I recently applied for and got my GTBank Dollar MasterCard and it has been a breath of fresh air. In recent times, it has been very difficult making transactions in foreign currencies in Nigeria due to restrictions on spending limits by banks.
Just over a week ago, GTBank and other banks like UBA and Zenith bank raised the monthly spending limit on its Naira MasterCard to $1000, an upgrade from the previous $100 limit. Even with this new development, there are still some limitations to the Naira MasterCard as it does not work with PayPal anymore. If you are making a payment on foreign websites that charges in dollars, banks like GTBank charge you as much as N380 to $1. If you receiving a wire transfer in dollars to your Naira account, GTBank sells to you in Naira for as low as N315; with explanations above it makes every sense to open a Dollar account and have a Dollar MasterCard
How to Get GTBank Dollar MasterCard in Nigeria – Requirements
First of all, since it’s a Dollar debit card you need to domiciliary account to allow you receive funds in foreign currencies. You need to open a domiciliary account first to get a dollar card; if you do not have one click here to see the full procedure on how to open a domiciliary account with GTBank and other banks in Nigeria.
Now that you have a Dom account, follow the procedures below:
Visit any GTBank branch closest to you and ask for the Accounts/Customer Service unit.
Tell them you want a Dollar Card. You will be given a GTBank Dollar MasterCard form to fill. Fill the form immediately and give it back.
Please note – You must have a minimum of $50 in your domiciliary account for you to request for a Dollar Card.
Your GTBank Dollar MasterCard will be ready after 3 working days; you will be sent an SMS to come pickup at the bank.
How to activate GTBank Dollar Debit MasterCard
Immediately when you pick up the new Dollar MasterCard you will be given a pin paper and an envelope with instructions just like when you are collecting a new Naira debit card. You will be required to call GTConnect immediately to activate the card. In my case, there is a toll free land line inside the bank which I used to call GTconnect.
A GTBank rep will speak to you on phone and ask personal information relating to your account just to confirm if you are truly the account owner. After confirming he will tell you to use one of the ATMs in the bank to change your PIN. After this, your Dollar MasterCard is activated and ready to be used anywhere in the world and online.
GTBank Dollar MasterCard Transaction Limits and Charges
ATM Withdrawal – $1000 (or equivalent in local currency of any transaction)
ATM withdrawal fee – $3.50
Online/POS – No Limit
No limitation on spending.
$20 Annual Card Maintenance Fee
That’s how you get your GTBank Dollar Debit MasterCard. To use the Card online or anywhere, you will need to move funds to the Card using the Mobile banking app or the Internet banking platform. Henceforth, any transaction you make online will be deducted in dollars.
