Payments & currency servicesVirtual cards and billing address: a guide to paying online
A virtual card is issued for online payments and usually includes a card number, expiry date and CVV. Many websites also ask for a billing address in addition to these details.
What is a billing address?
The billing address is the address the card issuer has registered for the card. It isn’t necessarily where you currently are, and it must be entered exactly as provided with the card.
Which fields matter?
- Cardholder name, if provided
- Country and city
- Street and number
- Postcode or ZIP code
- Phone number, if the store requires it
Why is a payment declined?
Common reasons include an address mismatch, store country restrictions, international payments being disabled, insufficient funds or the site’s security checks. Some sites don’t accept prepaid or virtual cards.
Before you pay
Work out the final price, taxes and any fees. The card should have slightly more than the final amount available. Enter card details only on trusted sites with an HTTPS connection.
Conclusion
Don’t guess the billing address; use exactly the details you received with the card. Before ordering a virtual card, also tell us the destination website and exact amount so the right type can be chosen.
