The interest rate you pay on your Visa credit card in Ireland will vary. Some cards will entice you with a low “teaser” rate for the first few months and then jump to a higher interest rate later. The interest rate you end up with after the teaser term is over will depend heavily on your credit history. The worse your credit history is, the higher the interest rate you will pay when you carry a balance on your Visa card.

Applying for an Irish Visa credit card is simple. It can be done over the Internet on application forms that appear on the websites of banks that offer a Visa credit card. Or you can go to the bank and ask for a form there. The amount of time it takes to approve or deny a credit card varies from a few days to a few weeks.

As an example if you want to apply for a Halifax Credit Card, you can go to their website and click on the link that takes you to the credit card applications. You can choose a pink or black card, and then you’ll have to enter the following details on the form: bank account details; details of your employment; mortgage information if applicable; other credit and loans you have; and previous address information if you have lived at your current address for less than three years.

If your application is accepted, you’ll receive a Credit Agreement in the mail to sign and return, and you may have to provide proof of your address and your identity. Once they have this information in hand, they’ll mail you your credit card.

Once you are approved and receive your Visa card in the mail, you can use it to pay bills online, over the phone, or by direct debit, you can withdraw cash from more than 250,000 ATMs that display the VISA symbol, order goods over the phone or on the internet, and of course, shop in retail shops.