How to pay using Android phone's NFC/tap-to-pay abroad?

[skywatcher404]

I have an Android phone and in India, I use the Google Pay app to pay at POS machines with my credit card (HDFC Infinia) using NFC. Until some months ago, I was able to use abroad as well. But this time, on my international visit, Google Pay is not letting me pay using the card (I am able to pay using the physical card though). Have others encountered this issue? How are you paying abroad using the phone's NFC?

 

[narun2001]

I was able to use Google Pay's NFC 2 weeks back. Although I have noticed several times that it's mostly a hit or a miss. Even though you haven't crossed the set NFC international limit and are trying for a small transaction, it might fail in some machines.

 

[skywatcher404]

I was able to use Google Pay's NFC 2 weeks back. Although I have noticed several times that it's mostly a hit or a miss. Even though you haven't crossed the set NFC international limit and are trying for a small transaction, it might fail in some machines.

My problem in fact precedes your issues. When I open the Google Pay app (currently in the UK) and want to see the credit cards I have added, I get the message "Can't show payment methods. Something went wrong".

 

[Deleted member 11974]

download the google pay wallet for uk and try adding

 

[skywatcher404]

download the google pay wallet for uk and try adding

How do I download the apps for UK? I'm based in India, so I guess my Play Store is linked to India. Can't see the Google Wallet app at all, the Google Pay app is the Indian version only.
I'll try the Paytm app and add my card there

 

[narun2001]

My problem in fact precedes your issues. When I open the Google Pay app (currently in the UK) and want to see the credit cards I have added, I get the message "Can't show payment methods. Something went wrong".

Ideally, once you have added the card in the app and have enabled NFC payments, you need not open the app to make payment using NFC. Just bringing the mobile near the POS terminal should do. Couple of years back, when I was in the UK, I remember not being able to make any transactions using UPI to India while I was there and had trouble using the app. However, since the NFC card setup was already done, I was still able to make the payments directly using NFC. I never had any trouble using it for TFL buses at least.

 

[skywatcher404]

Ideally, once you have added the card in the app and have enabled NFC payments, you need not open the app to make payment using NFC. Just bringing the mobile near the POS terminal should do. Couple of years back, when I was in the UK, I remember not being able to make any transactions using UPI to India while I was there and had trouble using the app. However, since the NFC card setup was already done, I was still able to make the payments directly using NFC. I never had any trouble using it for TFL buses at least.

Agreed, there's no need to open the app. I opened the app only to try figure the issue after failed NFC payments. There the credit card page is crashing. It is as if Google has made a change in how their Google Pay and Google Wallets work, and they didn't handle this one edge case.

 

[narun2001]

Agreed, there's no need to open the app. I opened the app only to try figure the issue after failed NFC payments. There the credit card page is crashing. It is as if Google has made a change in how their Google Pay and Google Wallets work, and they didn't handle this one edge case.

That's very likely. In fact, I was also wondering how it would behave abroad after the wallets change. And during the trip 2 weeks back, it worked the same as before(not being very consistent). And even I was able to make UPI transactions also from abroad. Not sure why it's happening for you 🙁 One suggestion I can think of is trying to use CRED for NFC payments. There's an option to add cards and make CRED the default app for NFC payments. Please try that and update how it goes.

 

[skywatcher404]

That's very likely. In fact, I was also wondering how it would behave abroad after the wallets change. And during the trip 2 weeks back, it worked the same as before(not being very consistent). And even I was able to make UPI transactions also from abroad. Not sure why it's happening for you 🙁 One suggestion I can think of is trying to use CRED for NFC payments. There's an option to add cards and make CRED the default app for NFC payments. Please try that and update how it goes.

My HDFC credit card won't add to the CRED app, but I'll try the Paytm app and update here

 

[sidp]

I have an Android phone and in India, I use the Google Pay app to pay at POS machines with my credit card (HDFC Infinia) using NFC. Until some months ago, I was able to use abroad as well. But this time, on my international visit, Google Pay is not letting me pay using the card (I am able to pay using the physical card though). Have others encountered this issue? How are you paying abroad using the phone's NFC?

Samsung pay works. Visa also has own wallet to save and pay via nfc

 

[skywatcher404]

Samsung pay works. Visa also has own wallet to save and pay via nfc

Does Samsung Pay work for non Samsung phones too? And could you share a link for the Visa wallet?

 

[sidp]

Does Samsung Pay work for non Samsung phones too? And could you share a link for the Visa wallet?

It works with samsung phones only( s series and a series with core one ui mostly). Some lower variants might work but not sure.

I don't use the visa one. But saw an ad for visa partner digital wallet to save visa card to pay via nfc. In play store there is visa commercial pay. But I think that is different.

 

[Deleted member 11974]

How do I download the apps for UK? I'm based in India, so I guess my Play Store is linked to India. Can't see the Google Wallet app at all, the Google Pay app is the Indian version only.
I'll try the Paytm app and add my card there

try via vpn
and download the Uk google pay wallet

 

[makman]

Does anyone know if this NFC payment via Gpay works abroad now? Have an international trip upcoming just wanted to be sure