You are so right, ridiculous. I am having to make almost daily trips to HSBC machines (for some reason have not been able to use more readily available Bradesco machines for a year now with my main cdn debit card-it will not read the chip properly ).

Imagine tourists trying to withdraw 800 or 1000 and getting the over daily limit slip; not knowing to try a 300 R withdrawal.

Assuming this policy restriction does not change I will have to bring in larger US dollar amounts and do the cambio thing. Or are they going to restrict cambio exchanges as well?!

If it is a government or bank oversight move to reduce fraud I can think of many more areas of Brazilian workings that could afford scrutiny.