Don’t forget your National Bank Travel kit

Before you leave on vacation, it’s important to get the right information and take the necessary precautions for safe travelling.

National Bank offers you a variety of solutions to help you properly plan your trip:

Bank notes
Foreign currency bank notes to pay daily expenses in the country you are visiting (e.g. taxis, restaurant meals and tips)*. Visit www.nbc.ca/locator to find a National Bank Branch.
What is the recommended currency for my destination?
Country Currency Iso Code Country Currency Iso Code
Argentina Peso ARS Indonesia Rupiah IDR
Australia Dollar AUD Iceland Krona ISK
Bahamas Dollar BSD Israel Shekel ILS
Barbados Dollar BBD Jamaica Dollar JMD
Bermuda Dollar BMD Japan Yen JPY
Brazil Real BRL Mexico Peso MXN
Chile Peso CLP Norway Krona NOK
China Yuan CNY New-Zealand Dollar NZD
Colombia Peso COP Peru Sol PEN
Costa Rica Colon CRC Poland Zloty PLN
Czech Republic Koruna CZK Scotland Pound SCP
Denmark Krona DKK Singapore Dollar SGD
Dominican Republic Peso DOP South Africa Rand ZAR
Eastern Caribbean Dollar XCD South Korea Won KRW
Egypt Pound EGP Sweden Krona SEK
European Union* Euro EUR Switzerland Franc CHF
Honduras Lempira HNL Taiwan Dollar TWD
Hong Kong Dollar HKD Thailand Baht THB
Hungary Forint HUF United-Kingdom Pound GBP
India Rupee INR Venezuela Bolivar VEB


*European Union: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxemburg, Malta, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain.
How to obtain local currency before the departure date


Thanks to Online foreign currency ordering service:

Currency Time needed
U.S. dollars None (according to availability at an NBC branch)
Foreign (non-U.S.) 0-5 business days (upon order at an NBC branch)
How to obtain local currency when abroad
At your destination you can get fast and easy access to cash through banking machines by using your MasterCard* or Client Card.
  • Within Canada you can withdrawal funds at any of the 2,100 banking machines that are part of The Exchange network.
  • In the U.S. you can pay for your purchases and withdraw cash at over one million locations that are part of the NYCE network.
  • Worldwide you have access to 350,000 banking machines identified by the CIRRUS® logo.
® Registered trademark of CIRRUS System Inc.
* The MasterCard must have a personal identification number (PIN). There is a fee for a cash advances through a National Bank MasterCard. Transactions in foreign currencies are converted into Canadian dollars at the exchange rate set by MasterCard Worldwide, to which is added a fixed percentage of 2.5%. The applicable exchange rate is determined on the date the transaction is recorded in the account, which may be different from the transaction date. Banking machine user fees may also apply. The amount that can be withdrawn as a cash advance depends on the credit limit available on the MasterCard being used. Interest charges on cash advances begin to accrue on the transaction date.
What are the current foreign exchange rates?
Check the updated rates on the foreign exchange market.
Travelers cheques
If lost or stolen, American Express®1 Travelers Cheques are replaceable nearly anywhere in the world, usually within 24 hours. To find the most convenient exchange location, visit www.aetclocator.com/us/.
World MasterCard®2 credit card

The National Bank World MasterCard credit card: Travel like never before thanks to a host of exclusive benefits and high-end travel insurance, including medical/hospital, flight delay, trip cancellation, trip interruption and lost baggage insurance. You also have an all-time access to a wide range of services designed to make your life easier thanks to the Concierge Service - here and abroad. Visit nbc.ca/worldmastercard for more information.

Client Card
Get access to cash any time from automated banking machines in the Interac®3, Cirrus®4 and THE EXCHANGE®5 networks. In fact, there are no network fees when you use The Exchange network. Make purchases all over the world through Interac (Canada), NYCE®6 (United States) and Maestro®7 (international) networks. www.nbc.ca/clientcard
Travel insurance
Travel insurance from National Bank Insurance in partnership with Blue Cross®8: If you don’t have a Platinum MasterCard credit card, you can design your own customized coverage, including: emergency medical care, trip cancellation, trip interruption, and baggage-loss insurance, as well as emergency return transportation. Click here for more information.

®1 Used by Amex Canada Inc. under license from American Express Company.
®2 Registered trademark of MasterCard International Inc. Authorized user: National Bank of Canada.
®3 Registered trademark of Interac Inc.
®4 Registered trademark of CIRRUS SYSTEM Inc.
®5 THE EXCHANGE is a registered trademark of Fiserv Inc.
®6 Registered trademark of NYCE Payment Network, LLC.
®7 Maestro is a registred trademark of MasterCard International Inc. Transaction fees and currency exchange charges apply. For complete details about transactions in foreign currencies, please refer to the Agreement Governing the Use of Automated Services and Electronic Banking Solutions, available in branches or at nbc.ca. Transactions in foreign currencies other than U.S dollars will first be converted into U.S dollars and then converted into Canadian dollars
®8 Registered trademark of the Canadian Association of Blue Cross Plans, used under license by Québec Blue Cross. National Bank Insurance is a trademark used by National Bank of Canada and some of its subsidiaries.
* For foreign exchange rates, refer to the “Currencies and Foreign Exchange Rates” section at nbc.ca/travel.