Best bank for a money order in USD for renewing passport at AIT

Business Money
1

I spent two hours in 3 banks today trying to get a 匯票. My accountant has my stamps for a few days for other paperwork, so I thought I could just go pay NTD and buy a money order for $110 USD. I’ve tried Citibank, HuaNan, and Standard Charter. Any good ones out there?

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You just want USD? Just go to Bank of Taiwan. They’re the best for money exchanges.

3

Taishin Jianguo branch.
10491台北市中山區建國北路二段17號

They have an overseas banking unit on site so they can turn around money orders relatively quickly (within 24 hours), and their staff are experienced at making 匯票.

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4

What is this “Money Order” - is it like a cheque/check, you buy it and send it off to the recipient?
Money Orders are long gone where I come from, you bought them at the Post Office and I think they were for domestic use only. The Overseas one you bought from a Bank, it was called a Bank Draft. All of this was before the EFT thing existed of course. Though I see that Embassies seem to keep the “Cable” thing alive.

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Yes, do not try to ask for a money order; ask for a bank draft. It is essentially the same thing but the banks don’t know what the former is.

I got mine at a MegaBank (where I have an account) after a little confusion over the same terminology issue.

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6

I asked for 匯票 just the AIT checklist said. What’s bank draft in Chinese?

7

Can’t it be the money order from post office?

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Is AIT renewing passports? For some reason I thought things had been put on hold.

9

I’ve never gotten a money order from the post office? Do I need an account there?

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They don’t expedite, and the processing time will be longer.

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11

Thanks. Do you have to make an appointment or can you just show up to do the renewal?

12

I’m going to mail mine in. https://www.ait.org.tw/u-s-citizen-services/passports/adult-passports-10-year-passport/

13

Mega Bank was fantastic. Got the money order on the spot.

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14

In Taichung, I’d recommend Bank of Taiwan. I went to the Qinghai Rd branch in Xitun, but I’d bet any of them are fine. Smoothest banking experience I’ve had in Taiwan, bar none. Didn’t have an account there, cost NTD$400. Had the check in my hand within 25 minutes of walking in the door.

Last time I had to get a bank draft, it took my bank an hour to figure it out while 3 employees discussed what a bank draft was, and it wasn’t even ready until at least the next day (might have taken 2 days, can’t remember now).

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15

I got mine at Mega Bank after 10 minutes of confused staring and speaking with 5 managers.

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For future reference, the post office doesn’t do foreign currencies.

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How much is the money order supposed to be for? AIT’s webpages say $110, but the State Department’s document says there is also a $35 processing fee for a total of $145.

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I’ve always paid cash at AIT.
Why all the fussing around with money orders?

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Some places like TECO only accept money orders.

20

I had to mail it to them.

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