# BPI ATM not recognizing Foreign ATM Cards



## Hey_Joe (Sep 13, 2016)

Is anyone else having problems using Foreign ATM Cards at BPI?

I have not been able to use any of my ATM Cards at BPI since 2nd week of January 2017. 

A BPI Bank Manager told me they are doing a system upgrade and other Foreigners are complaining to her as well.


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## DonAndAbby (Jan 7, 2013)

Hey_Joe said:


> Is anyone else having problems using Foreign ATM Cards at BPI?
> 
> I have not been able to use any of my ATM Cards at BPI since 2nd week of January 2017.
> 
> A BPI Bank Manager told me they are doing a system upgrade and other Foreigners are complaining to her as well.


They have a sign on the ATMs at my branch saying that the XXXXX system is being upgraded, so I guess that is what is about. I don't use a foreign ATM card.


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## fmartin_gila (May 15, 2011)

The BPI branches I normally use have 2 machines for withdrawals. In both branches, there is one ATM that has a sign taped on it that states it will not accept foreign cards but the other one will. 

Fred


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## BGCExpat (Oct 26, 2015)

BPI (and other banks) recently migrated to the EMV (Euro) chip cards. If you're using a foreign ATM card without a chip, it might not work properly...


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## Tukaram (Dec 18, 2014)

The ones I generally use all have signs: "BPI cards only". I noticed it about a week ago. I went to an out of the way BPI machine today and it worked. I could have used BDO/Metro/anyone else but BPI lets me take p20,000 the others only allow p10,000 per transaction. Glad I found a BPI machine still working.


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

Depends on where you are I suppose (Manila at the time) and the availability of HSBC Automatic Teller Machines, I always withdrew PHP 40K (their limit for my foreign cards) for a transaction fee of 200 pesos. I learnt very quickly prior to finding HSBC through another Expat site that most other banks ATM limits were PHP 10K and still the 200 peso fee.
Sorry to hear there are problems with BPI, good luck Hey Joe.

Cheers, Steve.


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## bidrod (Mar 31, 2015)

I use HSBC in Alabang or Manila. Withdrawal max is still Php 40k with NO php 200 charge per transaction. You can do multiply php 40K transactions depending on your card limit. HSBC ATMs limited to NCR, Cebu City and Davao if I am not mistaken. 

Chuck


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## Maxx62 (Dec 31, 2013)

Hey_Joe said:


> Is anyone else having problems using Foreign ATM Cards at BPI?
> 
> I have not been able to use any of my ATM Cards at BPI since 2nd week of January 2017.
> 
> A BPI Bank Manager told me they are doing a system upgrade and other Foreigners are complaining to her as well.


This may be slightly off topic, but I had a similar problem with my new US ATM card last year. I never really got a clear answer from my bank in US as to what was causing the problem, but my new card has an embedded chip in it, and after trial and error I found that many of the older ATM machines which I normally used simply could not handle the newer card. 

I learned to recognize the problematic machines by their monochrome display screens (black background with gold lettering). The newer machines all have color CRT screens (similar to a modern PC) and the newer ATM machines never seem to have any problem processing my new card. 

One thing I noticed after trying the older machines is that the older machines would always churn their gears like they were going to dispense some cash, and then at the last moment the screen would display an error message stating "Transaction canceled by issuer". I found out that my bank puts a hold on ATM cards after two or three failed transactions, but I didn't find that out until after taking to someone higher up in the bank. 

In other words, after getting fouled up by trying to use the older machines, my card would get disabled by my bank, and then I would continue to go around town wondering why I couldn't get money. In my case it took 48 hours from the time they enable my card. Lots of fun.


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

bidrod said:


> I use HSBC in Alabang or Manila. Withdrawal max is still Php 40k with NO php 200 charge per transaction. You can do multiply php 40K transactions depending on your card limit. HSBC ATMs limited to NCR, Cebu City and Davao if I am not mistaken.
> 
> Chuck[/QUOTE
> 
> ...


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

Maxx62 said:


> This may be slightly off topic, but I had a similar problem with my new US ATM card last year. I never really got a clear answer from my bank in US as to what was causing the problem, but my new card has an embedded chip in it, and after trial and error I found that many of the older ATM machines which I normally used simply could not handle the newer card.
> 
> I learned to recognize the problematic machines by their monochrome display screens (black background with gold lettering). The newer machines all have color CRT screens (similar to a modern PC) and the newer ATM machines never seem to have any problem processing my new card.
> 
> ...


I hear you and sympathise. Frustrating.

Cheers, Steve.


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## Tukaram (Dec 18, 2014)

I have seen HSBC around Iloilo, I will have to try one. My bank (USAA) refunds the fees anyway, but if I can get more in each transaction and avoid some of the fees... why not?


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## Hey_Joe (Sep 13, 2016)

Perhaps BPI fixed the problem. I was able to withdraw 20K this morning using a foreign ATM card without a chip and it was the 1st time I was able to withdraw an additional 20k.


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