Credit Card FAQs

A credit card is a card issued by the Bank that can be used to make purchases on credit.

The difference between a credit card and a debit card is where the money is deducted from when a purchase is made. The debit card debits the transaction amount directly from the account. But with a credit card, the transaction amount is deducted from the credit limit.

Republic Bank (Suriname) N.V. issues Visa classic credit cards, Visa Gold credit cards and Visa Business credit cards. Visit our website: https://republicbanksr.com for more information about these different types of credit cards.

The Republic Bank credit card is issued for a period of three (3) years.

The annual membership fee is the fee that the cardholder pays for having a credit card. For detailed information about our Republic Bank credit card membership fees for each type of credit card, please visit our website https://republicbanksr.com.

Each type of credit card has specific benefits. You can find the benefits specific to your credit card on the following website: https://visabenefitslac.axa-assistance.us/.

To pay with your credit card for a purchase you are advised to follow these steps:

• Your credit card is ‘dipped’ in the slot of the POS machine.
• The amount to be paid is entered.
• The POS terminal will prompt for the PIN.
• Enter your 4 digit credit card PIN on the POS terminal.
• Pull out the card once the transaction is complete.

• Make sure you are using a secure site while making payments through the internet. Look for a lock icon in the status bar of your web browser. This icon indicates that a site is employing an encryption technology during the transmission of your sensitive data.
• Verify if the website accepts credit cards issued by Caribbean countries.
• Never respond to phishing e-mails that falsely claim to be from a Bank and ask you to disclose your personal and Bank related confidential details. The Bank will rarely or never ask you to send your personal Banking details.
• Avoid logging in to your personal Internet Banking account via public computers such as internet cafe’s.
• After the online payment has been completed, make sure you log out and close the browser.

The "Card Verification Value" (CVV) is the 3-digit code on the back of your credit card. This code is usually required when conducting online transactions.

Electronic Banking such as Internet Banking (RepublicOnline), Mobile Banking (RepublicMobile) and SMS Banking can be used to manage your credit card. These tools enable you to view transactions, make payments and view your outstanding and available balance.

Your credit card balance is the amount that you owe the Bank. Your credit card balance increases with every purchase and your credit card balance decreases with every payment.

A minimum payment is the minimum amount that must be settled on the credit card to ensure that the credit card does not show arrears.

Making a payment on your credit card is easy anytime and anywhere with RepublicOnline, RepublicMobile or SMS Banking.

Your credit card statement is available in RepublicOnline:

• Log in via RepublicOnline.
• Select ‘E-statements'.
• Select Credit Card.
• Select the Credit Card account.

All statements older than 10 months can be requested by visiting any of our Republic Bank branches.

If the credit card statement is not received at least 30 days after the transaction date, kindly visit one of our Republic Bank Branches to submit a complaint. Please refer to our ‘Credit card conditions of use’ on our website: https://republicbanksr.com for more information.

Unknown transactions on your statement can be disputed within 90 days from the transaction date at the nearest Republic Bank Branch. For more information, please refer to our “credit card conditions of use” available on our website.

For urgent 24-hour assistance, you are kindly requested to contact our 24 hours Call Center at 001-868-627-3348. During office hours, our local Customer Care department can be contacted at 597-427024 or via email online@republicbanksr.com.

If your credit card shows "restricted" indicates it may be that there has been an attempt to commit a transaction that looks suspicious. The Bank will therefore contact you to verify the transaction. If the Bank cannot reach you, the credit card will be temporarily blocked to stop the suspected unauthorized use of the credit card. When the cardholder confirms the authenticity of the transaction to the Bank, the restriction will be removed.

Feel free to contact us during working hours via telephone number 597-427024 or via email online@republicbanksr.com

Your credit card can be used for both local and international payments. There are more than 200 companies in Suriname where your Republic Bank credit card will be accepted.

A chip and PIN credit card has a built-in microchip that offers additional security against fraud. It also provides extra security when committing transactions by the required PIN code when performing transactions.

If the POS machine is a "chip" machine, entering the PIN code will be required. If it is a POS machine that still uses the "swipe" method, it is not necessary to enter your PIN code. You will then be required to sign the sale receipt as proof that you were present making the purchase.

Without a PIN you will only be able to make purchases online. You can apply for a new pin code at your nearest Republic Bank branch.

A damaged credit card can be replaced at one of our Republic Bank Branches.

One month before your credit card expires, the Bank starts creating the new credit card. Re-submitting an application is not necessary. You may request the new card in the expiry month at the nearest Republic Bank Branch in your area.

When collecting the replacement credit card, it is not necessary to hand in your expired credit card. However, for your own safety it is necessary that you properly destroy the expired credit card.

The same PIN code applies to the replacement credit card as to the replaced or expired credit card. If you wish to change this pin code, you can do this at one of our branches in your area. However, if your card was replaced because of suspicious transactions, a new PIN code will also be generated for the new credit card.

You have the following options for blocking your credit card:

• Personally visit one of our branches.
• Call the 24-hour service hotline, 001-868-627-3348.
• Call 597-427024 during office hours.

To cancel your credit card, we request you to visit one of our branches. It can take up to five business days for your credit card to be completely canceled.

A canceled credit card can be removed in RepublicOnline as follows:

• Log in to your Internet Banking account.
• Select "Other services".
• Select "New request".
• Choose option "Remove account …".
• Select the credit card you would like to remove.

If you plan to travel, you are requested to inform the Bank so that your card can be enabled for use at your destination. This is to prevent unauthorized use of your credit card. You can inform the Bank of your vacation period and the place(s) of destination by:

• Sending an email to online@republicbanksr.com
• Calling our 24 hour service hotline: 001-868-627-3348.
• Calling our Customer Care department during office hours at 597-427024.

For a temporary or permanent increase in your credit card limit, you are requested to personally visit one of our branches.

The over-limit fee is charged on the credit card the moment the card limit is exceeded. To prevent this, you are requested to closely monitor your credit card balance. At the moment of exceeding your limit, immediately make a payment that is at least equal to the excess amount. This prevents you from being charged with an overlimit fee.

Immediately after the expiry date of the temporary increase, the over-limit fee will be charged if the outstanding balance exceeds the regular limit. You can prevent this by doing a payment at the same time as the temporary increase expires. This can be done quickly, easily and securely via RepublicMobile, RepublicOnline or SMS Banking.

A payment on the credit card higher than the total outstanding balance is not allowed.

Additional payment on your credit card is allowed, as long as the payment does not exceed your outstanding balance. This is completely free via RepublicOnline, RepublicMobile and SMS Banking.

It is possible to do inquiry on your credit card balance from any ATM that accepts Visa credit cards.

The credit card is set up with an automatic payment cycle. The statement is issued every 20th of the month. The minimum amount to be paid is registered on the 21st of the month and then deducted from your account on the last working day of the month. If you made a payment to your credit card between the 20th and the last working day of the month, you are requested to exclude the minimum payment amount from the extra payment. This way you prevent the minimum payment from being duplicated.

A contactless credit card is a credit card which you tap on the POS terminal instead of dipping or swiping through the magnetic strip or placing it in the slot for a chip transaction. Contactless Credit Cards are easy, fast and secure.

Republic Bank (Suriname) N.V. does not issue contactless credit cards at the moment, but hopes to do so before the end of this year.