US VISA cards disadvantage

[DVS75]

Banks in Europe offer money transfers to a VISA card issued anywhere in the world, except for the US and some problem countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq and Iran.

There is no such restriction for MasterCards.

Please let me know what is the reason for this ban.

Had I known this I would have chosen a MasterCard.

Thank you.

[DVS75]

During the last year I was unable to find a foreign bank, including U.K., Switzerland, Russia, New Zealand that could send money to a US VISA card.

I contacted VISA on the issue, but they replied that I need to contact the bank that had issued the card. After I replied that the question is about any US bank that issued a VISA card, i.e. VISA itself - they sent me another answer that I did need to contact a particular bank (this time a template for those, who do not understand from the first message).

Thus it looks like VISA e-mail is machine read and one cannot get past this barrier.

Many world banks allow topping up a VISA card, issued in most countries, for $4 and even $2. Thus you are able to pay credit card bill from almost anywhere in the world, including thru card to card transfer.

So MasterCard looks like clearly a better choice.