The teller that opened the account said they were doing the same but it didn’t work. I returned a few times and got the ‘sorry’ line.
Fubon gave me one despite me saying that it wasn’t needed as I was only opening their account for a two-month project. Post Office did similar.
I have Cathay debit and can use it anywhere in the world and ATMs that take Visa/Plus which is most of them.
Thanks for the replies everyone. I was planning to keep using my American debit card for when I go overseas and use the Taiwan debit card when I’m here. I’ll look into the banks mentioned here. Thanks a lot again!
CTBC bank gave me a debit card within the first 3 months of living in TW in 2015 with a work arc.
Credit card is way harder to get, but Costco gave me one with no guarantor.
Sure, you can use it physically. But try doing an online cross-border transaction, like buying something on Taobao.
I don’t typically buy stuff online from China, but I think I bought some headphones with it once online. But I’ve used it on many many online shops in Japan, Europe, US…never a problem.
Weird thing is I can’t buy STEAM games with my credit card, but my debit card works fine.
Playstation takes my credit card details without a problem and I can buy with it on the PS store.
If you go to Bigcity, Citibank guys will offer their credit card, it works on Steam too.
If you go to Costco, Cathaybank guys will offer their credit card too.
No guarantor needed for these two.
WRONG! I recently opened an account at Standard Chartered in Tien-Mu, Taipei. They absolutely REFUSED to give me a Visa credit card and REFUSED to give me a Visa Debit Card, even though the Visa Debit Card isn’t a credit card.
Reason? YOU ARE A FOREIGNER AND FOREIGNERS CAN’T HAVE VISA CARDS OR VISA DEBIT CARDS.
I’ve lived on this racist third world rock for over 20 years, I am one of the first foreigners to be granted an APRC, I’ve been married to a Taiwanese citizen for 23 years, I own a considerable amount of property here in Taiwan, I’m retired on a verifiable US government pension where three months of my pension is more than the average Taiwanese annual salary. But, I’m still a worthless piece of shit foreigner! “Get to the back of the bus whitey!”
We shouldn’t have to madly search around for banks that will “allow” us to have credit cards or debit cards. It should be automatic and without discrimination.
Did you take it up the chain of command? That’s pretty ridiculous.
Yes, I did. They suggested that I have my wife co-sign for me. Of course I declined. But the next time we went into Standard Chartered, I put on one of my dogs’ collars and hooked myself up to a leash and made my wife lead me into the bank like the fucking dog I am. I’m surprised it didn’t end up on TVBS! Some loser Taiwanese took videos with their cell phones.
When they asked why my wife and I were doing it, I told them it was because they treated me like a dog…so I will act like a dog. I got the normal Taiwanese BOO HAO EEEEEEE SOOOOO! Which means…I’m NOT actually sorry,but I have to say this and after I do…you can’t complain about being discriminated against anymore.
I wear my dog collar every time I go into the bank now.
I’m actually speechless.
You got bad credit score ?
Your can have a bad credit score even if you got a lot of assets and income if you been bad at paying your debts …
“Sorry, not sorry” is actually a pretty good translation for buhaoyisi. 
I’m hearing this as the soundtrack to your anecdote:
So much BS. I’ve literally seen it hundreds of times. My friend who came here 2 months ago got a post office VISA debit card without an ARC. Is it a Standard Chartered thing or just random idiot who doesn’t want to do their job?
Got a Mastercard Debit card from Cathay back in 2016, but yeah does seem like things may have changed.
I was offered a card at standard chartered, and in general staff at Standard chartered seem far more competent than other banks
Perhaps the guy ranting just has a bad credit score …
All the way up to the top guy at the Standard Chartered branch in Tien-Mu. “Because you are a FOREIGNER!” That’s the only reason.
Happens everywhere I’ve ever gone. I ask at every single place that I see who has a credit card. It’s almost like a game now.
I am walking in Costco past the table where they are offering credit cards, the attendant is literally asking every single Taiwanese who walks past to fill out a credit card application from their outstretched hands, but they pull their hands away in horror as I purposely walk toward them. They don’t ask me to fill out an application. Then I ask and they tell me no, because I’m a FOREIGNER.
The Post Office called me in a few years back and told me that my account needed to be changed to reflect only my English name and that I’m not allowed to have my Chinese name on my account any longer because…I’m a FOREIGNER. I immediately closed my account and they were relieved as they no longer had to comply with US IRS reporting requirements.
Hua-Nan Bank in Tanshui refused to issue me a credit card or a debit card, because…wait for it…….I’m a FOREIGNER.
All the gas stations have all declined to give me a credit card because…wait for it…I’m a FOREIGNER.
A betelnut girl with no reported income can get a debit card and/or a credit card issued with zero credit history very easily. Seriously. I had a betelnut girl I know do this. I wanted to prove that a FOREIGNER in Taiwan is lower than someone who has no reported income (tax cheat as she makes a shitload of money), zero credit history, but is a citizen with a Taiwan ID.
Adnauseum……on an on an on. I actually don’t need any credit cards, I don’t need any debit cards, but being told I can’t have one because I’m a FOREIGNER pisses me off to no end. A Taiwanese tourist in America has more rights than I have as a long term permanent resident, married to a Taiwanese citizen.
They won’t accept an application. They won’t let me fill out an application. They won’t give me a debit card based on the money deposited in their bank. I have zero debt and a stellar credit history. My credit limit on my US cards is super high. But, hardly use them because I use real money, not credit.
Sounds like you aren’t white. Ethnic Chinese from Hong Kong?