Card:
Use, loss of card, security, invoice, payment

You can apply for your card online using the PDF form or you can order the card application from Viseca or your bank.

Overview of cards for private customers

Overview of cards for business customers

Normally 10 to 15 working days, assuming all the necessary documents and ID copies have been provided.

You can increase your card limit temporarily or permanently, as required. Prepaid cards are excluded from this service.

If your credit card was issued by your bank (recognisable by the bank logo), contact your bank directly to apply for the limit increase.

For all other cards, please contact Viseca customer services.

Customer services: phone +41 58 958 84 00, fax +41 58 958 88 85

NB: The limit cannot be changed by e-mail.

To see your limit, log in to "one" or refer to your invoice. You can contact Viseca customer service at any time to find out your withdrawal limit (cash limit).

Customer service: phone +41 58 958 84 00, fax +41 58 958 88 85

Prepaid card(s): phone +41 900 773 729 (CHF 1 per call). For enquiries concerning your debit limit, please contact your bank directly.

The global limit represents the maximum spending limit for the entire customer relationship, and is determined separately. The global limit applies to all the cards you hold (primary and additional cards) and is checked every time payment is made using the credit cards. Please see your statement for your global limit. If you have several cards, you cannot combine the individual card limits.

Each individual card (primary and additional) has its own monthly limit. This defines the maximum amount that you can request with your card within the billing period.

Depending on the product, you can apply for between one and nine additional cards – either for yourself or a family member. To see detailed information and to make a card application, please refer to the card overview.

The annual fee is debited in the month that appears on the card, e.g. if the card expires in “04/19” (month/year), the annual fee will be debited in April to cover the following 12 months.

Viseca Card Services SA wishes to make more use of electronic delivery methods (via "one"). Free electronic billing enables cardholders to play an important role in promoting a sustainable approach to natural resources.

The fee for mailing paper bills can be avoided by registering for “one” free of charge and activating the paperless statements function.

You can also sign up for e-billing via your online banking portal, provided your bank offers this service.

In relation to a foreign currency transaction or a transaction abroad in Swiss francs, the relevant processing fee is shown separately on the monthly invoice along with the exchange rate and the fee amount expressed as a percentage.

Sales outlets abroad (e.g. retail stores) and online shops (e.g. mail order suppliers, Internet sellers) run by vendors based abroad are regarded as foreign points of sale. Please consult the vendor’s general terms and conditions for information on where that vendor is based.

Any customer who possesses a card from Viseca Card Services SA can make cashless payments at over 43 million locations worldwide. If your card is lost or stolen, it will be replaced – unlike cash. Cardholders can take advantage of attractive additional services such as a high-quality insurance package, “one” digital service, a payment-by-instalments option and the surprize rewards programme. Cardholders who fulfil their duty of care are not liable for financial damages. For foreign currency transactions with the card, Viseca Card Services SA applies an exchange rate that is more favourable than the banknote rate used for cash transactions.

Any transaction paid for in Swiss francs using a card in Swiss francs from a foreign acceptance point is regarded as a transaction abroad in Swiss francs. This can either be a transaction abroad involving a direct currency conversion into Swiss francs or a transaction in Swiss francs on a foreign website (online or app purchases).

Many Internet vendors give the visual impression that they are based in Switzerland (e.g. “.ch” domain). Check whether online shops with the “.ch” domain belong to companies based in Switzerland. Please consult the vendor’s general terms and conditions for information on where that vendor is based.

You will find the fee schedule under Downloads.

The CVC/CVV code is a card verification number. Every payment card has one. The purpose of this verification number is to combat the fraudulent use of forged or stolen card details in online transactions. The CVC/CVV code is a three-digit number combination that is printed (not embossed) on the back of the card. It can only be verified by the card issuer, because it is not mathematically related to the card number in any way. In connection with online transactions, but also for reservations (hotel, car hire etc.) that you make either online or by phone, the service provider may require you to provide this code in order to process payment via your card.

The cash withdrawal limit is determined on a individual basis and can be a maximum of 40% of your credit card limit per invoice period. Please contact customer services for details of your cash withdrawal limit.

Fees vary depending on your card, the location and whether you withdraw cash from an ATM or a bank counter. For details, see the fee schedule.

Fees for credit cards and PrePaid cards

Fees for commercial cards

Your cash withdrawal limit is set individually by your bank. For information, please contact you bank directly.

When making a contactless payment, you hold your card just a few centimetres away from a payment terminal that has the contactless feature enabled. You neither have to insert the card into the terminal, nor do you have to touch the terminal. Wireless technology (near-field communication/NFC) enables the relevant payment data to be transmitted in encrypted form.

"In Switzerland: You do not need to enter your PIN code for amounts under CHF 80. For amounts of CHF 80 or more, you will have to enter your PIN code or provide your signature. Please note what it says on the display.

Abroad: You do need to enter your PIN code for small amounts. The threshold varies from country to country. In the EU, for example, you do not need to enter your PIN code for amounts under EUR 25."

If your card has the contactless symbol, you can use it for contactless payments immediately without the need for you to sign up for it.

Kontaktlos-Symbol

Payment terminals showing the following symbol:

No, you can make as many contactless payments as you wish.

A card with the contactless function enables you to benefit from all the advantages of a normal card while making contactless payments at the same time. Simply hold your card against the contactless symbol (situated on the display or on the side of the payment terminal) for a few seconds, and your payment will be confirmed. You do not have enter your PIN or provide your signature for amounts under CHF 80.

Simple

Pay with just one hand movement. If your card and the payment terminal both have the contactless symbol, it means that you can make a contactless payment.

Kontaktlos-Symbol auf Terminal

Kontaktlos-Symbol auf Karte

Secure

Maximum security thanks to the dynamic encryption of transmitted data. You do not let go of your card – it remains in your hand while you make the payment. Only one payment transaction is possible per purchase, even if you hold your card against the payment terminal more than once in succession. For amounts of CHF 80 or more, you must also enter your PIN or provide your signature. Cardholders who fulfil their duty of care are not liable for financial damages.

Quick

Paying without entering your PIN takes only a few seconds. No need to search for coins or notes anymore. No waiting for change.

Making a contactless payment is just as secure as making a card payment without the contactless facility:

• Your card remains in your hand while you make the payment.

• To make a payment, you must hold your card a few centimetres (less than 4 cm) away from the payment terminal.

• It is only possible to effect one payment transaction per purchase.

• No personal data is transmitted (e.g. name of cardholder).

• Contactless payments without authentication are only possible for amounts up to CHF 80. Payments over CHF 80 automatically involve authentication, i.e. the cardholder must enter their PIN code or provide their signature.

• As in the case of cards without the contactless function, the merchant must first enable the payment. This prevents any unwanted payment.

As in the case of other forms of payment, it is not possible to guarantee complete protection against fraud. However, if you fulfil your duty of care as a cardholder, Viseca will cover any damages arising from the fraudulent use of your card by third parties.

Your duty of care as a cardholder essentially consists of the following:

• Checking your invoices and informing us in writing of any discrepancies within 30 days.

• Keeping your PIN secret (not writing it down or disclosing it to third parties).

• Keeping your card in a safe place.

• Instructing Viseca to block your card immediately if it becomes lost.

No. The security technology integrated into the card chip means that this is not possible. For every payment, the card generates a unique cryptogram (based on the secret cryptographic key on the transaction counter chip card and a number randomly generated by the terminal) for the purpose of validating the data. Further information on data protection is available here.

"It works just like a normal card payment. However, your card does not have to be inserted into the payment terminal. You will see the amount payable on the payment terminal display. Hold your card a few centimetres (less than 4 cm) away from the contactless symbol located either on the display or on the side of the payment terminal. An acoustic and/or visual signal will confirm the payment within a few seconds – and then you’re good to go."

Learn more

To enable communication between the payment terminal and your card in encrypted form, you must hold your card no more than four centimetres away from the terminal’s contactless payment reader. This will also prevent the payment amount being incorrectly debited to any other card that happens to be in the vicinity.

Any transaction that is not settled in the card currency is referred to as a foreign currency transaction.

For every foreign currency transaction, the exchange rate, conversion date and processing fee are stated on the monthly bill and in “one”.

The processing fee varies depending on the card. For details, see the summary of fees.

Fees for credit cards and Prepaid cards

Fees for commercial cards

The exchange rates are set daily by Viseca Card Services SA and fixed once daily at the same time of day. When setting the exchange rate it takes the usual market sources as a guide. 

The relevant date is the date that the card organisation (Mastercard/Visa) uses for the conversion of foreign currencies. This conversion date can be found on your monthly bill.

Any payment in a foreign currency (i.e. currency other than the card currency) incurs a processing fee. The fee schedule provides an overview of the fees that are payable.

What are points of sale and how are they identified? Points of sale or contractual partners are any type of business or operator, e.g. department store, shop, petrol station or car park, at which you pay for goods or services with your card. The Mastercard and Visa logos normally indicate that your card will be accepted.

You can change your PIN code at any time at any ATM in Switzerland (except Postomats). Avoid choosing numerical combinations that are easy to guess, e.g. dates of birth, phone numbers or car registrations. Keep your PIN code secret and never write it down, even in encrypted form.

You can look up the PIN code in the “one” app or order it from Customer Service by phone.

Memorise your PIN code and never write it down. Choose a numerical combination that is not easy to guess. Always cover your PIN code when you enter it, and never disclose it to third parties. In the event of theft or loss, have your card blocked immediately (24-hour card blocking service, phone +41 58 958 83 83). If you own a prepaid card, please call +41 900 773 729 (CHF 1 per call).

Payment terminals increasingly require you to enter your PIN code instead of providing your signature. It is therefore important that you know your PIN code and can enter it when requested, because your payments cannot be processed otherwise. Paying by PIN code is quicker, more convenient and more secure. Further information about card security

If you have a six-digit PIN code: 

ATMs in some countries only accept four-digit PINs, in which case transactions will normally work if you enter the first four digits of your six-digit PIN. If entering the first four digits of your PIN does not work, please try a different ATM or go to a bank counter.

If you have a four-digit PIN code: 

ATMs in some countries only accept six-digit PINs, in which case transactions will normally work if you enter your four-digit PIN. Under no circumstances should you add random digits to your four-digit PIN to create a six-digit PIN, as this will result in the wrong PIN being entered. If entering your four-digit PIN does not work, please try a different ATM or go to a bank counter. 

Security while travelling

Mastercard cards issued by Viseca can receive such payments, but sending them is not yet possible.

Receiving payments on a Mastercard card account is totally free of charge. There is no fee for the recipient.

The charges for the sender depend on the service provider or the company that issued the sender's card.

Mastercard MoneySend makes it possible to credit a Mastercard account (for a credit, debit or prepaid card) via the existing payments system infrastructure.

No, it is not possible to lift blocks on cards.

Blocking costs vary according to the card product. Blocking a credit or prepaid card is either free or costs a maximum of CHF 10, depending on the card product. The replacement card is either free or costs a maximum of CHF 20, depending on the card product.

Fee schedule for credit and prepaid cards

Fee schedule for commercial cards

You normally receive a replacement card within two working days if you are in Switzerland, and within three to six working days if you are abroad. To deliver abroad, we need the exact address of your whereabouts as well as a phone number that our courier can contact you on. The address has to be valid for at least the following six working days.

Via Viseca customer service or, in the event of theft or loss, via the 24-hour card blocking service.

Customer service: phone +41 58 958 84 00

24-hour card blocking service: phone +41 58 958 83 83

For prepaid card(s): phone +41 900 773 729 (CHF 1 per call)

For credit and prepaid cards, a replacement card is either free or costs a maximum of CHF 20, depending on the card product. For details, see the fee schedule.

Fee schedule for credit and prepaid cards
Fee schedule for commercial cards

Order a replacement card directly in the “one” app or call our customer service. You can continue using the damaged card to make online transactions and mobile payments. The card number and PIN code for the replacement code remain the same.

Many online-Shops in Switzerland and abroad use 3-D Secure. The Visa Secure and Mastercard® Identity Check™ logos will indicate whether an online shop offers 3-D Secure. Whenever you make a payment in an online shop offering 3-D Secure, an input mask appears in which you have to enter your personal 3-D Secure. A security message that you chose when you signed up confirms that Viseca is checking your password. If you are already logged in to "one" digital service, you can carry out the verification procedure via the "one" app or the "one" SMS code. The existing password authentication procedure will now be replaced by the "one" app or SMS code procedure. In order to continue using your credit, prepaid and business card for online payments, you will need to register for "one" digital service (3-D Secure).

You must be registered in order to purchase from online shops that apply the 3-D Secure standard. To continue to use your Viseca credit, debit or prepaid card wherever you choose online, you must register your card for “one” using the registration code.

Please forward phishing e-mails immediately and without comment to internetsecurity@viseca.ch. Viseca Card Services SA works closely with international card companies Mastercard and Visa, national authorities, and anti-phishing specialists, using every means at its disposal to combat phishing. Any specific e-mail notifications that you send us help to remove offending websites from the Internet.

Such an e-mail will typically ask you to enter, confirm or verify your card details. Phishing e-mails and websites often look deceptively similar to the genuine e-mails and websites. The e-mails will usually contain links. Never click on these links. Phishing e-mails are sent randomly to both Viseca and non-Viseca customers, and are intended as a means of stealing card information. Such data breaches can never originate from Viseca Card Services SA. Phishing websites look deceptively similar to the original websites that they are mimicking, and phishing e-mails often request the recipient to log in using their personal details. The website addresses of phishing sites may differ only very slightly from those of their bona fide counterparts. Such differences (e.g. a letter here or there) are not always easy to spot.

Further information

Sign your card immediately upon receipt. Cover your PIN code when you enter it, and never write it down. Never pass on your credit card, prepaid card or debit card details for information purposes. If your card is lost or stolen, call the Viseca 24-hour card blocking service immediately. Further information

Phishing is a fraudulent practice that criminals use to acquire confidential data. It often involves the criminal sending spoof e-mails with links to fake websites that are only recognisable as such on closer inspection. The intention is to trick you into entering sensitive data such as your credit, prepaid or debit card information or login details for protected areas such as “one”.

Viseca will never send any e-mails that ask you to confirm or enter personal data or credit card details (e.g. in order to lift the block on a credit card or login procedure). The only exception to this rule are e-mails that allow you to register for the surprize rewards programme or for the “one” digital service. Such e-mails will address you by your last name. However, Viseca will never include links to the websites concerned. Instead, you will always be asked to enter both website addresses in your browser manually. The links provided are for https-encrypted sites with a Viseca digital certificate. The “https” at the beginning of the URL and the padlock in the browser line indicate that the website is encrypted. Our links all belong to Swiss “.ch” domains.

Contact our cancellation centre immediately in order to place a block on the card in question. If you have also disclosed your “one” access data, please mention this to our staff and have your existing “one” account blocked. You can create a new account at any time. We would be grateful if you would forward the phishing e-mail to internetsecurity@viseca.ch.

As is the case with other methods of payment, there is no such thing as total security when it comes to card fraud. However, if you fulfil your duty of care as a cardholder (e.g. immediate blocking of any stolen card), Viseca will cover any damages arising from the fraudulent use of your card by third parties.

Your duty of care as a cardholder essentially consists of the following:

• Check your invoices and informing us in writing of any discrepancies within 30 days.

• Keep your PIN secret (not writing it down or disclosing it to third parties).

• Keep your card in a safe place.

• Instruct Viseca to block your card immediately if it is lost.

Only use your card for purchases from vendors you trust. Indications as to whether you can trust the vendor include clear information about data encryption as well as the provider’s postal address, e-mail address, phone number and general terms and conditions. Print out your order or the merchant’s homepage, or make a note of the URL. Keep all documents in a safe place. Make sure that you shop on websites that display “https” in the URL. When you are on an “https” website, your browser will include the padlock icon in the browser toolbar. When paying online, use the 3-D Secure facility if the website allows this. When making purchases, always check the merchant’s general terms and conditions before entering your payment card information and concluding your order. Certain services often roll over automatically. You should also take into account the applicable notice periods for terminating these services.

Never enter sensitive data on publicly accessible computers (e.g. in internet cafés), either when placing orders or when accessing “one”. Your data may be stored via keyloggers, for example.

Check the URL. Wherever possible, open specific websites via the bookmarks you have made for them.

Keep all proof of your purchase, e.g. e-mails, postal receipts and courier receipts. You will need this documentation if you encounter any discrepancies or want your money back. If the delivered product does not correspond to your order (discrepancy, defect, incorrect delivery), you will have to prove this accordingly – involving the input of an independent, certified third party (e.g. specialist store, expert) if necessary.

If you cannot reach an agreement directly with your contractual partner, you must notify Viseca in writing of any unjustified debit within 30 days of the date of the invoice (or of the card statement, in the case of a debit card), enclosing documentary evidence to this effect (e-mails, letters, details of phone calls, receipts etc.).

You can find our claim form here:

Objecting to a transaction

Fill in a disputed transaction claimform in the event of your card being lost or stolen.

You can see the date of your next bill in “one”. The bill date depends on which credit card you possess and which payment method you have chosen (direct debit or payment slip).

If your bill amounts to no more than CHF/EUR/USD 50, including credit or repayments, you will only receive a statement once every two months. If the total transactions are below CHF/EUR/USD 70, statements will also be sent once every two months.

In "one" digital service your credit card bills and the statements for your prepaid card covering the last 24 months as PDFs. If you need a copy of a bill or statement that is older than 24 months, you can request it using the contact form. Copies ordered via the contact form are sent to you by post.

Monthly bills are not sent by e-mail for security reasons. As a cardholder, you can only access the “one” digital service and therefore your personal data by completing multiple security steps.

A card surcharge is directly related to the mode of payment selected. It is added to the purchase price as a fee for your card payment and, as a rule, is shown separately on the merchant’s invoice. However, the surcharge is part of the transaction and is therefore not shown separately on the monthly bill or account statement for your credit or prepaid card or debit transactions.

No. If a merchant in Switzerland imposes a surcharge in direct connection with the use of a credit card or a debit card as the means of payment, then the merchant is breaching the rules of the international card companies Mastercard and Visa. These prohibit merchants from imposing such surcharges.

In Switzerland there is no law that prohibits the imposition of a surcharge because of the means of payment used. However, the Federal Competition Commission (WEKO) has ruled that the card companies (Mastercard and Visa), can enforce their licensing rules in Switzerland, and these rules prohibit the imposition of card surcharges by merchants.

The card surcharge is added to the selling price by the merchant.

Yes, the card issuer can claim prohibited surcharges imposed on card payments in Switzerland back from the relevant merchant's payment processor.

The form "Objection concerning a credit card surcharge" is available here. The form must be accompanied by a copy of the invoice or a booking or order confirmation which shows the credit card surcharge. The completed and signed form and accompanying documents should be sent to Viseca Card Services SA within 30 days of the invoice date.

The following requirements must be met for a refund claim to be made:

• The charge that is contested must be an explicitly declared surcharge for payment using a credit card which is not imposed when payment is made by another means.

• The country in which the transaction was made must be Switzerland.

• The written objection must be accompanied by a copy of the invoice or a booking or order confirmation which shows the credit card surcharge.

• The fully completed objection form must be submitted to Viseca Card Services SA within 30 days of the invoice date.

Viseca Card Services SA will verify the objection, reclaim the amount in question from the merchant’s billing agent and credit the amount back to the cardholder’s account.

If all the requirements are met, the fee/surcharge will be refunded.

Fees and surcharges that are imposed by the merchants in connection with order processing, dispatch, delivery and service provision and any additional services (e.g. seat reservations with airlines) and are accepted by the cardholder cannot be claimed back.

Fees imposed by the card issuers (e.g. processing fees for transactions abroad and/or foreign currency transactions) which are shown separately on the monthly statement are also excluded from refund claims

A refund claim can only be made in the case of transactions relating to card payments on which a prohibited surcharge was imposed by a merchant in Switzerland. Other countries have different provisions which may allow surcharges.

Ask customer services to provide you with our bank direct debit form.

Phone +41 58 958 84 00 Fax +41 58 958 88 85. If your card was issued by a partner bank, please contact your bank directly.

The payment-by-instalments option is free of charge and will only be activated by Viseca once a successful credit check has been carried out. Please contact customer services if you wish to take advantage of the payment-by-instalments option. Once the necessary documentation has been submitted, the credit check takes around two to three weeks. If you have a co-issued card (i.e. if your card was issued by a partner bank), please contact your bank directly.

Further information

The portion of the monthly invoice that remains unpaid, together with your expenditure in
 the following month, may not exceed the agreed credit limit. The minimum amount that 
you must pay immediately will appear on each invoice (at least 5% of the invoice amount,
or CHF/EUR/USD 100). You pay this minimum amount – or a higher amount of your choice – using the QR bill provided.

You need a card account number in order to log in to 3-D Secure when paying for an online purchase, and to register for the surprize bonus scheme.

Your card account number appears on every monthly invoice. It is also shown in the "one" portal.

Generate your personal QR payment section using our QR generator and transfer the desired amount using the data generated. Your card will be ready to use again within 2 working days of your payment. 

Always use your personal details from the QR bill. If you do not know this information, generate your personalised QR payment section. These details are required to credit your payment to your card account with Viseca quickly and efficiently (2 working days after the transfer). 

From 1 October 2022, only the QR IBAN and QR reference number from the new QR bill can be processed. If the data from the old payment slip (ESR) bill (IBAN/reference number) are still stored in payment tools, these can no longer be processed. The payment will be rejected and will not reach Viseca. Update the data now.

You can easily create your QR payment section yourself with the QR generator.

You can order the QR payment section conveniently in your "one" web account under the payment details. If you are not registered in "one", please click here.