Revolut Virtual Card → Apple Pay Tutorial (ATM cash requires the physical card)
End-to-end flow from a fresh Revolut account to Apple Pay tap payments and Suica top-ups. Note: withdrawing cash from a Japanese ATM requires inserting the physical card — a virtual card or Apple Pay QR/tap alone cannot dispense cash.
What you need: a smartphone (iOS 16+ recommended), your passport, 20 minutes.
Download Revolut + sign up
Phone + SMS auth to start. Standard plan is enough for tourism.
KYC with passport
Photograph passport + auto-selfie. Usually approved in 5-15 minutes.
Issue virtual card
Cards → + Add new → choose regular Virtual (not Disposable — those can't be added to Apple Pay).
Card details revealed
Card number, expiry, and CVV shown immediately.
Add to Apple Wallet
Tap "Add to Apple Wallet" → Face ID → done.
Enable overseas usage
Cards → Settings → ensure "Online transactions" and "Contactless" are ON.
Top up Suica/ICOCA as a cash substitute
Open Suica/ICOCA in Apple Wallet → "+" → choose your added Revolut card and top up. Visa-branded virtual cards often error out here — if that happens, use a Mastercard-branded card, or top up with cash at a station ticket machine.
If you need cash, the physical card is required
⚠️ Japanese ATMs (like 7-Bank) do offer a "Smartphone"/QR withdrawal menu, but it's for domestic apps and domestically issued cards only. To withdraw cash from a foreign-issued Revolut card, you must insert the physical card into the slot. A virtual card or Apple Pay alone cannot dispense cash from a Japanese ATM.
The virtual card covers Apple Pay tap payments and Suica/ICOCA top-ups — most of your spending on a trip. If you'll need cash, order the physical card before departure (it ships in 1-2 weeks). Standard plan: ¥32,000/month free ATM withdrawals, 0% FX on weekdays (+1% on weekends) — once the physical card arrives, withdraw on weekdays when possible.