On my 5th attempt, I finally got a credit card approved in Taiwan, even WITHOUT a co-signer.
I was at a First Bank branch a few weeks ago getting travelers checks for my trip to the US and the branch manager came over to chat. At the end of the conversation, he asked if there was anything else he could do for me and I half-jokingly asked if he could help me get a credit card. I got the same reaction every other bank employee gave me on the initial contact: “No Problem”. I told him of the previous attempts, including at First Bank, and the subsequent rejections. He said that in the last 6 months, regulations have changed, making it easier for foreigners to get cards. My card was waiting for me when I got back.
Now, I don’t know if in fact the regulations have changed or if he was just doing me a favor, but for anyone who has tried and failed in the past, it might be worth looking into again.
[quote=“CraigTPE”]On my 5th attempt, I finally got a credit card approved in Taiwan, even WITHOUT a co-signer.
I was at a First Bank branch a few weeks ago getting travelers checks for my trip to the US and the branch manager came over to chat. At the end of the conversation, he asked if there was anything else he could do for me and I half-jokingly asked if he could help me get a credit card. I got the same reaction every other bank employee gave me on the initial contact: “No Problem”. I told him of the previous attempts, including at First Bank, and the subsequent rejections. He said that in the last 6 months, regulations have changed, making it easier for foreigners to get cards. My card was waiting for me when I got back.
Now, I don’t know if in fact the regulations have changed or if he was just doing me a favor, but for anyone who has tried and failed in the past, it might be worth looking into again.[/quote]
Without a co-signer, that’s sounds pretty amazing.
I got my credit card from First Bank four years ago, also without a co-signer.
How? I sat down with someone from the credit card division, took out my bank book, showed them the balance, asked them to check the amount of money that had gone through my account in the previous years, and asked them if they think I qualify for a credit card. Patronizing to say the least, I know, BUT I got my card two weeks later.
However, it ALL depends on WHO you are talking to. I avoid the male employees at First Bank like the plague - the most I got out of them was a couple of badly coordinated grunts - bunch of xenophobes.
The female staff, however, are just friendlier and a thousand times more helpful.