When making a purchase at a chip-enabled terminal, simply insert your chip card into the terminal instead of swiping it. Depending on the store or the type of purchase, you may also be asked to enter your PIN. It is very common during purchases in countries outside of the United States for retailers to request customers to provide their PIN. Because PIN-verified transactions are so prevalent in countries outside of the United States, it is essential to know your PIN when traveling internationally.

Please note that for most purchases in the United States, you will only be asked to provide your signature. If you are asked to provide your PIN, your card will remain in the terminal during the entire transaction and when it is complete, you’ll be prompted to remove your card from the chip terminal.