Chinatrust is a weird egg, sometimes they approve foreigners, other times not
They don’t seem to have a pattern but go in and talk to the big cheese at your branch and ask him to send it in for you. Especially if you have given them ten years of business.
For the Costco Cathay credit card: so now that I’ve got this thing, what do I get with it? I know I can use it in Costco, and I finally did so the other day - but how do I get points? What can I do with the points? People tell me I can basically use the card to pay the annual Costco membership fee: how does that math work out? How many points will pay for the membership, and how many points do I get with X dollars of purchases? What’s the actual process to pay for membership with points? And do they have deals where you can get double points or whatever?
I think you get points that are equivalent to 1% cash back for Costco purchases made with the card, and 0.5% for all other purchases. Sometimes they’ll ask you when you make a purchase at Costco if you you want to apply your points to reduce your bill (I think they say 你要不要扣點數?). If you never use your points during ordinary purchases, I think they may just reduce your annual membership fee instead.
Thanks scomargo - so the discounts are roughly equivalent to a Carrefour membership card.
The relevant web page is I guess this one: https://www.cathaybk.com.tw/cathaybk/card/card/costco/index.html
店內多利金回饋 1%: so as you said, 1% for points inside the store.
店外多利金回饋 0.5%: 0.5% for points with purchases outside the store.
And a bunch of other special stuff I’m not sure I understand. It looks like there are some hotel discounts, and gas discounts, and train discounts?
Ha … so at 1,200 per year for membership, I’d have to spend 120,000 to cover it with points? At the moment that seems unlikely. Do they sell Apple computers? I want to get a new iMac when/if they’re ever updated.
I wonder if there’s an annual fee for this credit card. I really should have asked my wife about this when I was filling out the forms and she was doing all the talking to sign me up.
I haven’t paid anual fee since I got this card. I do spend a lotta in Costco but not 120k that lotta. I`d average 5k to 10k - clothes and small appliances may bump it up.
Got a cryptic text message last night followed by a call this morning asking if I had tried to spend 440,000 NT$ on my Costco credit card on online purchases last night 
em, no I did not. I was then instructed to call the number on the back of the credit card and let them know the attempted fraud (440K is higher than my limit so didn’t go through), have to wait a week for my new card. I’ve never used the card online or for any suspect transactions, it’s almost exclusively used in Costco and the RT Mart as I have other cards with rewards for fuel etc. Anyone else have attempted scams on their Costco card?
You don’t have to use your credit card online for it to be stolen.If you’ve used it at Costco and RT Mart, they have a record of it in their system, so someone could hack in and get the list of numbers. Someone could also hack Cathay Bank and get a list of numbers. Plus you implied it was used at places other than Costco and RT Mart. Same principle.
That I know hence asking if anyone else had issues, if they had it would imply a possible rogue employee or hack, if they haven’t it would imply a possible issue elsewhere on my side. Do you have a Costco card? Any issues?
I applied for one a couple weeks ago. I was told there is no annual fee as long as I have a Costco membership.
Since I’m from 'Murica (shhh…don’t tell anyone), they mailed me some W-9 form to fill out. Something about the US guvment wanting to know about my bank details in Taiwan. Shanghai International also made me fill out this info on an existing bank account I have with them.
My main reason for applying is so I will be able to use the Costco gas stations when they open.
No. Not yet. Thank you for the heads up. Yipes!
Have you used their website to order stuff before?
Nope, am registered to use it but never have.
Applied for mine in person at the Jhonghe branch on 12/25… quick and easy… got a phone call from Cathay United bank verifying my details on 1/2, and the card arrived by post on 1/5. Very straightforward process.
Hi there, recently I applied for Cathay United Bank Costco Co branded CC, unfortunately I received a mail that my application got denied and they also state in the mail that if I have a question I can call them to their tel. number. Is it ok if I call them to appeal for my Costco CC application? Help me what should I do, I really want to get a CC. I have an anual salary of more than 285KNT$. Give me some tips.
I suggest calling them and seeing if they will let you know the reason for the rejection, they may not want to do this over the phone. If there is no financial reason for the rejection, some people have had success by contacting Costco and using them to pressure Cathay.
Thanks for your reply, may I know how can I contact Costco?
Probably the nature of your ARC.
Contact details are on their website.
The $285k twd may be the issue as it is a bit low for the banks possibly. If you have an employment ARC that shouldn’t be the issue. Another thing may be if your ARC expires soon. Or your salary isn’t stable. Or your deposit amount in the bank isn’t big enough.(they usually like to see 50k min for 3 months saved up). Other things like how long you have been at your residence can also factor.
here is the link of the qualification for foreigners. I think when it comes to my annual salary I am qualified, I also have an employment ARC, I’ve been working here in Taiwan for 5yrs now, I have an stable job with a minimum of 24KTWD monthly salary, during my application I have 70kTWD in my salary ATM, I never change my residence since I am living in a dormitory together with my fellow migrant workers.
https://www.cathaybk.com.tw/cathaybk/personal/credit-card/service/foreign-nationals-en/
I have absolutely no proof of this but just my conjecture. Most banks here hate giving western foreigners a credit card even with higher annual salaries because they discriminate and feel that foreigners are all going to up and run away with their money even though they have no proof this is true. If you are a migrant worker, I hate to say this, but I bet the discrimination becomes 10 times worse.
If you qualify call the bank and really push them to justify this or like someone already said you can lean on Costco to help you