency outside the UK | None |
| Cash withdrawal in pounds outside the UK | None |
Daily cash limits
Daily cash limits apply outside the UK as they do for our debit cards in the UK:
- £350 (Debit Mastercard online contactless or Debit Mastercard Non-Contactless (no longer issued)) or
- £500 (Retail/Private Debit Mastercard contactless).
Higher cash amounts may be available over a bank counter.
Cashback
Many shops offer free ‘Purchase with CashBack’ so that you can include up to £100 CashBack* each time you shop.
*Cash element of purchase with cashback transactions count against the ATM limits.
The following examples compare the cost of making certain transactions using your debit card. The debit card rates used for this example are €100 = £0.864638 & $100 = £0.70649.
| Personal Current Account (FX Fee free) | Children's Savings Jumpstart & Cybersave (FX Fee free) | All other personal savings | |
|---|---|---|---|
| €100 Debit Card Purchase in EAA | |||
| Transaction value | £86.46 | £86.46 | £86.46 |
| Foreign currency fee | No Fee | No Fee | No Fee |
| Total Cost | £86.46 | £86.46 | £86.46 |
| €100 Debit Card Cash withdrawal in EEA | |||
| Transaction value | £86.46 | £86.46 | £86.46 |
| Foreign currency fee | No Fee | No Fee | No Fee |
| Total Cost | £86.46 | £86.46 | £86.46 |
| $100 (USD) Purchase | |||
| Transaction value | £70.65 | £70.65 | £70.65 |
| Foreign currency fee | No Fee | No Fee | £1.94 (2.75% min £1.50) |
| Total Cost | £70.65 | £70.65 | £72.59 |
| $100 Debit Card Cash withdrawal | |||
| Transaction value | £70.65 | £70.65 | £70.65 |
| Foreign currency fee | No Fee | No Fee | £2.64 (3.75% min £1.50) |
| Total Cost | £70.65 | £70.65 | £73.29 |
Mastercard® Identity Check™
We want you to be safe when you use your Debit Card online. That's why your card is protected by Mastercard® Identity Check™.
Mastercard Debit Cards use the latest chip and PIN technology to combat fraudsters. For online purchases performed within a Merchant’s App or on their website, Mastercard® Identity Check™ improves your security even more without the need to register or remember a password. Using either our Mobile Banking App or a one-time passcode sent to your registered phone number, Identity Check lets you identify yourself as the holder of the card and stops anyone else using it online.
To make sure all online transactions performed within a Merchant’s App or on their website are secure, you may be asked to verify your identity when you use your Mastercard at a participating online retailer.
If you are registered for the Mobile Banking App, we will send a message to your App. You will need to accept this message before you can complete your transaction.
If you have a mobile phone number on record (and do not have the Mobile Banking App) then we will send you a six-digit one-time passcode for you to enter on screen at the retailer’s checkout.
Make sure we have your current mobile phone number (call us on 0800 345 7365 or visit us in Store if you’re not certain).
If you do not have either then please be aware that your transaction may be declined.
Mastercard Identity Check works with most internet browsers and merchant apps, but software that prevents pop-up windows may interfere with your use of Identity Check.