i thought that CTBC is not foreigner friendly. or i remember wrong?
well, it is for sure not the friendliest. Got 2 cards with them, 1 closed (line pay JCB, much better for line points the JCB J card by Fubon) and the basic CI Visa card.
Both were approved without much fuss, but with hideously low credit limits.
Also if u already have an account with CTBC and get a card with them, u can’t use the same access, u will be given a different bogus ID number since their system doesn’t accept ARC numbers.
It’s just a stupid bank altogether imho, better ones are out there, like Fubon and Cathay United to remain with local banks
CTBC just takes a little more effort. I applied for the China Airlines Business Card and got a paltry 30K limit. I complained and asked why the limit was so low how could I even buy a business class ticket with that. Also wanted to upload some PDF files CTBC staff had to email me a special link. Not like they could not just have it on their website? No jpeg but not PDF? WTF is that. You can download pdf statement but not upload one. So it means CTBC did not even check my other credit card limits or credit history. I sent them my Fubon new CC with 250k limit and I did not provide Fubon with any financial information
Also when you apply look at what cards China Airlines offers I don’t need top level the Business level was fine for me. CI Offer up to 18% off on selected flights but do read terms and conditions.
In terms of the stupid numbering system. Not the worse… But the numbering system certain drags them up close there!
CTBC are fine with foreigners, and definitely the best in terms of airline points with China Airlines. Their rates are so good with the Priority card I can rack up a million airline points annually with them which sorts out business class flights year round, and even if you don’t use it that much, you still get China Airlines gold card with it, which gives access to their lounge in Taoyuan.
if ots ok to ask, which card do you have? whats the annual spend ? i can see if its worth it for me to apply.
in my current amex i will need to spend around 20 million a year to get that many miles .
im mostly bothered by the fact you need a different id number and cant use arc number. im tired of Taiwanese banks IT systems and want something easy and straightforward.
I have this one:
https://www.cardu.com.tw/card/card_info.php?cc_pk=3619&cc_group_id=1425
It’s 9nt per point for foreign transactions which is what i mostly use it for.
Wow! such a great topic… so many feelings… I got a Sunny Bank Titatium Card back in 2013. They begged me to take it because they were trying to build their CC business at the time. I had just taken out a mortgage with them using my ARC /US Passport.
I few years later, I tried to get the Costco Credit Card (Cathay). I was rejected even though I own my apt and have a decently high salary.
I opened an HSBC Premier account here in Kaohsiung in 2015 and they pretended that the account did not come with a CC. I had a Taiwan ID card by this time. I had been an HSBC Hong Kong customer since 1992… had to teach them about their own products and (supposed) service.
Recently I decided to move my banking away from HSBC and opened an account at Fubon, applied for their Costco card and got it immediately.
My take away from 10 years of dealing with shitty banks in Kaohsiung is it really depends on who your relationship manager/teller is at the bank. If they really want to help you they will find a way… If they are lazy or don’t want to deal with foreigners, they will lie to you and tell you there are laws that don’t allow foreigners to do whatever.
I have so many stories… I worked in banking in HK for many years… never seen such shitty service and outright lies as I have seen in Taiwan… and I lived in China for 2 years!
Legend has it that someone a few years took the issue to Costco with screenshots of them saying they don’t give foreigners credit cards and Cathay had Costco threaten to cancel the deal immediately under grounds of discrimination.
Cathay after reneging and giving cards to foreigners realised shortly after that we are actually quite profitable… (and the amount they lose to the runners is about the same as Taiwan citizens…) So they continued and still offer cards even after their Costco agreement expired!
Nice! Yeah, to “professionals” I come across in banking or insurance who tell me they can’t take on customers with US passports, always say “Why don’t you want to make money? You know foreigners have higher spending power that locals, right?” Then I wait for the dumbfounded look and walk away!.. yes, I am being a douche, but its my way of getting a little revenge! 
Well there is good reason for that… (Apart from Americans just being American 
) and Taiwan isn’t alone in those regards…
Also some banks will now offer Americans credit cards but not want them to open an account!
Yes, agree! Americans are definitely problematic (FACTA stuff) but there are no actual Taiwan laws agains taking on US customers. Banks just restrictions what products you can access because they don’t want to deal with the paperwork. When they tell me lies, I call them out because I have bank accounts, insurance and Credit Cards, etc… with other banks… so thus their incredulous facial expressions! 
Taiwan signed the agreement into law. So now it actually is and so is CRS.
I agree and understand … what I meant is FACTA compliance does not preclude Taiwan from providing banking services to US citizens, it just makes taking US on a little more mafan…
btw, just saw your thread on online banks being xenophobic. still reading thru it all! My girlfriend doesn’t understand access to banking is super important, esp to a small business owner. she says just find another bank… I think local Taiwanese have been trained (beaten down) and just accept crappy service.
She also doesn’t understand why I spend so much energy complaining and trying to change the system. I am doing it for future generations… so they can have 20th century banking services… she always rolls her eyes!!! 
Culture of martial law… Used to listening to whatever someone of authority says. People in authority will feel compelled to make shit up as they go and think that they make the rules…
Dang… I haven’t been back to this forum in a while. So good to see a bunch of other people that have similar perspectives! I thought I was going freaking crazy there!!! 
I was successful in applying for the Starlux card. Pay the bill and then see no points in my Starlux account. They had managed to not link the card to my membership, despite it being the main point. However Esun were pretty decent and had it sorted in a few days.
Guys at Costco seems extra friendly and will go out of their way for you, but then again it’s their job.
having the same issue, all my family got the bonus already, I just got the normal miles from the spending.
Sent a message to Esun and they are checking. Fucking hilarious… but nothing surprises me anymore here.
Question: I’ve just got a credit card with Mega Bank, but how can I find the interest rate? As far as I can tell, it isn’t shown in the (English) app, and it isn’t listed on the letter accompanying the card either. I can see the credit limit and due date, but that’s it. 
Possibly related - when I applied for the card, I selected the box to have the total amount deducted from my Mega Bank account each month rather than the minimum payment. I didn’t give much thought to that but intend to pay the full amount each month anyway and figured it could be changed later if necessary… but the card should still come with an interest rate even if a customer plans to pay it off each month, right?