Prepaid Card

A prepaid card is a card preloaded with funds, which you can use for your payments. You will be able to make purchases with the card, only when there are enough funds on it.

Each time you make a purchase or withdraw cash from an ATM with your MCB prepaid card, the amount used or withdrawn is deducted from the card balance.

If there are insufficient funds on the card, transactions will be declined. You will therefore need to fund the card before using it.

All MCB Prepaid cards can be used at merchants’ Point of Sales (POS) or ATMs displaying the network logo – Visa and UnionPay.

Visa Prepaid cards can also be used for online purchases.

Prepaid cards are available in different currencies, depending on the networks.

The Visa Prepaid card is available in US Dollar, Pound Sterling, Euro, South African Rand or Mauritian Rupee. The UPI Prepaid card is available in Renminbi or US Dollar.

In order to purchase an MCB Prepaid card, you need to hold an MCB account.

If you do not have an MCB account and wish to open one, the documents required are:

  • A proof of identification: NIC, if you are of Mauritian nationality and residing in Mauritius or a valid passport, if you are a foreigner residing in Mauritius
  • A utility bill (dated less than 3 months)
  • Any other documents as requested by the Bank

Any prepaid card issued will have the customer’s name on it.

For each network, you are entitled to only 1 card per foreign currency.

This means that you can have 1 Visa prepaid card and 1 UnionPay prepaid card in each foreign currency available.

Several fees are associated with a prepaid card:

  • A card fee is applicable upon issuing a card.
  • When loading the card, upon each funds transfer to it, a loading fee is levied.
  • Where the transaction currency differs from the card currency, a conversion fee is applied. This pertains to both purchases and cash withdrawals.
  • If cash withdrawal is done at non-MCB ATMs or any other financial and merchant institution, a fee is deduced for each withdrawal.

For more details, please refer to our fees and charges on mcb.mu

The (re)loading of MCB Prepaid cards can be done via Internet Banking, or through our app, JuiceByMCB, or at any MCB branch (by debiting your account) *. Simply select the card to be loaded, enter the card number and specify the amount.

* Card loading can be done from single or joint accounts with one signatory only. For joint accounts whereby more than 1 signature is required, the account cannot be debited to load card.

The first card loading requires a minimum amount of Rs 500. Thus, your account must hold at least Rs 500.

Afterwards, you can load other amounts on your card, provided they are within the loading limits in place.

Different loading limits are applicable while loading prepaid cards.

  • Limits at both product and customer level
  • Daily, monthly, annual and maximum amount limits

To view limits applicable to prepaid cards, please refer to our fees and charges on mcb.mu

The loading limits of prepaid cards (excluding Visa Prepaid Rupys cards) are as follows:

  • The annual loading limit is Rs 1.8 m
  • The daily and monthly loading limit is Rs 350,000, provided the annual limit of Rs 1.8m is not exceeded

For example, if you have loaded the maximum limit of Rs 350,000 on your card in a particular month, you will not be able to load additional funds on the card during the same month. However, if you spend Rs 150,000, then your balance at the end of the month will be Rs 200,000. Thus, you will be able to load up to Rs 150,000 the next month.

Note: The daily and monthly limit depends on the annual limit of Rs 1.8 m, which should not be exceeded.

If you have a combination of prepaid cards, the limit per product applies first, followed by the cumulative maximum amount limit at customer level.

  • The annual loading limit is Rs 1.8 m per card while the combined annual loading limit for all cards is Rs 10.2m
  • The daily and monthly loading limit is Rs 350,000 per card while the combined daily and monthly loading limit for all cards is Rs 850,000

For example, if you have 3 prepaid cards and have loaded 2 cards with Rs 350,000 each, you will only be able to load up to Rs 150,000 on the 3rd card in order not to exceed the combined daily and monthly limit of Rs 850,000.

Now, if you have a total combined balance of Rs 700,000 for all your 3 cards and spend Rs 600,000 during the current month, irrespective of which of the 3 cards you use, you will have a remaining balance of Rs 100,000 at the end of the month. Thus, you will be able to load a combined amount of up to Rs 750,000 on your 3 cards the next month, in order not to exceed the combined daily and monthly limit of Rs 850,000.

Note: The total combined daily and monthly limit depends on the total combined annual limit of Rs 10.2 m, which should not be exceeded.

No, provided there is available balance on the card.


For the protection of our cardholders, there are limits to ATM cash withdrawals.


The daily limit for Prepaid cards is Rs 10,000 for withdrawals made locally and Rs 20,000 or the equivalent in foreign currencies for overseas withdrawals.


However, some ATM acquirers set their own daily limits. In such cases, you will have to make your cash withdrawals according to these limits.

Your MCB prepaid card balance can be viewed via MCB Juice or at any MCB ATM.

You can check your available balance and transactions, and fund your card.

Upon a payment with your prepaid card, provided the card is sufficiently funded:

  • The Bank authorises the transaction and the funds are retained on the card during a limited time period as defined by the Bank.
  • The Merchant then settles the transaction with the Bank either on the transaction date or any other next days.
  • Afterwards, the Bank processes the transaction.

 

2 main reasons may account for a negative card balance:

  • Where the transaction currency differs from the card currency, a cross currency transaction occurs. Given that the transaction is processed upon settlement as explained above, the Bank rate applicable will be on the processing date for such cross-currency transactions. The rate may differ from the rate used when transaction was authorised. If the rate is higher, it leads to a negative balance if your card does not have sufficient funds to cover the higher rate.
  • If a transaction is settled beyond the time period as defined by the bank, the amount of this transaction will be debited from the card account irrespective of the available balance.

It is to be noted that the customer remains liable to the bank for the amount due.

Where a negative balance is created following any transaction initiated or authorised by the cardholder, the cardholder agrees to refund MCB in respect of any outstanding debit balance on his/her card account within a maximum of 45 days. The amount funded should cover at least the negative balance and other associated fees, such as loading fee.


Several reasons may be associated to declined transactions, mainly:


Insufficient funds

  • The available funds on your card are less than your transaction amount
  • When loading your card, a loading fee is applicable, which is deducted from your card balance. For example, if you have loaded your card with Rs 1,000 and try to spend the Rs 1,000, your transaction will be declined as your card balance will be less than Rs 1,000 following the deduction of the loading fee.
  • For cross-currency transactions, you must ensure that there are significant sufficient funds on your card (at least 5% above the transaction amount) to provide for conversion fees applicable in addition to the purchase amount at the time transaction is authorised.

 

Card Verification Value (CVV)

  • If you wrongly enter your CVV 9 consecutive times, you will not be able to transact with the card.

In the event you suspect fraudulent use/s of your card or if it has been lost/stolen, or that somebody might have known your PIN you should immediately call our Hotline on +230 202 6060 - lines are open 24/7.

The cardholder must initiate a complaint with the Bank and follow the rules and regulations set by the network. Any resulting refund may take up to 180 days before being undertaken.

You can either keep the balance on card till your next transaction or request to credit the balance to your account after deduction of prevailing fees and charges.

The MCB Prepaid card is not renewable upon expiry. You should therefore apply for a new card.


Any remaining balance on the expired card will be credited to your account (upon notifying the Bank) after 15 days as per the bank’s records. Bank charges will be applied accordingly, where appropriate.