A guide to Taiwanese VISA Debit Cards

Hey guys, anybody tried Steam by any chance? I’d rather not link through PayPal.

Thanks in advance!

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Yes, I’ve used my Visa debit with Steam, no problem.

Thanks Charlie, just to make sure, you’re using HSBC debit card?
Just the regular and not the Advanced or Premier version?
Did you encounter any additional oversea charges?
Thanks in advance!

I use Taiwan Cooperative Bank and I’d have to confirm everything detailed here.

For HSBC and other cards, you can use them with Steam. Sometimes Steam will tell you that your card is not valid. If it’s a sale or something, don’t worry, just email Steam customer support before the sale is over, detailing that your card won’t work. They’ll give you an international link that does work even if the sale is expired allowing you to get it at that price.

An update on BOT Visa card “electronic use only”. The card now work for any transaction (web payement, credit card payment and ATM). I have used it in several countries already without problems. I am giving up my BOT credit card (that they don’t want to renew beyond my ARC expiry date although I have a locked deposit corresponding to my credit limit so they have their ass covered up, so dumb).

Its good to hear BOT allows web payments now, from what i hear it didn’t work for the longest time.

Why won’t they renew your card past the ARC expiry date? Did your ARC expire and you don’t have one currently? Usually they just ask for a copy of the renewed ARC and issue a new card good for a year or your next arc expiry date.

[quote=“dan2006”]
Why won’t they renew your card past the ARC expiry date? Did your ARC expire and you don’t have one currently? Usually they just ask for a copy of the renewed ARC and issue a new card good for a year or your next arc expiry date.[/quote]

No idea why… Specially as I said before they have their ass totally covered up: I have a locked deposit equivalent to the credit limit of the card.

My ARC expire end-of October. They said they could renew the card till that date only plus, and that really made me furious, when filling all the papers, they asked my old card back saying they need to cancel it before issuing a new one. So much bullshit !

I will try to apply somewhere else as I want something that get me points like airlines millage or something. I will give-up the BOT credit card which is useless now since I have the debit card working everywhere and also on internet with Secure Visa Web Payment (just bought a visa online on a website in Vietnam, so I really assume it works everywhere now). The only thing that I don’t like with the debit card is the stupid logo on it ! :wink:

For the longest time i was unable to access the original post for editing, but since that is possible again, i’ve incorporated the more recent comments from this thread.
The classification (ranking), as to which card can be used to what extent, is no longer needed, and i’ve removed the related color coding: most cards are full-use cards now, and the few that aren’t are identified by the comments…

Thanks for redirecting me here:

Anyone had success with Taiwan Business bank. They are failing me at the moment: See below.

Taiwan Business Bank refuses to give me a VISA DEBIT card on the basis that foreigners need a gaurentor. (I don’t see any risk here)

This seems like discrimination and I’m going to go speak to their management. Also, the conversation will have to be in Chinese.

See their responses below:

台灣企銀辦理外國人信用卡比較嚴格,必需要保證人
若要辦理可選擇其他銀行辦理信用卡,扣款選擇台企銀行

I already have a Fubon VISA debit card but my company refuses to pay into it.

Here is the law: law.moj.gov.tw/LawClass/LawSingl … 32&FLNO=62

law.moj.gov.tw/LawClass/LawSingl … 32&FLNO=62

My Chinese is not so good, but it looks as if they are refusing you a credit card, not a debit card.
You want a VISA 金融卡, (jin rong ka) or debit card.

Who wrote you that message above, your branch or the credit card department?

There is a TBB near my house so I popped in today for a minute to ask them about your situation. The woman there said that a debit card would be no problem and that you could just pop into another branch and apply for it. They do have a no credit card for foreigners rule from what she told me.
The branch was in Kaohsiung, I’m not sure where you live however. Just pop into another branch of TBB from what it looks like, don’t mention the previous conversation with your branch, and ask for the Jin Rong Ka. Hopefully someone there will know what they are doing.

If they are still refusing you, just sent a letter or email to the bank (you can find the address online) spelling out your displeasure at having being refused service, which necessitates you having to take out all your money on payday and move it to a real bank. That might move things along.

*However it looks like your branch is just simply misinformed. PM me if you need any further help in this matter.

Thanks Dan for asking.

This is very much a VISA debit card case and NOT credit card or regular shitty 金融卡. (Amex Credit card is the best way to go for foreigners in TW.)

It seems like the rep who comes to our company for the bank doesn’t feel like the responsibility. I’ll go talk to their management about this tomorrow.

For shits and giggles, see what my HR dept said when I tried to shut my account with them。

From: Bryan

Dear Aya,

Is it possible for our company to pay into my 富邦account? I would like to terminate my Taiwan Bank account.

Thanks,

Best regards,

不行,公司薪資帳戶規定為台灣企銀

Best regards, Aya

It is likely because the company gets kickbacks from the bank for force referring customers there.

The Kaohsiung office looked surprised when i said they wouldn’t issue you a visa debit card. She did suggest to go into another branch and apply there.

Id press the company rep a lot and you might even get a credit card out of them.
And don’t hesitate to send a polite but firmly worded letter to head office. You can click this link and send them your concern in English

tbb.com.tw/wps/wcm/connect/T … GuestBook/

Thanks Dan,

Kind of you to drop in and ask on my behalf. I’ll go thrash this out later today.

Went the bank and applied without any issues… don’t know what the big issue was here with the bank rep who came to our company.

More likely than not that he was just avoiding responsibility or effort. I guess I’m getting used to that kind of BS and not getting to angry about it anymore.

Thanks for all the help!

Glad it got sorted out.

When you try to make overseas purchases on it, come back and let us know if it worked and Yuli can add Taiwan Business Bank to the list.

Actually Yuli, you can add tbb now as another bank that issues debit cards

Anyone had any luck with E. Sun Bank?

My new company pays via direct deposit with them, and it’s kind of annoying to keep having to transfer the money to my Chinatrust account with which I have a Visa debit card.

Esun bank only just recently started offering MasterCard debit cards to its customers, go in and ask for it.

For foreigners too?

If they do, I hope the bank staff is aware of it. It took me forever to convince the Chinatrust bank staff that they’re allowed to give foreigners debit cards, seems like they just assume they can’t by default.

Let us know how it turns out, OK? (Bated breath and all that jazz…)