Can I Use My Banking App Abroad?

We are very aware of the fact that access to your bank app is something that you never want to lose. When you travel abroad you may even want to be more on top of your finances. Can I use my banking app abroad? The short answer should be yes. Now, there are different types of scenarios that you are going to find yourself in. Including one that may be brought upon you by your own bank. Where they’ll block access to the app thinking that you’ve been hacked since the login is taking place from a location that you don’t usually frequent. A lot of the things that you can do to ensure that your banking app remains active should be done before you travel. 

The main difficulty with answering this particular question is that not every single app is going to have the same log in requirements. For example, there are apps where you can access directly with a short password. Other apps are going to require a forceful two step verification process. That can get really tricky. Particularly if you don’t have access to your regular number when you’re abroad. Although, as we mentioned you want to be very proactive with this type of situation we are also going to be throwing some tips your way that can be applied when you weren’t proactive and you’re currently abroad trying to use the app.

• Can I Use My Banking App Abroad – Call Your Bank Ahead of Time 
• Make Sure That Your Regular Number Can Still Receive Text Messages
• Using The Bank App With A Local SIM Card
• Keep Your Login Details With Someone You Can Trust 
• Login Through A Computer
• Is It Safe To Use My Banking App Through Open Wifi?

Can I Use My Banking App Abroad – Call Your Bank Ahead of Time 

The last thing that you want to do is get to where you want to go and realize that the app doesn’t work. Now, if you still have an internet connection and you can get texts you could login to your banking app as you would locally. There are some banking apps that are going to maybe send you an email warning that someone is trying to access your app in another country. Just validate the login attempt when you know it’s you. Again if you still have access to receiving text messages on your regular number you are going to be able to by pass two step verification. Therefore, you should be able to access. 

What could happen, and that’s why we would recommend that you call or visit your bank before you travel is getting your card blocked. This is something that has happened for years to people who aren’t proactive with this type of thing. You probably don’t think that you have to tell people where you are going. However, at least let your bank know. That way they won’t lock your cards. In fact, it may be a great idea to try and access your banking app before you use your cards. That’s a way to let your bank know where you are in the world. That can keep them from locking your cards. 

Make Sure That Your Regular Number Can Still Receive Text Messages

This is one of the elements that we’ve talked about. It usually has to do with the 2 step verification process that a lot of these apps ask for. Some of them are going to send you a code via text so that you can access the account. Therefore, it is important to keep your texts active. If you want to look at what you can expect to pay on different service providers for roaming, you can check out some of the other articles that we have on this site. The good thing about most of the roaming rates is that texting is precisely the cheapest type of coverage that you can obtain. What you could do is just active your coverage when you want to access your banking app.

We have to make a distinction here. Not all of the banking apps out there are going to require that you keep a double verification active. If you have a banking app that doesn’t force you to have a double verification you should be able to access the app wherever you are with your username, that may be your card number or something else, and your regular password. As you can see, a lot of these things won’t apply to every banking app across the board. Each bank is free to place their own requirements to allow you to access your account. There are actually some apps that require that you have your location active! That’s why we talked about calling into your bank before you travel.  

Using The Bank App With A Local SIM Card

This can actually be one of the biggest problems that you’ll ultimately face when you are trying to get coverage while traveling. At the end of the day, it’s going to depend on that particular app that your bank runs. However, some bank apps are linked to your direct phone number. So if you try to access the app when you have another active number like you would have on a local SIM card the app may block your access attempts. What you can do in those cases is call the bank and have them add your local SIM card number as a backup number to your account. If you get the local SIM card before you travel you can go through this procedure at home and it can be a lot smoother than doing so when you’re already locked out.

If your bank doesn’t run an app that is linked to a particular phone number you’re going to be pretty much in the clear. The only issue that you may have is if it requires 2 step verification, and one of those steps involves having a text sent to your regular number. What you could do is turn off the 2 step verification for however long you’re going to be abroad. The other thing that you could do is just access your bank app when you have your regular SIM card active on the phone. We know that was a lot of if and’s or but’s, it’s just how bank apps work these days. All these things are part of the broader answer to the original question of, “Can I use my banking app abroad?  

Keep Your Login Details With Someone You Can Trust 

This is probably a suggestion that your bank is not going to be on board with. You know because they say that you shouldn’t give your personal details to anyone. If you’ve already had an issue with using your bank app abroad, and you don’t want to have to account for all of the different things that we talked about there could be a simple solution. That is to have someone back home access your account and let you know how well you’re sticking to the budget. This process may involve leaving your regular phone at home with someone. What you can do is switch the number that is linked to your account to your wife or husband’s phone, your kids’ number whoever it may be. 

If you do that, then this person is going to be able to access your account locally and let you know how you’re doing. Is this an ideal solution that we would suggest that everyone gravitate towards? Probably not, especially if you don’t love the fact that someone else is going to be checking how much money you’re spending on your trip. If you already went through a lot trying to access the app on your previous trip and you’re looking for a simple solution this just may be it!  

Login Through A Computer

Sometimes the login requirements that apply to a phone are not going to apply to a computer or another device. If you want to check what your balance looks like or whatever it is that you want to do through your bank app you may be able to get the same thing done through your bank’s site. Now, we know that there are a lot of different banks out there and the way that they handle this process is different. Some have even completely eliminated the chance to access your account through a web browser. Obviously, if that’s the case with your bank then you won’t be able to gain access to your account. If that’s not the case this may be an option that you are going to want to look into before you make more failed login attempts through the app. 

If you are going to try this route, what we would advise other than not getting your hopes up after multiple failed attempts on the app, (that usually blocks the account), is that you login through a secure network. An open network or an internet cafe type of deal can be a problem. If you do have to access through a browser on an open network getting a VPN can be a good way to go. Just to make sure that you are able to protect yourself against any type of cyber security concern. That may be a bit too much to take in. However, we just want to make sure that we don’t leave any detail out. So that you know what you’re getting into if you pick this route. 

Is It Safe To Use My Banking App Through Open Wifi?

We just want to make sure that we don’t leave this subject just dangling out there. This wouldn’t be something that we would recommend at all. That being said, it’s important to point out some of the differences between open wifi connections. It’s not necessarily the same thing to just access an open network in a local plaza that you’re visiting abroad. As it is to access through maybe your hotel wifi network. Now, if the hotel does operate on a truly open network that can be a bit of an issue. Because the risk would essentially be the same. These days though coffee shops, hotels, and other places usually have some type of process that you have to go through to access the network.  

What we are trying to get at here is that if you have to put in your room number or something like this to be able to access the network we can’t consider it an “open network”. That doesn’t mean though that you should feel free to enter your credit card details on the network just because it has potentially a little more protection. A VPN is still going to be a good thing to add to the process if you will. If you absolutely have to access your account these hotel networks may be a little safer than just the totally open wifi spot on the street. 

Can I Use My Banking App Abroad – Conclusion 

The way that your bank has structured the app is literally what’s going to dictate whether or not the app is going to be useful abroad. There are some bank apps out there that are going to have location restrictions. This means that you are literally going to be locked out when you’re abroad. You can talk to your bank to see what you can do to unlock the app. The other thing that you can do is try to access your account through a web browser from a computer. This may be preferable than doing so through your phone browser since you may be redirected to the app. 

If you can use your banking app abroad, is it safe to do so? That all depends on what type of network that you’re connected to. If you’re using data roaming or a local SIM card it essentially would be the same as using your banking app while you are on the street locally. If you’re on an open network trying to use your banking app then you may want to look into adding a layer of encryption to your connection with a VPN. That’s pretty much all you’d need to know about using your banking app abroad!