That’s surprising. I thought the Fubon/Costco card was pretty easy. Do you know why you were initially rejected? And what was the basis of your complaint?
The lady that I have Line with stopped communicating. I went back to the warehouse and talked to another rep and she checked and said my application was rejected. She couldn’t tell me why “mei ban fa”. I didn’t push it and just complained to FSC. Few days later the lady with Line called via Line. A guy was obviously behind her listening into the conversation and telling her what to tell me next.
Oh, the basis is just that they rejected me without any reason. That works i guess…
My guess is because I do not have taiwanese employer or any local income to show. I deposited only $80K in my other local bank and showed it to them.
How to check spending balances? anyone?
Reminds me of a mortgage banker from Fubon that ghosted me on Line after he found out I was a foreigner. Sent many follow up messages and all went unread. However I did find another mortgage person at Fubon who was willing to work with me, but said their bank charges a premium interest rate for foreigners. This was for a corporate mortgage not personal mortgage, and they have wording in their contract that says a TW company needs a local nationality guarantor (usually the responsible person).
There should be a QR code or something for the app when you receive the card, if I remember correctly. I don’t recall it being unusually difficult to set up, though the app is Chinese only. (The website is in English - kind of - if that’s an issue.)
Me neither, on both counts. I didn’t even show a bank balance, just my itemized tax certificate and e-filing receipt from last year.
at the end, fubon still easy and friendly… fubon bank app is trash for foreigner, all UI is textual, not much iconic symbol.
I use fubon internet banking 台北富邦網路銀行 (taipeifubon.com.tw)
After about 7 months I asked for a limit increase. Had no credit rating in Taiwan before that credit card.
Called them, then replied to their email with supporting documents.
Initially they said my past spending does not require an increase.
I let ChatGPT write a reply with all the reasons; why I would need it, my income increase and full payment on time.
They then approved new 150k limit.
Whole process is very quick.
Tbh they deserve praise for the customer service, might be very old style that I always need to call, but never waited on the phone.
I would love more online service though…
- Company: Bank of Taiwan
- Card applied for: Combo Mastercard Platinum (combo with debit card functions)
- Credit score/history before applying: last time I checked 780s
- Date of application: 1-Feb-24
- Date of follow up call: No
- Date of credit report check: 7-Feb-24
- Date of approval: ~14-Feb-24
- Date of arrival: 19-Feb-24
- Guarantor required? No
- Secured deposit required? No
- Apply where? Chunglun branch, Songshan, Taipei
- Credit limit given: 100k
Supporting documents provided:
- ARC
- Passport
- 3 months of DBS bank statements
Since this is the combo card, I had to go to pick it up at the branch, they had to activate the debit function on their systems via ID verification. I applied this mostly for fun as I opened an account at BoT via the simplified Gold Card procedure and they issued me the shitty ATM card only (not debit), so I saw the simplified procedure also for credit card, and I applied for this (which is not by the way the one they promote). But it is free as long as you make at least 1 payment in the year.
Funny enough, they put expiration date tied to my ARC, quite annoying. The card doesn’t work on Google/apple/samsung pay, only on Taiwan Pay. Gives a pretty shitty 0.6% cashback (0.8% with the automatic settlement of the statement balance on a BoT account, which is “mandatory” for foreigners), but well, that’s it. Even at BoT I got a card with 0 fuss besides having to go to the branch to apply and retrieve the card.
Is it possible to close a credit card account online?
Specifically a DBS card?
I can’t find it anywhere on their app
Given how reluctant Taiwanese banks can sometimes be to let us open them in the first place, I’m surprised they haven’t implemented a “quick account closing” feature specifically for foreigners. They might even set it up to accept ARC numbers for once.
Would have thought you’d need to go into a branch though, or at least call. I don’t remember seeing an option in any of my apps either.
I just checked the DBS app and you’re right, there is no option of closing one’s account online. I guess you will have to visit a branch personally for that or wait till the card expires. Btw, DBS is gradually shipping out new cards to replace the old Citibank cards.
I’m in Australia 
but honestly kinda figured this would be the answer. I’ll cancel all my Taiwan credit cards when I’m there next
Aren’t you still outside Taiwan? If so, sounds like a bit of a pain. Maybe it’d be worth just calling and telling them you’ll just cut it up and throw it away? They can presumably block the card immediately, as they would if someone lost it or had it stolen.
I wanna cancel it/them so I don’t have to pay the annual fee anymore so reporting it lost probably wouldn’t help.
I’m visiting Taiwan in May so hopefully I’ll have time to do it then
Yeah, just report the card as “lost” (you can do that via the app) and they will cancel your card and ship you a new one. Just don’t activate the new card…or cut it up into tiny little jigsaw pieces and ship it back to them with a note saying “Complete the jigsaw and get a $100 voucher” 
Ohhh!! you have to pay an annual fee??
No, sure, I got that. I just meant they can presumably cancel it on their end so it’s useless, as they would if you’d lost it. I’m curious what they could actually do if you said you want to cancel and aren’t in Taiwan so can’t be bothered mailing it.
Many cards if you do not have a purchase history and a certain minimum spend per year have fees.
I don’t mind mailing it but I have little faith that the doofuses employed by banks in Taiwan would do anything with the letter.
I trust their websites more than their employees, I was hoping for modern way to cancel them 