No, I am not.
But they asked me, to sign a paper that I am not an US Citizen, so the FACTA doesn’t apply to me.
(Sounds a little bit racist) 
Cheers
Tom
I just wanted to post to this thread because I have been in this situation in the past… I have only been in Taiwan 2.5 years, so take this with a grain of salt: regarding credit cards for foreigners in Taiwan, there are no rules… ok, ok… there are some, but I assure you they’re made up as they go, and every single one can be bent… many can be broken… I’m American, teach English at a buxiban, and have two unsecured cards… one AMEX and one Citibank… if you want info on how to acquire the Amex (it’s cathay pacific airline co-branded and is easy to get so long as you make at LEAST 50k monthly) msg me at bjorkchicago “at” yahoo dot com… the Citibank cards were hilarious… you know the aggressive folks outside all the vieshow theaters urging people to apply unless you’re white and then they don’t even see you? I finally asked one (in my crappy Chinese) why they always ignore me…, (in a nice way)… they gave me an application to fill out on the spot, which I did (in Chinese)… my Taiwanese friend stood there rolling his eyes assuring me I was wasting my time… I knew it, but was happy they let me apply… afterwards, I got a few phone calls from Citibank asking to verify some info… three weeks later my card arrived… I was stunned (and delighted-- I’m A movie junkie and that card gives you 40% off on weekdays lol)…
anyway, msg me and I can get you the Amex info… that one is practically a sure thing.
p.s.
someone else said this above but I’m going to reiterate: PLEASE PLEASE… if you DO get a cc here in Taiwan, please pay it on time every month… the banks view the foreigners here as one entity… I , for one, am soooo grateful to have a Taiwan card… I want other foreigners to be able to acquire some credit as well… I’m a responsible guy and the more foreigners that get cards, use them, and pay them on time each month, the more likely it will be that other foreigners will be trusted with the privilege… let’s make it easy on ourselves and our friends!
Applied for the card about a month ago. Received a letter a few days later saying I had been turned down since I didn’t meet the $1.5 million requirement, etc.
Sent an email to Costco asking for their help in the matter. I’ve lived here 7 years, had the same address and job those 7 years, am married, and am involved in some other business that will more or less insure that I remain here for several more years (I have no plans of moving back to the U.S.), so Costco said they would look into it, but in the end, the bank’s rules are the bank’s rules, and there’s only so much that Costco can do.
Still waiting to hear anything back about that. The Costco representative called me on 10/10 (told her she should be out bbqing with friends because of the holiday), so I imagine it’ll be a few days or weeks at least before I hear anything back about it. Will update when I do.
And that’s the funny part.
I am below 1.5M annually, however when I filled the application, the representative said, fill 1.5M.
Seems that is not controlled so much.
Cheers
Tom
That’s hilarious, few people make 1.5 million a year in Taiwan.
I think thats the plan. Say 1.5m knowing that likely no foreigner makes that. They probably feel it sounds less discriminatory than saying no foreigners, but obviously means the same.
Got my card today. It’s not my own - it’s tied to my wife’s account, but perhaps it’s a start. It’s fine for me, as I only need it for Costco runs, but it was very easy to have the forms filled out and received my card about two weeks later.
Perhaps I’ll try again in the future for my own. Maybe if I start applying once a week they’ll get tired and accept me, like in Shawshank Redemption. 
Now I have SOGO card from Cathay. I invite you guys to also ask for it, also very handy. And since it is a tie-in, if you already have Costco card, it is no biggie. 
I was originally rejected for the Sogo card with their 1.5M NT a year regulation. And they wouldn’t budge, even after extended discussions. This was a year and half ago.
I got the Costco one a year ago, likely due to the Costco association. I never bothered to apply for SOGO again but I have too many cards as it is. 
My wife was told today there was no way she could get a Costco card because she is a foreigner.
My wife has lived here 16+ years, is debt free, has only had 2 jobs the whole time, and receives compensation far above what most people receive locally. By all measures a model non-citizen. Nothing mattered. They didn’t care.
Absolutely ridiculous.
Was she told this at Costco? Those clerks there are not the sharpest tools in the shed, and it is weird as they were getting desperate these last months and they started shoving applications in foreigners faces, too.
She should apply directly at the bank, any Cathay Bank branch. Let them know she means business.
If after trying, they still bulge, there are two other options: apply for an American Express card, which is easier -bit more foreigner friendly. Or Chinatrust, which used to have the business of Costco before, and as current competitor, has a deal with American Express so their cobranded Costco card can be used in Costco.
And yes, foreigners can apply and receive credit cards in Taiwan. I have six.
It was the bank staff who told her. In Hsinchu, those Costco clerks won’t even look you in the eye let alone give an application.
The bank staff can sometimes be useless.
Just walk in and ask for the form, fill it out at home and send it in, copies of ARC and 3 month salary copies, and copy of passport and see what the reply is.
Does she have prior credit in Taiwan? If they reject her again, Pm me for more info.
Well, then, either take it to the manager or shop around. Remember people here go for the least mafan. And when there comes to credit cards, when there is a will, there is a way.
Furthermore, she must have some kind of credit history. Loans, other credit cards. Shove a copy of her pay slip on their faces, that may work.
Don’t deal with the bank staff or Costco “bank staff”.
Get the application form, fill it out and send it to Cathay.
Then wait
If they decline, call the number which is on the letter.
If the one on the line refuses, ask to speak to her/his manager.
Ask again and insist on trying.
Takes a lot work and time (for me 1 hour on the phone) but in the end I had my Costco Credit Card
Applied once…got rejected (Don’t have a Chinatrust Costco card as that was also rejected years ago) …received a mail from them saying I “Did not meet their Credit Eligibility” …pretty weird as my Taiwanese colleague who barely makes 25K/Mth got it after he applied (and he under reports his income in order to avoid tax)…ah well…I’m gonna get it next year when I get my Taiwan ID card.
So sorry to hear you were rejected. Their loss.
Have you tried American Express? Maybe Chinatrust again, their Costco/AMEX cobranded?
Nah…I won’t even bother with Chinatrust as I know I will get rejected again (I have an account with them for more than 10 years) …I already have a Citibank Credit Card so I am pretty happy using that and I only shop in Costco once a mth or so (Small purchases only). My plan is to apply for at least 5 credit cards next year though
Only 5? If I had nationality, I’d get them all!!! Buahahahaha! Evil laugh!
Lol …For starters, yeah…maybe just 5 …after a year or two, maybe 20ish hee hee Evil grin