Do you open a bank account once you arrived in Taiwan or after you have obtained your ARC? Thanks
Hi Militarygamer, and welcome to Forumosa! 
I think you’ll have infinitely better luck if you have an ARC.
… i’d suggest when you need it. 
If you don’t have an ARC and want to open an account you ask the immigration office for an ID number the purpose of opening a bank account, and they will give you a form that you take, together with your passport, to the bank.
Banks where i opened an account before having an ARC:
post.gov.tw/post/internet/u_ … nk_a_1.jsp
taishinbank.com.tw/english/branch.jsp?
I just helped my mom set an account up at Citibank without an ARC. They had refused previously but last week someone from the investment department called trying to sell me some funky insurance products, so I gave a vague promise of signing up if she would work things out for my mom. So they can and will do it if they want to.
Taishin are less hassle and won’t argue about setting an account up but their day-to-day service is unfortunately quite poor compared to the foreign banks.
That bank is not specifically aiming its services at foreign customers, so unless you speak Chinese it may be difficult to deal with it, but from the beginning it has never excluded foreigners (for example, foreigners get a fully functional VISA debit card) and is also convenient for people who travel a lot, since it has ATMs in “Family Mart” convenience stores…
I opened accounts with no trouble at China Trust, First Bank and Taipei Fubon with just the ID number that you get at the NIA. Don’t get me started on credit cards though… 
That bank is not specifically aiming its services at foreign customers, so unless you speak Chinese it may be difficult to deal with it, but from the beginning it has never excluded foreigners (for example, foreigners get a fully functional VISA debit card) and is also convenient for people who travel a lot, since it has ATMs in “Family Mart” convenience stores…[/quote]
Amongst local banks, Taishin are about the best I’ve dealt with. I don’t have any experience with the foreign banks here though. The Taishin branch on Nanjing East Rd near the Brother Hotel is incredibly efficient - more so than banks in Australia even.
Although service at Taishin unfortunately sucks as much as the other local banks I have always admired their very open policy towards foreigners. I have helped many people set up accounts at various branches across Taiwan and they have never once made a fuss about it. They also offered me a mortgage but we ended up using my wife’s name at another bank for a better rate.
what’s NIA? immigration office?
any immigration will do or you HAVE to go to your local one?
Yes.
Yes.
You show them your passport and tell them you need an ID number because you want to open a bank account.
They check your passport, confirm your status in their computer system, and give you a print-out with your ID number…
You may want to wait until after you get a job… companies in Taiwan usually deposit your paycheck into a bank of their choice, rather than a bank of your choice.
will they check if I have entry stamp when I flew into Taiwan? because I used my other passport for entry (dual citizenship)
The passport number they have in their database is the number of the passport you showed them when you entered the country. I have no idea what they will do if you show them a different passport (i can guess, but i’ll keep to myself 
) - what would be the point of showing them a different passpert, anyway?