Can I get a credit card issued to me in TW? If yes how?
Do a search, Loretta or tmwc put up a very easy way to do so, because one of them, between rum and cokes, is actually somewhat useful, though I’ve never found a very good use for him myself unless I needed someone to talk bollocks.
Thanks you for your fast response…although…these people have a thousand posts and it is not easy to find the info. Could you either answer the question for me or give me the exact title of the post you are referring to?
Thanks
I’ve asked at my bank (Cathay) and they as well as AmEx won’t give out credit cards to foreigners unless one earns a minimum of NT$80,000 per month, or at least, that’s what they said to me. Even if you only want a tiny credit limit like US$200, they won’t do it. Even so, ask your bank anyway; the worst they can do is say “No”.
And for some unfathomable reason, all the banks in Taiwan (or those I’ve talked to, anyway) refuse to deal in debit cards.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debit_card
Another way to get a credit card is to have someone cosign for your card and assume the risk, but they must be Taiwanese. Obviously, that would mean your employer is your best bet, but mine isn’t willing to do that for me.
Yeah, when running searches, you do need to find a way to pare down the results or they’re not useful. I’ll explain how:
First, go to the Search function (see link in upper right of screen; not the search line from within a particular forum area). At Search for keywords: type credit card . Then look at the search options section below it. Choose the options to search topic titles only, and also to display the results as Topics rather than Posts.
If that still brings up too many relevant threads, you can further restrict the search. Look through the index of topics on Forumosa’s main page as well as in the site map at the bottom of each page, and note which one is most likely to contain threads on the issue of concern to you. In this case, Business and Money seems logical, since all banking issues are there (which is why I will move this to that forum), although you might find a stray thread or two in Living in Taiwan or Open.
Anyway, the short answer is that (assuming you have an ARC) you should talk to customer service at some local banks and see which one is most helpful with this. Banks vary in their willingness to issue credit cards, and the cards may vary in terms of whether they can be used online or not; you’ll also want to check on whether it can be used overseas, and whether or not you need to actually notify them to activate it for overseas purposes for a particular trip. Try Fubon bank, which I’ve found to be helpful (YMMV). My wife says avoid China Trust. I say avoid Citibank. Also note that Bank of America does not have a retail business in Taiwan, and ABN-Amro (just acquired by RBS, Royal Bank of Scotland) apparently is not taking any new foreign customers, although that policy might change after the acquisition.
Yeah, when running searches, you do need to find a way to pare down the results or they’re not useful. I’ll explain how:
First, go to the Search function (see link in upper right of screen; not the search line from within a particular forum area). At Search for keywords: type credit card . Then look at the search options section below it. Choose the options to search topic titles only, and also to display the results as Topics rather than Posts.
If that still brings up too many relevant threads, you can further restrict the search. Look through the index of topics on Forumosa’s main page as well as in the site map at the bottom of each page, and note which one is most likely to contain threads on the issue of concern to you. In this case, Business and Money seems logical, since all banking issues are there (which is why I will move this to that forum), although you might find a stray thread or two in Living in Taiwan or Open.
Anyway, the short answer is that (assuming you have an ARC) you should talk to customer service at some local banks and see which one is most helpful with this. Banks vary in their willingness to issue credit cards, and the cards may vary in terms of whether they can be used online or not; you’ll also want to check on whether it can be used overseas, and whether or not you need to actually notify them to activate it for overseas purposes for a particular trip. Try Fubon bank, which I’ve found to be helpful (YMMV). My wife says avoid China Trust. I say avoid Citibank. Also note that Bank of America does not have a retail business in Taiwan, and ABN-Amro (just acquired by RBS, Royal Bank of Scotland) apparently is not taking any new foreign customers, although that policy might change after the acquisition.[/quote]
THANKS.
From the 4 years it took me to finally get a credit card in Taiwan, it didn’t seem like there was any set procedure. It basically boiled down to whom you talk to.
Most of the times I was denied, the reason given was that the bankwould only issue a card to a foreigner who was employed by a top 500 company in Taiwan at manager level or higher. First Bank, HSBC and Taipei Fubon all said the same thing.
Then one day, out of the blue, I was getting travelers checks at a FirstBank in Xindian and the assistant manager asked if there was anything else he could do for me. I told him how about a credit card. Baddah bing, baddah boom, I got a credit card.
As for debit cards, I recently opened an account at MegaBank and got a debit card without even asking. It seemed like it was their SOP.
Seconded.
I got my own credit card at Taipei Fubon two months ago. They asked for proof of local real estate assets, cash assets, Taiwan business license and permanent residency status. It took one week.
I have had many years of excellent service at Citibank Taiwan. They demand a minimum balance that is higher than some other banks but ye get what ye pays for.