How to pay additional trophy fees?

[Spooksar]

The card company prohibits these fees being passed along here in Canada and if found out the retailer won't be allowed to accept CC in the near future.

But, it's a good heads up Jaco.

Brickburn the local licence office in GP charges 3% if you use a credit card, but then they are paid by the government, dual standards for sure.

 

[KWALATA SAFARIS]

The card company prohibits these fees being passed along here in Canada and if found out the retailer won't be allowed to accept CC in the near future.

But, it's a good heads up Jaco.

For sure they do but there are countless compani s that do charge it be sure to ask this up front.

On a 20k bill it makes a huge difference. Or you could pay with a CC and then let them know that it's illeagal...
Visa and master card transaction commission through our FNB machine is 4%

My best always

 

[BRICKBURN]

Brickburn the local licence office in GP charges 3% if you use a credit card, but then they are paid by the government, dual standards for sure.

Surcharging is the practice of passing processing fees on to customers as a penalty for paying by credit card. Both Visa and MasterCard's rules generally prohibit merchants from engaging in any acceptance practice that discriminates against the use of a card-brand in favor of any other acceptance brand. A merchant may not directly or indirectly require any Visa or MasterCard cardholder to pay any fee in connection with a payment card transaction that would not be charged if another payment method was used. For example, some small restaurants and retailers require customers to pay "3% extra for credit cards". This is considered surcharging and is prohibited.

 

[Mr. 16 gauge]

Here is a stupid thought: Would it be possible for a foreign citizen to open an account in a South African bank (well in advance of ones' trip), put funds in it from an American account, and then have the money available to them in S.A. while on vacation, and then either maintain an account for the next trip or close the account afterward and have the funds wired back to an account in the states?

I know I'm probably missing something here, as it sounds to simple....................

 

[KWALATA SAFARIS]

Here is a stupid thought: Would it be possible for a foreign citizen to open an account in a South African bank (well in advance of ones' trip), put funds in it from an American account, and then have the money available to them in S.A. while on vacation, and then either maintain an account for the next trip or close the account afterward and have the funds wired back to an account in the states?

I know I'm probably missing something here, as it sounds to simple....................

You would have to negotiate a set rate with your outfitter as the rand (which) your currency will be in in South Africa is extremely unstable. It just gets complicated and why would you want to exchange a stronger currency into a week 3rd world one?

 

[BRICKBURN]

Here is a stupid thought: Would it be possible for a foreign citizen to open an account in a South African bank (well in advance of ones' trip), put funds in it from an American account, and then have the money available to them in S.A. while on vacation, and then either maintain an account for the next trip or close the account afterward and have the funds wired back to an account in the states?

I know I'm probably missing something here, as it sounds to simple....................

If you think getting guns into RSA is a pain the ass. If you should try and open a bank account in RSA you will find out what a serious PIA really is. I looked into it once. Safe to say, I do not have an account in RSA.

 

[Mr. 16 gauge]

You would have to negotiate a set rate with your outfitter as the rand (which) your currency will be in in South Africa is extremely unstable. It just gets complicated and why would you want to exchange a stronger currency into a week 3rd world one?

If you think getting guns into RSA is a pain the ass. If you should try and open a bank account in RSA you will find out what a serious PIA really is. I looked into it once. Safe to say, I do not have an account in RSA.

O.K., like I said....stupid thought and I figured it was too simple................................

 

[JimP]

For those of you seeing a 3% extra charge your CC are you sure that the outfitter or merchant is charging that or is it Visa or Mastercard charging you the foreign use fee? At least that is what I think that it is called.

I know that when I went into Canada there was a 3% surcharge on my Visa when I paid for my firearm import fee.

 

[Spooksar]

The sign in the License Center says there will be a 3% surcharge add to your bill for credit card use. So I'm sure the company is doing it, the range I belong is charged 21/2% buy Visa and MasterCard I can't see a goverment intinty been charged more then a small club.

 

[sierraone]

For those of you seeing a 3% extra charge your CC are you sure that the outfitter or merchant is charging that or is it Visa or Mastercard charging you the foreign use fee? At least that is what I think that it is called.

I know that when I went into Canada there was a 3% surcharge on my Visa when I paid for my firearm import fee.

Jim is right. When you use your U.S. base credit card to pay a bill in another currency, there is a foreign transaction fee charged by the card company. This is different from the customer fee charged by many business for the use of a credit card. There are exceptions to this. In many cases, if you hold one of the higher end Visa's or Amex, such as gold, platinum etc. There is no foreign transaction fee. You would have to check your own contract for a particular card to know if this is true. I have no idea if this is true for Canada and other countries.

 

[peras]

We accept creditcards, paypal and transfers.

 

[ActionBob]

It just gets complicated and why would you want to exchange a stronger currency into a week 3rd world one?

I thought South Africa was the 1st World Country in Africa? Or has it successfully been converted?

 

[postoak]

When you pay something to an outfitter via paypal, how much does paypal take?

 

[flatwater bill]

The $10000 legal limit for transport across borders will not always cover additional safari fees like it did 20 years ago. I have NEVER bank transferred money to South Africa without it being lost for at least a while. And my bank charges a flat $45 fee and never, ever has a clue how to do it. Moneygram, which is widely distributed in RSA, charges nine bucks, and the money is there in 10 minutes. The PH picks it up with his ID card and a code number you have given him. Bank transfers should be illegal... along with the 4% Visa card fees, reality shows and lite beer.....................JMO................................FWB

 

[sierraone]

When you pay something to an outfitter via paypal, how much does paypal take?

Postoak, my Paypal is attached to one of my credit cards and a checking account. If I pay from the checking account, there is no charge. If I use the credit card, they withhold the 3 or 4 percent of the total sent. So if you send $1000 by cc, the receiver will receive $960 or $970 depending on what that card charges for there transaction fee.

 

[sierraone]

The $10000 legal limit for transport across borders will not always cover additional safari fees like it did 20 years ago. I have NEVER bank transferred money to South Africa without it being lost for at least a while. And my bank charges a flat $45 fee and never, ever has a clue how to do it. Moneygram, which is widely distributed in RSA, charges nine bucks, and the money is there in 10 minutes. The PH picks it up with his ID card and a code number you have given him. Bank transfers should be illegal... along with the 4% Visa card fees, reality shows and lite beer.....................JMO................................FWB

I have never been to South Africa as yet, but had money sent from Bank of America to an Austrian bank in Kosovo for 18 months straight previously. It would take 3 or 4 days. And as you said the charge was $45 per transfer and then I had to pay the Austrian bank $25. So $70 total for each transfer in my case. But it was very easy to do on the computer.

 

[Hank2211]

I have never been to South Africa as yet, but had money sent from Bank of America to an Austrian bank in Kosovo for 18 months straight previously. It would take 3 or 4 days. And as you said the charge was $45 per transfer and then I had to pay the Austrian bank $25. So $70 total for each transfer in my case. But it was very easy to do on the computer.

My bank also charges $45 for a wire transfer but I've never had a problem - to SA, or even Zimbabwe. Money shows up, no additional paperwork.

As for the fee, I'm happy to pay it rather than having to carry $9,999 in cash everywhere I go.

 

[KWALATA SAFARIS]

Also when you look at it what is $25 - $45 in the greater spectrum of things? Complaining about that would just be cheap.

My best always

 

[sierraone]

Also when you look at it what is $25 - $45 in the greater spectrum of things? Complaining about that would just be cheap.

My best always

Agreed Jaco. I would think you would not have to do this more than twice, (only my opinion). I don't think there is a limit if you are located at your bank when initiating the transfer. When I was sending the money to an Austrian bank, I was in Kosovo. And because I didn't have a smart phone connection that you could send info to BA on, they limited it to $1000 per transfer. So if I needed more than $1000, I had to go through the process and expense 2 or 3 times.

Since Hank said he has used this method to send money to South Africa several times in the past with no problems resulting, it apparently is a viable option for getting money to you from here. Good to know for a first time planner like myself.

 

[flatwater bill]

It isn't the $45 so much. But small town rural banks here in Idaho simply don't know what to do. There may be one person in the bank that does this once in a while. This isn't Cleveland. The first time your money is lost somewhere in Africa, and your deposit is not made, tell me then that your PH is still cavalier. Surprisingly, no one seems eager to refund this money. And since it takes me 10 times as long, and costs 5 times as much, I think I will stick to Moneygram. But, perhaps the bankers need your money more.......
As an addendum, I believe I would have hunted for 50% more trophies if I had ever had a destination in Africa that accepted a credit card. Now, since you can get a free app to take a credit card on an iphone, it will probably become more commonplace. .........................FWB