Last updated January 22, 2023

Regalar hoy en día es más fácil que nunca, gracias a la disponibilidad y variedad de tarjetas regalo en el mercado. Después de todo, ¿dónde más puede obtener esa sorpresa "perfecta" que oscila entre $ 10 y $ 200 para todos, desde un compañero de trabajo solitario o el maestro de matemáticas sustituto de su hijo hasta su cónyuge o familiar cercano?

La tarjeta de regalo adecuada puede hacer maravillas para construir o reforzar una relación, así como ayudar a aumentar su presupuesto mientras viaja. Desafortunadamente, más de mil millones de dólares de estos pequeños tesoros de plástico no se gastan anualmente, por lo que es esencial saber cuáles comprar, enviar y usar, ya sea para viajar al extranjero o enviarlos internacionalmente.

Are There Gift Cards That Can Be Used Internationally?

The short answer is yes – there are gift cards that can be used internationally. These international gift cards are used by financial institutions, merchants, and major credit card companies.

There may be different fees and restrictions associated with these cards (imposed by the card issuers), including expiration dates and limitations or restrictions on online purchases.

The major credit card companies offer blanket protection and almost instant access to purchases via debit and gift cards throughout the United States.

After all, what commercial business is going to refuse a purchase made with an American Express, Mastercard, Discover, or Visa card in any form as long as the monetary value is up to par?

Here’s the rub: while those brand logos (like that famous circles design) are recognized globally, the spending rates aren’t in most cases. 

Las tarifas internacionales y las tasas de transferencia de divisas pueden cambiar significativamente el valor de una tarjeta de regalo existente, lo que hace que sea demasiado difícil de transferir o que simplemente no valga la pena el esfuerzo. Eso no quiere decir que todas las tarjetas de regalo no tengan valor fuera de Estados Unidos porque esa es una noción ridícula en el siglo XXI impulsado por la tecnología. Pero debe asegurarse de que la tarjeta de regalo elegida sea reconocida internacionalmente antes de pagar.

American Express and Discover cards may have limited acceptance outside of the United States, but they are not categorically never accepted. However, some gift cards, such as Visa and Mastercard gift cards, can be used in other countries–as long as they clearly state that. International Visa gift cards are especially common. Fees and regulations should also be listed on the packaging when and wherever you buy gift cards. There will be more fees associated with an international Visa gift card.

¿Son buenas las tarjetas prepagas para viajes internacionales?

Las tarjetas prepagas también se pueden vender donde obtendría su tarjeta de regalo favorita, pero no son lo mismo . Las tarjetas prepago difieren en una forma específica: pueden y deben recargarse. Sin embargo, si bien se pueden usar internacionalmente, eso no es un hecho. Una tarjeta prepaga tiene reglas y regulaciones al igual que las tarjetas de regalo, aunque a menudo muchas menos reglas. Si puede obtener una tarjeta de regalo recargable, tenga en cuenta las restricciones, ya que la mayoría de las tarjetas de regalo etiquetadas solo se pueden gastar dentro de los Estados Unidos. Específicamente, no se garantiza que las tarjetas prepagas tengan ninguna protección, independientemente del logotipo que se encuentre en la tarjeta. Afortunadamente, cada tarjeta de prepago o compañía enumerará esas cláusulas de protección.

Prepaid cards for specific stores or businesses can rarely be used internationally. But even a Visa or Mastercard prepaid card may have domestic limits. Reloadable ones are meant to be purchased once and then have additional funds added as the initial value is spent. For that reason, they’re often safer and smarter budgeting solutions for domestic travelers than debit or traditional credit cards. If you do want an international prepaid card, you’ll need to opt for a specific travel card such as Visa Travel Money which is intended for such needs. 

How international gift cards work

International gift cards are designed to be used across various countries and currencies, offering recipients the flexibility to choose from a wide range of brands, experiences, and products in their local regions. These gift cards can be digital for easy management and distribution, and may include options like a prepaid Mastercard that can be used wherever Mastercard is accepted.

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Can Amazon, Walmart, Mastercard, and Visa Gift Cards Be Used Internationally?

La mayoría de los viajeros no se preocupan por si su tarjeta de regalo favorita será aceptada en su aventura. Simplemente empaquetan la tarjeta de regalo (o tarjetas) y esperan que un nombre comercial conocido sea aceptado sin cuestionamientos. Desafortunadamente, muchos viajeros se sienten decepcionados debido a la fe ciega y la falta de planificación previa. Independientemente del logotipo de la tarjeta, la mayoría de las tarjetas de regalo son emitidas por un banco o empresa específicos y, por lo tanto, están restringidas al uso doméstico. Algunas reglas comunes de marca son las siguientes:

Amazon Gift Card – Amazon has a different site for each country it serves, and each site requires an Amazon gift card to be bought and spent in that region; i.e.: an amazon.com card cannot be used in Canada, but an amazon.ca card can. 

Best Buy Gift Card – While a Best Buy gift card is easily spent at Best Buy, it is only accepted at stores and online in the United States. 

Home Depot Gift Card – Home Depot is one store that may accept a Home Depot gift card in any of its stores or online throughout the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Check the FAQ online before checkout or on the gift card packaging for current rules. 

iTunes Gift Card – While Apple is a global name, an iTunes gift card can only be used in the United States. 

Walmart Gift Card – Walmart operates in over 55 countries globally, but the company still doesn’t sell international gift cards. Any Walmart gift card bought in the U.S. can only be spent domestically.

Whole Foods Gift Card – Whole Foods may now be a subsidiary of Amazon, but it’s still considered an American company, and its gift cards are only accepted in the United States. 

American Express Gift Card – An American Express gift card is only accepted throughout the United States. 

Mastercard and Visa Gift Card – Mastercard and Visa play by similar and different rules. Because the company logos are recognized globally, Visa gift cards are easier to find for international use. However, they have to be marked as such. The same goes for a Mastercard gift card. 

¿Las tarjetas prepagas internacionales tienen cargos por transacciones en el extranjero? ¿Dónde se pueden encontrar?

Prepaid cards and gift cards can be a great alternative to ATM cards or a wallet full of credit cards while traveling. It’s essential to be aware of potential transaction fees, though. Most specific stores or businesses are pretty lax on that, but prepaid cards that are tied to banks can come with a lot of extra fees. These can include monthly usage or inactivity fees of up to $10, loading or ATM fees of up to $6 per transaction, and a foreign transaction fee of up to 3% every time it’s used. Always, always, always check the fine print prior to buying any prepaid or gift card. 

While most gift cards can only be used domestically, Mastercard and Visa debit cards, prepaid or otherwise, can usually be used anywhere.

Some of the best International Visa gift cards include:

Some of the best international Mastercard gift cards include:

Como mínimo, siempre lea la letra pequeña y las preguntas frecuentes para asegurarse de que no lo tomen por sorpresa sorpresas costosas o innecesarias cuando esté fuera del país debido a las limitaciones de su tarjeta prepaga o de regalo elegida. ¡Y viajes seguros!

Where to buy international gift cards?

You can purchase international gift cards at financial institutions and at the same place that you buy regular gift cards – retailers like Walmart, Target, Kroger, and Costco.

Typically international gift cars will not be specifically labeled “International” gift card. You’ll need to read the fine print on the back of the card. It will be marked on the card’s wrapper where the card can be used and what the international transaction fees are if any.

Are All Visa Prepaid Cards for International Use?

Most Visa prepaid cards can be used internationally, however, there may be international transaction fees.

And with a Visa prepaid card, like with any gift card, there may be merchant limitations. For example, some U.S. Visa gift cards cannot be used for online, telephone, or mail-order purchases. This is because there is a higher fraud risk for catalog and online retailers.

Because of additional fraud risks, international gift cards for Visa and other types, often come only in physical plastic card format. Electronic or eGift cards, with electronic delivery, are sent via email and are designed to be used online.

If you need an international eGift card (i.e. for a client or coworker in a different country), your best bet may purchase a country-specific gift card for that individual that can be used online. Amazon has lots of international, electronic gift card options.

How Do You Register an International Gift Card?

If you do need to register a gift card, you can do so online or by phone. Typically, this is a requirement for Visa, Mastercard, or American Express (Amex) gift cards specifically for the US, and it is required only for online purchases.

In the event you need to register an international gift card, it’s easy for the recipient to do so.

  1. Go to the gift card registration page (the website should be printed on the gift card packaging or printed on the card.)
  2. Follow the prompts to register your name, gift card number, and security code.

That’s it. You may need to create a free account online and include an email address to use as your account login and to use for verification purposes. If you do need to provide an email, do not give your work email address.

  • Your work may block the email from coming through.
  • You could lose or quit your job.
  • Either of these issues becomes a big problem if you later forget your password and the website will only send a password reset to your work email.

Just use your personal or non-work email address that you can access from anywhere.

What if My International Gift Card is Stolen?

In some situations, you may be able to get your card replaced if you have the receipt and you contact the card issuer before the funds are depleted.

But in most instances, you’ll be out of luck. Put another way, what if you took out cash from the bank and got robbed around the street corner? The bank will not give you that same amount of money again. You may be directed to file a police report but that’s about the extent.

Most gift cards, international and otherwise, outright stipulate that they will not replace stolen cards. So pay attention and keep close tabs on your gift cards.

Can Amazon, Walmart, Mastercard, and Visa Gift Cards Be Used Internationally?

La mayoría de los viajeros no se preocupan por si su tarjeta de regalo favorita será aceptada en su aventura. Simplemente empaquetan la tarjeta de regalo (o tarjetas) y esperan que un nombre comercial conocido sea aceptado sin cuestionamientos. Desafortunadamente, muchos viajeros se sienten decepcionados debido a la fe ciega y la falta de planificación previa. Independientemente del logotipo de la tarjeta, la mayoría de las tarjetas de regalo son emitidas por un banco o empresa específicos y, por lo tanto, están restringidas al uso doméstico. Algunas reglas comunes de marca son las siguientes:

Amazon – Amazon has a different site for each country it serves, and each site requires an Amazon gift card to be bought and spent in that region; i.e.: an amazon.com card cannot be used in Canada, but an amazon.ca card can. 

Best Buy : si bien una tarjeta de regalo Best Buy se gasta fácilmente en Best Buy, solo se acepta en tiendas y en línea en los Estados Unidos.

Home Depot : Home Depot es una tienda que puede aceptar una tarjeta de regalo de Home Depot en cualquiera de sus tiendas o en línea en los EE. UU., Canadá y México. Consulte las preguntas frecuentes en línea antes de pagar o en el empaque de la tarjeta de regalo para conocer las reglas actuales.

iTunes : si bien Apple es un nombre global, una tarjeta de regalo de iTunes solo se puede usar en los Estados Unidos.

Walmart : Walmart opera en más de 55 países a nivel mundial , pero la empresa aún no vende tarjetas de regalo internacionales. Cualquier tarjeta de regalo de Walmart comprada en los EE. UU. solo se puede gastar en el país.

Whole Foods – Whole Foods may now be a subsidiary of Amazon, but it’s still considered an American company, and its gift cards are only accepted in the United States. 

American Express : una tarjeta de regalo American Express solo se acepta en los Estados Unidos.

Mastercard y Visa : Mastercard y Visa se rigen por reglas similares y diferentes. Debido a que los logotipos de la empresa son reconocidos a nivel mundial, las tarjetas de regalo Visa son más fáciles de encontrar para uso internacional. Sin embargo, tienen que estar marcados como tales. Lo mismo ocurre con una tarjeta de regalo Mastercard.

¿Las tarjetas prepagas internacionales tienen cargos por transacciones en el extranjero? ¿Dónde se pueden encontrar?

Prepaid cards and gift cards can be a great alternative to ATM cards or a wallet full of credit cards while traveling. It’s essential to be aware of potential transaction fees, though. Most specific stores or businesses are pretty lax on that, but prepaid cards that are tied to banks can come with a lot of extra fees. These can include monthly usage or inactivity fees of up to $10, loading or ATM fees of up to $6 per transaction, and a foreign transaction fee of up to 3% every time it’s used. Always, always, always check the fine print prior to buying any prepaid or gift card. 

Si bien la mayoría de las tarjetas de regalo solo se pueden usar en el país, las tarjetas de débito Mastercard y Visa, prepagas o de otro tipo, generalmente se pueden usar en cualquier lugar. Algunas de las mejores soluciones de tarjetas de viaje internacionales incluyen:

Tarjeta prepaga AAA MemberPay Visa

Tarjeta prepago Mastercard o Visa Green Dot

Tarjeta prepaga recargable TD Connect (menos cargos si ya es titular de una tarjeta TD)

Tarjeta prepaga Netspend® Visa® o Mastercard

Mastercard de prepago de PayPal 

Tarjeta Travelex Money – promovida por Mastercard International Incorporated

Dinero para viajes con visa 

Como mínimo, siempre lea la letra pequeña y las preguntas frecuentes para asegurarse de que no lo tomen por sorpresa sorpresas costosas o innecesarias cuando esté fuera del país debido a las limitaciones de su tarjeta prepaga o de regalo elegida. ¡Y viajes seguros!

Where to buy international gift cards?

You can purchase international gift cards at financial institutions and at the same place that you buy regular gift cards – retailers like Walmart, Target, Kroger, and Costco.

Typically international gift cars will not be specifically labeled “International” gift cards. You’ll need to read the fine print on the back of the card. It will be marked on the card’s wrapper where the card can be used and what the international transaction fees are, if any.

Are All Visa Prepaid Cards for International Use?

Most Visa prepaid cards can be used internationally, however, there may be international transaction fees.

And with a Visa prepaid card, like with any gift card, there may be merchant limitations. For example, some U.S. Visa gift cards cannot be used for online, telephone, or mail-order purchases. This is because there is a higher fraud risk for catalog and online retailers.

Because of additional fraud risks, international gift cards for Visa and other types, often come only in physical plastic card format. Electronic or eGift cards, with electronic delivery, are sent via email and are designed to be used online.

If you need an international eGift card (i.e. for a client or coworker in a different country), your best bet may purchase a country-specific gift card for that individual that can be used online. Amazon has lots of international, electronic gift card options.

How Do You Register an International Gift Card?

If you do need to register a gift card, you can do so online or by phone. Typically, this is a requirement for Visa, Mastercard, or American Express (Amex) gift cards specifically for the US, and it is required only for online purchases.

In the event you need to register an international gift card, it’s easy for the recipient to do so.

  1. Go to the gift card registration page (the website should be printed on the gift card packaging or printed on the card.)
  2. Follow the prompts to register your name, gift card number, and security code.

That’s it. You may need to create a free account online and include an email address to use as your account login and to use for verification purposes. If you do need to provide an email, do not give your work email address.

  • Your work may block the email from coming through.
  • You could lose or quit your job.
  • Either of these issues becomes a big problem if you later forget your password and the website will only send a password reset to your work email.

Just use your personal or non-work email address that you can access from anywhere.

What if My International Gift Card is Stolen?

In some situations, you may be able to get your card replaced if you have the receipt and you contact the card issuer before the funds are depleted.

But in most instances, you’ll be out of luck. Put another way, what if you took out cash from the bank and got robbed around the street corner? The bank will not give you that same amount of money again. You may be directed to file a police report but that’s about the extent.

Most gift cards, international and otherwise, outright stipulate that they will not replace stolen cards. So pay attention and keep close tabs on your gift cards.

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