Credit Card Success Stories - Share Your Timeline & Application Details

Never been an issue with how much I use mine. High usage and also get unsecured loan approval based on usage. My Costco card has a 60K limit. I generally use that up pretty quickly then pay in full every two weeks. Used my card for flights for several trips in the last 6 months. I’m on my 9th week of overseas travel since September.

I haven’t had a problem with that. There’s been numerous times where I’ve spent almost double the soft limit on my Amex card, but I’ve still been fine getting other cards since then. I’m not saying it isn’t a fact, I’m just not sure how much of a factor it is.

If they are applying the guarantor requirement to those who have only been in Taiwan for a short time, have no credit history, a low paying job or seem to change job often etc… then that would be fine.

My problem is when they say. “Foreigner, you need a guarantor.”

Also my question again for the foreigners who have been here and in Taiwan for many years remains.

Why on earth didn’t you complain about these things? Why has it taken until now when @Mataiou and I have been putting in formal complaints about Esun and HSBC???

Because you can make large puchases on interest free. A friend of mine nearly maxed out his CTBC card on an interest free washing machine, dryer and some furniture and for his new house.

Did he have the money to pay? Yes… However… why not take the 12 months interest free and pay over 36 months? It also seriously softened the blow on his savings and allowed him to maintain his emergency fund.

I also purchased my scooter using the interest free option. (If my credit card had only 60,000 it would be useless during the life of the loan.)

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If you read my earlier posts circa 2012 to 2015 I was a big proponent on here for making formal complaints to get what you want.

Most people didn’t care then. Most people don’t care now. Most people get their SO to do everything for them or are single foreigners that come for a year to teach and leave. That’s why it’s hard to get support here.

The only thing that got foreigners together in anger was when they tried to take ubikes away, as it affected everyone

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Yeh… until they divorce and are left with no credit score and a house that’s in their ex wife/husbands name. God some people are stupid.

That part is understandable

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Yea it’s hard to get people stirred up about their rights unfortunately.
There were a few stories on this site where foreigners had the house in the wife’s name and got kicked to the curb sans house

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I’m a big stirrer haha

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And for me I’ve always found going to a competitor with a less stupid staff member the path of least resistance.

It still irks me. It irks me enough to join a fight but not to start one.

And leaving Taiwan fixed all those issues. That’s enough of a stand for me. If Taiwan wants to slow its population decline, it needs to become foreigner friendly. That’s up to them, not me.

It’s not only banks. It’s widespread. Just saw an ad saying ‘Looking for an English teacher. British and Americans only’. I’m Australian and English is the only language I speak fluently but somehow not good enough to teach people who can’t speak English at all?

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22 posts were split to a new topic: The Renouncing and Regaining Thread

that is true and less annoying indeed, but sometimes the mofos have something you either need or really want, so need to make a big fuss to get something you should have got without issues

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I got sick of being a Karen

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Company: CTBC
Card applied for: China Airlines Signature Visa Card
Date of application: Apr 2023
Date of approval: Apr 2023
Date of arrival: Apr 2023
Time from application to card received: about 2 weeks
Guarantor required? No
Secured deposit required? No
Apply where? by post
Credit limit given: $20,000
Supporting documents provided:

None, just posted the application form since already account and credit card holder with the bank.

Useless low limit, incredible that they just give me 20k no matter what, will close all my cards with this bank, just plainly moronic. I applied to this card only for the 8% discount on CI flights, but with 20k can barely book a flight to HK (which has a 7% discount instead).

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I have credit cards with CITI, Taishin, CTBC, Union, E. Sun, Fubon, and Cathay. All with limits between 80,000 to 203,000. I never had any problems applying for cards. If I wasn’t a banking customer with them, they never asked me to open an account. I was never asked to have a guarantor either. I started with Cathay’s COSTCO card some years ago. I was only ever denied from one bank: Bank Sinopac.

I think that they key to applying for credit cards is to apply by mail with all the correct documents. If you go to the bank, the people behind the counter will give you all kinds of bull***t because they don’t know what they’re doing and they make up rules as they go along.

After you get your first credit card, then focus on building credit by paying your bills in full and on time. If they lowball you at first with the credit limit, apply for a credit increase after six months of paying your bill on time and in full. Easy peasy.

I have cards currently with Amex, Fubon, Cathay, CTBC, HSBC, Taishin, Shing Kong. Used to have with First Bank and Mega. Limits between 20k and 400K. Applying with E.sun and giving me hard time due to my status as self employed and paid from abroad into HSBC which doesn’t have passbooks.

Really had issues only with HSBC (had to go all the way with the financial ombudsman and won, they even changed their forms and policies now) and Shin Kong (complaint with FSC) since they wanted a guarantor or secured deposits.

Started with Amex (since had it in HK) and then Cathay Costco. All the banks I applied to so far eventually approved me after either complaints or appeals. I always mail all the applications (besides the Costco card, applied at the store), never ever bothered going to branch if not to get the application form.

Had my CTBC JCB line pay card for almost one year, always paid in full and on time, as all my cards. Still rejected my request to increase and just gave me another card with only 20k. They don’t deserve my interchange.

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Complain to the FSC stating that other banks give much higher limits and see where that goes. I would be curious to see the response

I think that some of these banks consult their crystal balls when it come to foreign people applying for cards. Maybe it depends on their mood that day? Every bank seems do have their own strange policies when dealing with 外國人.

I agree with that. I too would just find a better bank to do business with.

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Probably like most cards can simply up the limit online. Worth having for an 8% discount on CI flights though.

I tried to apply online for the same card, the website wouldn’t accept the new ARC format.

Hey thanks for that. I just applied online. Put in my Taiwan ID number, CI already has my name and other details in their system as I fly them. Not always though. I also have a China Trust card but rarely use it mostly use my Cathay card.

Let you know how my online application goes. up to 18% off

https://bookingportal.china-airlines.com/eRetailInterface/CTBCCoBrand.aspx?lang=en-US