Why do I see multiple cards when I log in?

For every card that you apply for, you will receive both a physical card and a virtual card. Since your physical card may take several days to reach you, we provide you with a virtual card too so that you can get started straight away.

Your virtual card has a label on it to indicate which one it is:

We provide a virtual card for a couple of reasons:

If you are hesitant to use your physical card details online, you can use your virtual card details instead for an extra layer of security.
If your physical card is ever lost or stolen, we can block the physical card instantly, but you still have the virtual card to use in the meantime until your replacement arrives.
While you wait for your physical card to arrive, you can start spending using your virtual card. You can use the virtual card details to make online transactions, and you can add the virtual card to your Mobile Wallet (e.g. Apple Pay) to start using it in stores.

Why is my physical card Pending Activation but the virtual card is already Active?

Your virtual card details are accessible and useable as soon as you log into the App or Web portal for the first time. You don’t need to activate this card; it was activated as soon as you logged in.

For security reasons and to make sure that nobody else can use your card if it gets lost in the post, you need to activate your physical card once you have it in your possession.

When your physical card arrives, you’ll find a sticker with an activation code on the card. Use this code to activate your card in the App or online portal and then you can peel it off and discard it.

How does my Virtual card work?

Your virtual card works just like any other card when making online transactions. It has a 16-digit card number (known as a PAN), an expiry date and a CVV code.

You can view your virtual card details by tapping on the image of your card and then tapping on the button above.

You can copy the 16-digit card number directly and then paste it into an online checkout window.

When will my Physical card arrive?

Most physical cards are dispatched within 2 days after your order is placed. Cards are dispatched via Royal Mail 1^st Class post.

My Physical card hasn’t arrived, and I think it should have by now

If your card has not arrived after 10 days, please alert your bank or call Customer Support on +44 (0) 207 166 4000 and we’ll arrange for a replacement card to be sent out.

You can also report a card Lost in the app or online portal with the reason “Card did not arrive” and we’ll send you a replacement.

How do I activate my Physical card?

When your physical card arrives, you’ll find a sticker with an activation code on the card. Use this code to activate your card in the App or online portal and then you can peel it off and discard it.

Alternatively, you can contact Customer Support on +44 (0) 207 166 4000 and they’ll activate it for you after confirming that you have it in your possession.

Can I use Apple Pay?

Yes, both your physical and virtual cards are Apple Pay enabled.

The tokenized card must be in an Active status to use Apple Pay. If your card is suspended or blocked for any reason, you will not be able to use Apple Pay.

The easiest way to add your card to Apple Pay is to log in to the Santander International Charge Card App and click the “Add to Apple Wallet” button.

Alternatively, you can open the Apple Wallet app and tap the “+” sign in the top right corner. This allows you to manually input your card details and add the card to the wallet.

Can I use Google Pay?

Your card is not yet enabled for Google Pay but we expect this to launch in the first half of 2024.

Where can I find my PIN?

Within the App or Web portal you can access your PIN by tapping on your Physical card and then choosing “Security” from the menu below. Within this section there is a “View PIN” button that lets you view your PIN on screen.

Please memorise your PIN and don’t write it down anywhere. You can come back to the App or online portal any time that you would like to check it.

Your virtual card does not require a PIN as it can only be used online or via a mobile wallet.

Where can I view my transactions?

You can view your transactions in the Activity section of the App or online portal.

This section shows you three types of transactions:

Posted Transactions – These are transactions that were authorised successfully and have been posted to your account. Your balance and available balance will both reflect these transactions, and you will see them on your monthly statement.

Pending Transactions – When you first authorise a transaction, there’s often a short window in which the transaction is being processed and posted to your account. During this time you will see the transaction in the Pending section and then after a day or two it will generally move to Posted. When a hotel or car rental company places a pre-authorisation on your card, this will also appear as a Pending transaction and your available balance will be reduced accordingly. This charge will disappear when the hotel or car rental company cancels the pre-authorisation. If they don’t cancel the charge, it will disappear anyway after 30 days, and it won’t appear on your monthly statement.

Declined Transactions – If you ever attempt a transaction and it is rejected, you will see it in the Declined Transactions tab. If you tap on the transaction, a screen with more details will open, providing a reason (e.g. insufficient available spending limit). You can also contact our customer service team for more information.

There are a couple of exceptions in which you may not see a reason in the app or online:

If the merchant’s terminal has declined the transaction without sending the authorisation request to us, you will not see a declined transaction in the app. In this case, it’s worth asking the merchant if you can try again on another terminal.
If you have entered the wrong PIN three times and blocked your card, then the authorisation request won’t reach our system. We recommend checking your PIN in the app and if you think you may have blocked the PIN, visit an ATM and follow the “PIN Services” option to unblock your PIN.

I think I’ve lost my card – what should I do?

If you think you’ve lost your card but aren’t sure, please suspend your card instantly in the app or online. You can do this by tapping on the card, choosing Security and then suspending the card.

This ensures that your card is safely locked until you’ve had a chance to look for the card.

If you then find the card, you can unsuspend it instantly by following the same steps.

If you cannot find the card, it’s important that you let us know straight away. You can do this by reporting the card Lost in the app or by calling our Customer Support team on +44 (0) 207 166 4000. The card will be blocked, and we’ll arrange a replacement card for you.

I think my card has been stolen – what should I do?

When you become aware that your card has been Stolen, it’s important that you report it to us immediately.

You can do this by reporting the card Stolen in the app or by calling our Customer Support team on +44 (0) 207 166 4000. The card will be blocked, we’ll arrange a replacement card for you and ensure that no transactions have been made by unauthorised parties.

I damaged my card and would like to arrange a replacement

If you have damaged your physical card and would like to arrange a replacement, you can tap on the card in question in the app or online portal and then select “Request New Card”. Choose the reason “Damaged Card” and we’ll arrange to send you a replacement.

Your existing card won’t be blocked until you have activated your new card so you can continue to use it until the new card arrives. Please make sure that once your new card arrives, you cut up the old card, specifically cutting through the chip and dispose of it.

There are transactions on my account that I didn’t make – what should I do?

If you see transactions on your account that you didn’t make, please suspend your card immediately in the app or online portal to ensure that no further unauthorised transactions can be made. Our Customer Support team can also do this for you if you call them.

Once the card has been suspended, please talk to our Customer Support team who will ask you to provide them with details of the transactions in question and escalate your case to our Fraud Prevention team who will get in touch with you to discuss the next steps.

I’d like to increase or decrease my Spending Limit

Please contact your Bank if you would like to discuss making a change to your Spending Limit. Once your Bank has authorised the change, you will receive a notification letting you know that your new limit is in effect.

I’m planning to make a large or out-of-the-ordinary transaction and I’m worried that it won’t go through

We’re here to help. If you’re planning to make purchases that you think may be outside of your normal spending patterns (i.e. a larger transaction or a lot of transactions in quick succession), just let us know - either via your Bank or by calling Customer Support. If we know in advance, we can make sure that your extraordinary transactions are accepted seamlessly.

My card has a status on it that I don’t recognise, what does it mean?

The following statuses are the most common statuses to see in the App or online portal.

Pending Activation	Seen on new cards that have not yet been activated. You need to activate your card before starting to use it.
Active	Your card is Active and can be used.
Suspended by User	You have suspended your own card in the Security section of the app. You can also unsuspend the card in the same place.
Inactive	Your Bank has placed a temporary block on your card. Contact them if you would like to query this.
Cancelled	Your card was reported Lost in transit. A replacement card is being issued to replace the Cancelled card.
Lost	Your card has been marked Lost.
Stolen	Your card has been marked Stolen.
Closed Terminated	Your Bank has closed your card account. Please contact them if you would like to query this.

If you see another status and have questions about the status of your card, please contact your Bank, or our Customer Support team on +44 (0) 207 166 4000.

I’d like to cancel my card

If you would like to cancel your card, please get in touch with your Bank. They’ll be able to make the necessary arrangements for you and we’ll cancel your card as soon as we receive the instruction from them.

Who is the issuer of my card?

Your Santander International Charge Card is issued by AF Payments Limited, part of the Accomplish group, pursuant to a licence by Mastercard International.

Privacy Policy