As e-commerce continues to become mainstream MasterCards or Visa Cards become necessary. More and more people are getting to buy things online. If it were not limiting issues regarding PayPal in Zimbabwe people would not be much concerned with such cards. Just in case you are wondering where and how you can get a MasterCard or Visa Card, this article will help you. I will look at popular local banks that offer USD MasterCards or Visa Cards.

Steward Bank

To get a Visa Card with Steward bank you start by dialling *236#. The initial step will involve you opening an FCA account. FCA stands for Foreign Currency Account. You choose the first option, Agree, pick DuraFCA and you will receive an SMS notification.

For the actual Visa Card, the bank will require a copy of your national ID, your passport, or your driver’s license. You will also be required to fill a Visa Prepaid Card application form. US$10 will be required to cover the issuance fee and the initial deposit.

CABS

To get the card you are required to fill a CABS Prepaid MasterCard application form. For existing customers, additional KYC will also be required. For existing account holders it will just take filling out the form mentioned earlier. If you are new, proof of residence will be needed and a passport size photo. Proof of residence can be in the form of utility bills, lease agreements or letter from employer. The initial deposit and issuance fee is covered by ZWL$100.

BancABC

To get your card you must provide a copy of ID and fill out a form. The card fee is US$5 and the initial deposit is US$5.

Standard Chartered Bank

This bank has two types of cards namely, Gold Card and Blue Card. They function more or less the same but they do have some differences. The annual once-off charge for the Gold Card is US$25. The annual once-off charge for the Blue Card is US$10. What makes the Gold Card transcend the Blue Card is that you can make online payments with it. Plus the raised print enables pre-booking of hotels, car rentals, and so on.

CBZ

CBZ has what they call a Visa Gold Card. It works like a debit card and has to be pre-funded. The card can be used locally and internationally. They can be used on ATMs and Visa POS terminals. Individuals and corporates can get this card. It is required that one has an existing account to get this card.

Stanbic Bank

You will have to fill out an application form. Two recent passport photos, a valid ID (a passport or driver’s license) will be required. Proof of residence will also be needed (e.g. water, electricity, or telephone bills less than 3 months old). Proof of income and confirmation letter from your employer (if employed) will be required. Initial deposit is US$20 whereas a new card application is US$5. Account management fees are US$5 for Silver, US$6 for Executive, and US$10 for Platinum.

FBC

FBC requires a copy of your national ID, proof of residence, payslip, and passport size photo. US$15 is needed for card issuance and initial deposit.

ZB

The ZB bank website indicates that “We will soon be launching the Visa MasterCard for your banking convenience whilst you are outside the country.”

Agribank

Agribank offers quite a several MasterCards or Visa Cards. They have the following cards namely, Visa Standard, Visa Gold, MasterCard Gold, MasterCard Platinum, and JCB Gold. They all can be used locally and internationally on ATMs and POS terminals.

Ecobank Zimbabwe

The bank requires that you provide a copy of your ID and proof of residence. Their card can be used locally or internationally with a 1 per cent transaction charge.

NMB

NMB has two options namely, NMB Visa Debit and NMB Credit cards. They can be swiped at any Visa POS worldwide. If you are a current account holder you automatically qualify for the NMB Access Debit Card.

To note is that you have to physically visit a bank branch to complete the entire process. It is faster that way than to call in. I feel there could be improvements in that regard. Especially given that most things are going digital it would be very convenient to have frameworks that are hassle-free. It should be possible for someone to open an FCA account, apply for a MasterCard or Visa Card and get it mailed to them. I believe such banking conveniences should have been commonplace by now.