And that’s interesting as 10 years ago HSBC made exceptions for premier customers only from the guarantor requirement.
Pretty shabby way of treating so called ‘Premier’ clientele
Heard recent stories of foreign director level people dispatched to TW from the HQ to be like TW CEOs or things this, with milions of NT of salary paid being either asked for guarantors at HSBC or given ridiculously low limits, like 50k.
Some even lived in the same complex of HSBC COO (now be moved from TW, was a Brit) and asked him to help, but even him could do little!
That shows the state international banks are here
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Do you have a really high salary? That’s a huge credit limit!
Company: Mega bank
Card applied for: One i-Pass Mastercard
Date of application: Nov 2022
Date of approval: nov 2022
Date of arrival: nov 2022
Time from application to card received: About 3 weeks
Guarantor required? No
Secured deposit required? No
Apply where? By post, had to go to branch to retrieve the application form, couldn’t find it online
Credit limit given: $88,000, 10.46% (already down from my initial 16% with my first card back in May 2022)
Supporting documents provided:
Scan of ARC (front and back)
Scan of passport
Scan of my most recent 3 bank statements from HK
Copy of employment letter
The process was very smooth, could check the application status online. Only hiccup was I had to put a note where I was selecting my sign-up gift since there is no place where to do it on the form.
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Hi Mataiou! For your CTBC credit card, did you choose to get automatic withholding from savings account? If yes, can you share your experience? I was wondering how it works.
Or if anyone did this to their card, please feel free to share about it.
I also want to ask about your experience with Eva Air co-branded cards. Cathay vs AmEx — which one earns more rewards or is generally the better choice between the two?
- Company: CTBC
- Card applied for: 中信商旅鈦金卡
- Credit score/history before applying: Zero credit history
- Date of application: Nov 11 2022
- Date of follow up call: None but received text on Nov 14 2022 that my application is accepted and under review
- Date of credit report check: None
- Date of approval: Nov 17 2022 received text that card is issued
- Date of arrival: Nov 23 2022
- Time from application to card recieved: 12 days
- Guarantor required? No
- Secured deposit required? No
- Apply where? Zhubei Branch
- Credit limit given: NT$50,000
Supporting documents provided:
- Scan of ARC (front and back)
- Scan of passport
- Employment contract
- Two months of payslips (originally required 3 months, but I just started in the company so can only give 2)
After hearing all the horror stories from friends about credit card application at CTBC, I was very shocked that I was able to apply very smoothly. Actually, I went to the bank just for payroll account opening. But since I was already there, I thought why not inquire about credit card application process. Luckily, the Specialist was especially friendly that day and processed my application right away. Also lucky that I brought all the required documents since it’s the same with the ones needed for account opening. Although I could not check the progress in their website (does not accept foreigner ARC number), I did receive text and email notifications. So happy since it got approved and arrived in time before a big purchase 
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Hello, so, haven’t hit the first statement yet, so don’t know how the automatic settlement will go. But I did opt for it.
Regarding the Eva cobranded cards, tbh the cathay ones have more perks and are more widely accepted, but they do cost more as annual fee.
Like amex BR gold card give you only special rates for business class, whereas the cathay card can give ubup to 10% discount regardless of the class depending on the card you have.
Also the miles accrual is better for cathay ones, and the lounge access is much better. With the amex gold you can only enter paying to eva lounges when flying eva, amex platinum comes with priority pass and amex centurion lounges access, but different price. With cathay if you get the visa infinite you get a limited dragon pass, so u would pay like USD 15 per lunghe access regardless if you fly eva or not, while the infinite supreme (which comes with a fee as high as the amex platinum) gives u unlimited lounge access.
I would go first thence with cathay eva visa infinite. But amex has some nice discounts with some good restaurants and hotel, so u can consider applying to the eva gold charge card.
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Thanks for sharing~
Hope you can update about CTBC status after billing.
On the Eva Air cards, I originally considered AmEx Gold since they give 10,000 miles if you reach the minimum spend, whereas Cathay Visa Infinite (similar annual fee) only gives 6,000 miles. However, after looking more into it, AmEx has conversion NT$25 = 1 mile while Cathay gives NT$20 = 1 mile. And considering what you mentioned, AmEx is not really well accepted in Taiwan vs Visa cards. So I’m thinking I’m probably going to earn miles faster if I opt for Cathay. Anyway, will still think and do more research about this. Who knows, there might be other miles card that give better rewards 
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I have it set up for auto billing. Works well and has for years. Originally I had to ask the branch to help me fill out a automatic deduction form and give them a copy of your bankbook and it’s set up
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As per miles accrual, both dbs fly world mastercard and hsbc traveller visa infinite have better rates and can convert miles to multiple airlines, not just Eva. But no discounts on airfare or lounge access.
Also, HSBC is just garbage for cards, they want a guarantor even if you are a premier customer and you receive the salary there.
DBS haven’t tried yet, seems a bit better.
Also the Citi premiermiles not bad, similar to HSBC rate per miles, but citi is closing doen for retail bank, bought by DBS.
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You are mentioning auto billing, I’m not sure if it’s the same with amount withholding. However, can you share more on how it goes? Does it deduct upon billing date or will it do so on the payment deadline?
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It withdraws on the payment deadline. You can have it come from any bank as well.
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hi.
a question regarding the cashback: currently it is available until 31.12.2023
do they say what the cashback will be starting 2024?
thx.
Nope but Citibank is exiting Taiwan and their customers will be moved to DBS. We will have to wait until DBS decides what to do.
I did read that DBS said there wasn’t much overlap in their credit card products so they don’t have plans to change anything yet
DBS credit cards aren’t foreign friendly (at least years ago) whereas Citi is, comparatively speaking. So apply for your citi card today if you want it.
- Company: HSBC TW
- Card applied for: Travellers Visa Infinite card
- Credit score/history before applying: Very high, it was more than 742 when I checked in Jan-23
- Date of application:** Aug-22
- Date of follow up call:** Several calls, all useless. I actually withdrew the application at a point since I didn’t want to get a local guarantor.
- Date of credit report check:** they checked several times, last one at the beginning of Jan-23
- Date of approval:** 17-Jan-23
- Date of arrival:** 31-Jan-23
- Time from application to card received:** 167 days
- Guarantor required?** No, eventually
- Secured deposit required?** No, but they tried to propose to me to lock 500K NT to forego the guarantor initially
- Apply where?** sent application form via post
- Credit limit given:** NT$100,000
Supporting documents provided:
- Scan of ARC (front and back)
- Scan of passport
- Scan of Driving licence (front and back)
- Employment contract
- 3 months of bank statements (which are with HSBC itself, it’s my main account)
This application has been a real fight, and was solved only after I first made a complaint with the FSC, lodged an official complaint with the bank (which replied to me they don’t care about what I say basically) and finally lodged a formal complaint with the Financial Ombudsman for infringement of art. 7 of the Financial Consumer Protection Act (besides discrimination based on nationality against art. 62 of the Immigration Act)
After the complaint lodging, the bank contacted me again and advised they “revised” their internal policies for cards for foreigners and are glad to issue the card to me. They even gave me a small “gift” for the inconvenience caused: a nice HSBC branded whisky glass.
My suggestion is to everyone: apply for HSBC cards, if got denied for absence of guarantor, complain with them first and if they don’t budge, just lodge a complaint with the Financial Ombudsman, after a few they will relent I guess.
6 Likes
Company: fubon
Card applied for: costco titanium mastercard with membership info
Credit score/history before applying: Very high, it was more than 742 when I checked in Jan-23
Date of application:** 3-feb-23
Date of follow up call:** one follow up call on 10-feb
Date of credit report check:** thry didn’t check as I already have a fubon credit card
Date of approval:** probably on 16-feb-23
Date of arrival:** 18-feb-23
Guarantor required?** No
Secured deposit required?** No
Apply where?** sent application form via post
Credit limit given:** NT$60,000
Supporting documents provided:
Scan of ARC (front and back)
Scan of passport
Scan of Driving licence (front and back)
Employment contract
3 months of bank statements (which are with HSBC itself, it’s my main account)
Complained once via online form since the application status tool was keeping telling me to call the service centre, but never been able to connect. They finally called me back to tell me I forgot to put my costco membership number. Sent another application form with the number and no other supporting doc. They approved straight away.
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Company: Taishin
Card applied for: Everrich Visa Signature
Credit score/history before applying: Very high, it was more than 742 when I checked in Jan-23
Date of application:** 3-Feb
Date of follow up call:** 2 follow up calls in Feb
Date of credit report check:** 10-Feb
Date of approval:** probably on 18-feb-23
Date of arrival:** 21-feb-23
Guarantor required?** No
Secured deposit required?** No
Apply where?** sent application form via post
Credit limit given:** NT$100,000
Supporting documents provided:
Scan of ARC (front and back)
Scan of passport
Scan of Driving licence (front and back)
Employment contract
3 months of bank statements (which are with HSBC itself, it’s my main account)
They called me the first time to request me to submit a proper application form, not the downloaded one from their website, they kindly sent a form to my home with highlighted the sections to be completed. No further doc was to be resubmit.
They called a second time to ask whether I would like to set up the automatic debit from my Richart account, since I put it in the first application form, but forgot to put that in the second. They approved the same day of the second call.
Had issues in activating the card, online function was not working and the automatic phone service had issues, went to a branch, took 5 mins including wait time at the counter. Stupid that I had to go to the branch, but was quick and painless at least.
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You have to ask them to mail an application (cannot download it). Then here is the reason… They ask you for a guarantor -IF YOU DON’T HAVE A “GOLD CARD”- and then you have a 5 minute argue over the chat just to get an application sent… I wonder what would’ve happened if I just said “yes”…
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