Frequently Asked Questions

How do I activate my Virtual card?
  • You will receive an email entitled “Activation Instructions for your Prepaid Card” (this title is in English) with instructions on how to activate your card. This email includes the web access code you must use to sign in to www.cardportal.com/login/iqvia for the first time. Upon first login (using your email address and access code), you will be prompted to update your personal details. Once you have updated your details, your card is active.
    • What is a Prepaid Card?
  • A Prepaid card is a VISA branded card that provides you with access to all merchants and Cash Machines (ATM) that carry the VISA Acceptance Mark. With this card you do not have to apply for a bank account or pay interest like on a credit card. The Prepaid card is a card that carries a variable amount of money based on the amount loaded onto the card. Each time you use the card to buy something or withdraw cash at a Cash Machine (ATM) the purchase amount is deducted from the available balance.
    • Where can I use my Prepaid Card?
  • Your Prepaid card can be used at millions of merchants worldwide and at any ATM that carries the Network acceptance mark. There are over 1 million ATMs and 26 million merchants worldwide.
    • How does the Prepaid VISA card work?
  • Your Prepaid Card works just like any other VISA card. The card is accepted at all VISA locations worldwide. You can use it at a point of sale location to make purchases and at a cash machine (ATM) to withdraw cash.
    • How can I minimize Cash Machine (ATM) related fees?
    1. Select your cash machine carefully. Cash machines and their cooperative banks' fees and maximum withdrawal policies vary greatly. 

    2. Consolidate your cash machine usage by withdrawing the maximum allowed by your card account and the ATM. 

    3. Do not try to withdraw more than your card account balance from a cash machine. You will be charged a fee for the failed cash machine usage.
    • What foreign exchange (FX) rate is used?
  • Foreign Exchange Conversion rate is computed at the time of the transaction, whether at a retail venue or at a cash machine. Conversion rates are calculated based on daily rates adopted by VISA, any fees applicable by the retail or cash machine location and other processing entities.
    • Why haven't I received my card yet?
  • Once you complete the order process, it can take up to 10 business days to receive a card in Europe and North America (up to 30 business days outside these zones). If that amount of time has passed, then contact Customer Support
    • Why can't I log into my card account online?
  • The log-in process is case sensitive, so make sure to type in both your email address and Access Code exactly as you first defined them. If you forgot your Access Code, or your login still isn't working, contact Customer Support
    • Who can use the card?
  • The cardholder is the person whose name is imprinted on the card. This is the person to whom the card was issued and the only person authorized to use the card.
    • Can I use the card on the internet?
  • Yes. The Prepaid card may be used for online transactions wherever VISA is an accepted form of payment.
    • What is a pre-authorization hold?
  • A merchant may place a pre-authorization hold on a certain amount of funds on your card to verify that you have sufficient funds to pay for the transaction. When your final bill is less than the pre-authorized amount, the remaining funds may be held for up to eight days before being released to your available balance. For example: A restaurant may pre-authorize a set amount when you open a tab. A car rental company or hotel may hold the amount equal to one day's rental or stay. In the U.S., gas stations generally place pre-authorization holds for approximately $50 when you pay at the pump. If you pay for the gas inside, and specify the exact amount you intend to purchase, only the actual purchase amount will be deducted from your card balance.
    • What do I do if my card is lost or stolen?
  • The first thing we suggest is to access your Prepaid account at www.cardportal.com/login/iqvia by logging in with your registered email address and your Access code to manually block your card. If unable to access cardportal please contact Customer Support, or call us at +44 (0)844 7744 767 (have your registered email address, SAN Number or Card number on hand and your Access code).
    • Can I use my Card without any money on it?
  • No. You can use your card only once it has been activated and you have funds loaded on the card. You risk losing the card to the ATM if you try withdrawing money before it has been activated or loaded.
    • How do I use up a balance too small to withdraw at an ATM?
  • Ask a merchant or cashier at a store to charge the exact remaining balance to your card, then continue to pay the remaining purchase balance in whichever form you wish (e.g. a personal bank card).
    • I have just received my Plastic card and it is not working, why?
  • Your card must be active before you can use it. Follow the simple steps upon logging in to the Cardportal. If you continue to experience difficulty, contact us for further assistance.
    • How do I activate my Plastic card?
  • You will receive your Plastic card attached to a letter that gives you full instructions. In brief, you should log in to your account as normal, then click “Activate my Plastic card” and enter the 3-digit CVV code found on the back of the card alongside the magnetic strip, where prompted. Note down your 4-digit PIN code shown on screen during this process! You will need this PIN code to use your Plastic card in stores and to withdraw funds from ATM terminals. Once you have Successfully activated your Plastic card, the CVV code for your previous Virtual card no longer applies and only the details on your Plastic card are relevant (don’t worry, they will be updated on screen in your account too).
    • I lost my activation email, including the access code to activate my card, what do I do now?
  • Please contact us and request a new activation email.
    • What is the difference between my access code and my PIN?
  • Your access code is the 8-digit password required to activate and login to your card account online; this code is received by email and can be reset upon request. Your PIN is the 'Personal Identification Number' associated to the Plastic card, and is required to withdraw funds and to make purchases at selected ATMs and Points of Sale merchants (stores) worldwide.
    • How do I check my card balance?
  • To check the balance of funds on your card login to https://www.cardportal.com/default/IQVIA Your card balance will be displayed on the top ribbon of the page .
    • Why isn't my balance what I think it should be?
  • At times your card balance may not match the purchases shown on your card account for any of these reasons:

    • Same day transactions do not appear on your card account, but the amount is deducted from the available balance. The transactions will generally appear on your card account the following day.
    • There may be an outstanding authorization for a purchase that was made, but the merchant has not collected its money yet. This type of transaction will only show on your card account after the merchant has collected its money. In the meantime, the money is held from your card account, ready to be paid to the merchant. For example, this may happen for internet or mail/phone order purchases. The merchant may settle the money when they ship the order, rather than on the day the order was placed. In this case, the funds are marked for the merchant and deducted from the balance, but will only show on the card account when the bank actually pays the merchant for your purchase. This process could take a minimum of eight days to clear.
    • Do I receive a statement?
  • No. However, you can view your current balance and transactions online free of charge by logging in and clicking on the button Transaction history.
    • My card has stopped working, why?
  • This could be for a number of reasons.

    • Your card is damaged
    • The card has expired - please check the expiry date on the card itself. If your card is expired please contact Cardportal Support or your merchant for a new one
    • You have reached your daily limit.
    • There are insufficient funds remaining on the card.
    If you continue to have problems please contact us.
    • Is my Prepaid card safe to use on the internet?
  • Yes, you can use your prepaid card on the internet but we advise that you take the following precautions when using any card on the internet: Only use secure reputable sites – lookout for the padlock symbol and 'https' in the URL. When you have finished conducting online transactions or visiting secure websites, remember to properly log-off and close your browser. This will ensure that any information that is stored on your computer or in your browser is erased. You should never give out your PIN when buying online. We will never contact you and ask for your card details so never provide them over the phone or by email as this may be phishing (a fraudster pretending to be a card issuer / bank and attempting to gain your card / account information)
    • My card is about to expire what do I do?
  • Your card is automatically renewed at the end of the expiry month. Contact IQVIA through your normal contact points and request a renewal if you believe this has not happened in due course.
    • What is the card SAN?
  • SAN - Security Account Number, the 9 digit # found on the bottom-right on the back of the Prepaid Plastic card.
    • What is a Virtual Card?
  • A Virtual Card is an on-screen image of your prepaid card and allows you to make online or telephone payments, receive funds, and shop online. A Virtual Card is a simple and quick way to get started with a Prepaid Account.
    • Why upgrade to Plastic?
  • By upgrading to Plastic, you’ll be able to make POS purchases and withdraw funds from an ATM/Cash Machine.
    • How do I upgrade to Plastic?
  • Simply log into your account at www.cardportal.com/login/iqvia and click on the “Manage My Account” tab and select “Request Plastic Card”. Your Plastic card will take approximately 10-15 business days to arrive at your provided address. You must carefully check your delivery address is a private and reliable address before applying for a Plastic card.
    • Why can’t I login Successfully?
  • To login you need to first input the email address registered to your card, and your 8-digit Access Code. You also need to click the “Captcha” security box and wait for the tick mark to appear before clicking on Login. If you have entered your credentials correctly, you will be immediately sent a login code to your registered email address. Copy this code and enter it on the next page when prompted.
    • What does “The login credentials you entered are incorrect” mean?
  • Either your email address or 8-digit Access Code is not correct, or you have included a space before or after the information entered.
    • What does “Validation failed. Please try again” mean?
  • Either you have forgotten to click the “Captcha” security box before trying to login, or you have not waited for the tick mark to appear on the “Captcha”, or you have been timed out after 5 minutes inactivity.
    • Why are my online transactions being declined?
  • To make any purchases online you must first login to your account and click the “Enable Online E-commerce Transactions For Next 36 hours” checkbox. Once you have done this you will be able to use your card online for 36 hours, after which you will need to repeat the process for further internet spending. It is not necessary to use this feature for offline spending (in-store or at an ATM terminal) with your activated Plastic card. If you continue to have problems even after you have enabled the E-commerce function, please contact us
    • What are the dormancy fees on my VISA card?
  • If you do not receive any new payment from IQVIA, nor make any kind of transaction on your card for a period of 6 months, a dormancy fee will be applied. This is charged by VISA for holding the card open on the VISA network despite a lack of activity. After the 6-month dormancy fee, an additional fee will be applied every following month until such time as you either receive a new payment from IQVIA or use your card for any type of transaction (online spend, in-store spend, a balance enquiry at an ATM terminal, or cash withdrawal from an ATM with your Plastic card). The 6-month period is reset to zero once a transaction occurs on your card.