Planning Your Finances for Your Extended Stay

Consider RBC Access USA^TM, allowing you to pay local bills without the nuisance of converting currency, delays in clearing or extra charges. This type of account also allows you to time your currency exchanges, giving you the freedom to choose the optimum rate for your money.

• Apply for a Royal Bank U.S. Dollar Visa* Gold Card to pay for purchases and arrange to access your bank or trust company accounts by Automated Teller Machines (ATMs).
• If you are travelling outside Canada, it's a good idea to take enough local currency for taxis, tips, buses, phone calls, etc. You can order foreign currency through your RBC Royal Bank branch. Call ahead to check on the availability of specific currencies. Most countries accept American money, so if you're travelling outside Canada and the U.S., it may be a good idea to take some of that along, too.
• More than 70 countries have rules about how much currency can be taken in or out of their country. Review these restrictions to ensure you can exchange any leftover currency into Canadian dollars. Foreign coins are not accepted for exchange, so you should plan on using them for small sundry purchases, such as buying a snack or souvenir.
• For an indication of how much you can expect to pay in Canadian dollars for a variety of currencies, check out our Foreign Exchange Converter. The rates displayed are for cheques or payment instruments such as travellers cheques, drafts and money orders. Foreign currency notes may cost a little more to cover shipping and handling.
• You should also consider the bills that you will need to pay and the cheques you will need to deposit while you're away. Find out your options for paying your bills and depositing cheques when you're away from home.
• Meet with a an RBC Royal Bank representative to discuss upcoming maturities of your Guaranteed Investment Certificate(s) (GIC) or Canadian or U.S. dollar Term Deposit(s). Consider annual events such as Canada Savings Bond purchases or redemptions and Registered Savings Plan (RSP) or Registered Education Savings Plans (RESP) contribution deadlines.
• Be aware that there are differences between Canadian and U.S. banking systems. One of the biggest is that Federal Reserve Clearing rules do not recognize post-dating and stale-dating. Cheques are processed regardless of the date.

^TM Trade-mark of the Royal Bank of Canada. RBC Centura Banks Inc. is a licensee of trade-mark. RBC Centura is a trade name used by Centura Bank.
* Royal Bank of Canada, licensee of trade-mark.