# Credit Cards for Foreigners - General Discussion **URL:** \ **Category:** Money\ **Tags:** creditcard\ **Created:** [July 13, 2020, 3:01pm UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/credit-cards-for-foreigners-general-discussion/194325 "2020-07-13T15:01:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![meishijia](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/meishijia/32/178949_2.png) [@meishijia](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/meishijia)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2022, 6:57am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/credit-cards-for-foreigners-general-discussion/194325/221 "2022-05-12T06:57:49Z")
> [@qwert\_zuiop](#): > > Stupid question: But why so much love for Amex in this thread? They’re accepted almost nowhere (compared to VISA / Mastercard), mostly have an annual fee and not that many benefits from what I understand. > > I’ve never felt the need to get an Amex - the only time I had one was when I received one issued by my employer which I had to use for travel. Credit rating builder, and the most foreigner friendly credit card supplier in Taiwan ---
**Author:** ![justintaiwan](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/7ea924/32.png) [@justintaiwan](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/justintaiwan)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2022, 7:16am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/credit-cards-for-foreigners-general-discussion/194325/222 "2022-05-12T07:16:53Z")
They’re accepted at major places. Also mine is no annual fee as long as I spend (can’t remember how much now but it was a really low amount $30,000 or something) per year. Also the fact that credit card transaction fees aren’t a thing here helps. In oz I wouldn’t use an amex much because most shops pass on the transaction fee to consumers whereas they absorb other card fees. Mostly I love their customer service which a sales pitch on its own considering how other banks treat us. ---
**Author:** ![meishijia](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/meishijia/32/178949_2.png) [@meishijia](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/meishijia)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2022, 7:38am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/credit-cards-for-foreigners-general-discussion/194325/223 "2022-05-12T07:38:54Z")
Feel free to share your credit card success stories with more detail in this thread: > [@Credit Card Success Stories - Share Your Timeline & Application Details](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/credit-card-success-stories-share-your-timeline-application-details/219705): > > We all know it’s hard to get a credit card as a foreigner, not just because of banks not trusting us, but because the requirements are all over the place, and vary wildly branch to branch. To better help everyone understand the requirements and timeline for different credit cards, I made this thread so we can share which banks have accepted us, and what info we supplied. I’ll go first: Company: American Express Card applied for: [美國運通信用金卡](https://www.americanexpress.com/zh-tw/credit-cards/grcc-gold/?linknav=tw-amex-cardshop-allcards-text-GrccGold) Credit score/history before applying: Zero credi… ---
**Author:** ![meishijia](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/meishijia/32/178949_2.png) [@meishijia](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/meishijia)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2022, 3:37pm UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/credit-cards-for-foreigners-general-discussion/194325/224 "2022-05-13T15:37:45Z")
Me and my wife just both applied for probably the best credit card going in Taiwan right now: The Fubon Omiyage Card. It’s JCB, so not so useful abroad, but domestically you can get 3.5% back when you pay with LINE pay, or 2% if you swipe the card normally. Additionally, payments made in installments are interest free for 12 months, and the annual fee is waived if you receive bills digitally. > **[「富邦J卡」回饋無上限！](https://www.fubon.com/banking/event/hot/omiyagecard/#/)** > > 國內最高3.5%回饋無上限！111/6/30前刷J POINTS卡(含JU卡)享回饋無上限，立即申辦！ I only just yesterday received my AMEX, so I still have little to no credit history, so I think Fubon will decline me. But this is an experiment of sorts to see who the bank will favor, me (foreigner, employed in a top Taiwanese tech company) vs my wife (Taiwanese, unemployed but huge cash savings in the bank). They might decline us both, we will see. ---
**Author:** ![izzy](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/i/c2a13f/32.png) [@izzy](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/izzy)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2022, 3:43pm UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/credit-cards-for-foreigners-general-discussion/194325/225 "2022-05-13T15:43:10Z")
excellent service, no hassle cuz you are foreigner. accepted in most places ---
**Author:** ![SunWuKong](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/sunwukong/32/125743_2.png) [@SunWuKong](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/SunWuKong)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2022, 5:36am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/credit-cards-for-foreigners-general-discussion/194325/226 "2022-05-16T05:36:25Z")
> [@SunWuKong](#): > > This came up a while back and I think there was a solution, but I can’t find the answer now. Since so many people have a CTBC card, has anyone had trouble linking it to your app? Or online banking? Does it take a while to show up? I finally got my first credit card in Taiwan. They sent me two and I activated both. I bought one thing with one and it’s working, but I don’t see any information in either the website or app. I activated one card through the CTBC app and the other some other way, through LinePay maybe. > [@SunWuKong](#): > > @lostinasia had this problem earlier. Did you find an way to check your balance on the card? I need some way to monitor how much I owe before payment is due so I don’t go over. I talked to someone at CTBC about this problem. I found that they don’t use a foreigner’s actual ID number for online identification, though other banks seem to, but they use the birthday, part of the family name, and an additional letter. That’s for the bank account. For the credit card account, the online ID is the same minus the additional letter. So the credit card won’t appear on the same app or online banking (I was told) because the IDs don’t match. However, it should be possible to open a second online banking account using the credit card used ID number. Possibly another app as well if you have two phones. I haven’t tried this yet, but it explains the problem. I did try to login for a special cash back offer last week and found that my savings online banking ID was too long by one letter. In frustration, I just hit enter, and it worked anyway, so it should work to open another online banking account just for the credit card. ---
**Author:** ![FenjaJie](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/fenjajie/32/177281_2.png) [@FenjaJie](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/FenjaJie)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2022, 5:54am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/credit-cards-for-foreigners-general-discussion/194325/227 "2022-05-16T05:54:01Z")
Has already successfully applied for the China Airlines / CTBC Co-brand card? ---
**Author:** ![meishijia](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/meishijia/32/178949_2.png) [@meishijia](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/meishijia)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2022, 3:06am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/credit-cards-for-foreigners-general-discussion/194325/228 "2022-05-17T03:06:11Z")
Just at Cathay United updating my ARC number and the counter woman is encouraging me to apply for the Costco credit card. So applying just to see what happens ---
**Author:** ![frank\_hnd](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/frank_hnd/32/125285_2.png) [@frank\_hnd](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/frank_hnd)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2022, 3:27am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/credit-cards-for-foreigners-general-discussion/194325/229 "2022-05-17T03:27:56Z")
> [@SunWuKong](#): > > I found that they don’t use a foreigner’s actual ID number for online identification, though other banks seem to, but they use the birthday, part of the family name, and an additional letter. That’s for the bank account. For the credit card account, the online ID is the same minus the additional letter. So the credit card won’t appear on the same app or online banking (I was told) because the IDs don’t match. This is absolutely correct. This is the reason I rarely use CTBC, I am still trying to merge savings and cc into the same app since updating to TW ID. ---
**Author:** ![meishijia](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/meishijia/32/178949_2.png) [@meishijia](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/meishijia)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2022, 6:08am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/credit-cards-for-foreigners-general-discussion/194325/230 "2022-05-17T06:08:10Z")
> [@meishijia](#): > > Me and my wife just both applied for probably the best credit card going in Taiwan right now: The Fubon Omiyage Card. It’s JCB, so not so useful abroad, but domestically you can get 3.5% back when you pay with LINE pay, or 2% if you swipe the card normally. Additionally, payments made in installments are interest free for 12 months, and the annual fee is waived if you receive bills digitally. > > [「富邦J卡」日韓旅遊最高6%回饋!](https://www.fubon.com/banking/event/hot/omiyagecard/#/) > > I only just yesterday received my AMEX, so I still have little to no credit history, so I think Fubon will decline me. > > But this is an experiment of sorts to see who the bank will favor, me (foreigner, employed in a top Taiwanese tech company) vs my wife (Taiwanese, unemployed but huge cash savings in the bank). > > They might decline us both, we will see. Just received an email from Fubon telling me they have received my application and it is processing. There was also a link to track my application: ![image](https://forumosauploads-12829.kxcdn.com/original/3X/5/3/5374a8f6316b6d1f92811e788472a02b1903badc.jpeg) After logging into the site it says my application status is: “call customer support for an explanation”. ![image](https://forumosauploads-12829.kxcdn.com/original/3X/9/5/952102aab4f855657b9e15be8d0a9cc9f7f754df.jpeg) So I called the number and gave my details and they said that my application is all normal and still processing. She confirmed that they had received all my documents as expected. It’s strange because my wife who applied at the same time as me, and recieved the email about 30 minutes before I did, has this as her status: ![image](https://forumosauploads-12829.kxcdn.com/original/3X/e/a/ea7b8ad504d81abfcf4bbbc45052b62e84a2c34f.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![izzy](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/i/c2a13f/32.png) [@izzy](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/izzy)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2022, 6:10am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/credit-cards-for-foreigners-general-discussion/194325/231 "2022-05-17T06:10:31Z")
not an expert, but my best guess is that your ARC number format wasnt properly “digested” by the system ---
**Author:** ![meishijia](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/meishijia/32/178949_2.png) [@meishijia](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/meishijia)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2022, 6:12am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/credit-cards-for-foreigners-general-discussion/194325/232 "2022-05-17T06:12:38Z")
Quite likely, as their online status checker page can’t find my application status. It can’t find any other info related to my application either, so… Guess I’ll just need to call them every day xD ---
**Author:** ![SunWuKong](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/sunwukong/32/125743_2.png) [@SunWuKong](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/SunWuKong)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2022, 7:34am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/credit-cards-for-foreigners-general-discussion/194325/233 "2022-05-17T07:34:12Z")
> [@meishijia](#): > > After logging into the site it says my application status is: “call customer support for an explanation”. I had the same problem when I applied to CTBC. There’s was some rule about foreign nationals. I heard it has something to do with a regulation about storing our information online, although many websites do this. Maybe it has to do with layers of protection. > [@meishijia](#): > > Guess I’ll just need to call them every day xD I waited several days and got a call to confirm my information. A little before or after that I got a message that application process had been completed, and a few days after that that the card was on its way. If Fubon is like CTBC it comes registered mail, so you need to sign for it. ---
**Author:** ![meishijia](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/meishijia/32/178949_2.png) [@meishijia](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/meishijia)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2022, 4:13pm UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/credit-cards-for-foreigners-general-discussion/194325/234 "2022-05-19T16:13:16Z")
> [@SuiGeneris](#): > > That’s frustrating. But the Cathay Bank app does work and you can see your credit used, bill, points, etc. Have you managed to get the Cathay app to work in English? I’m on iOS, and the App Store says it has English, and there is an even an option in the iOS settings for the app to change to English, but it doesn’t actually change anything. ---
**Author:** ![izzy](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/i/c2a13f/32.png) [@izzy](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/izzy)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2022, 11:04pm UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/credit-cards-for-foreigners-general-discussion/194325/235 "2022-05-19T23:04:15Z")
im on android and its CN only. ---
**Author:** ![meishijia](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/meishijia/32/178949_2.png) [@meishijia](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/meishijia)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2022, 3:56am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/credit-cards-for-foreigners-general-discussion/194325/236 "2022-05-23T03:56:22Z")
So, me and my wife both applied for the same Fubon credit card, since it has good cashback, but also as an experiment to see how anti-foreigner they are as a company. My wife, who has been unemployed for three years was accepted, no questions asked, and by only supplying her bank book as evidence. Me, who is employed by one of Taiwan’s top tech companies, showed 3 months payslips, tax statement showing my salary for all of 2021, investment statements, and my bank book, was declined. Well, they didn’t decline me, they asked for a guarantor… which obviously I’m not gonna agree to. Fucking pointless waste of time. I asked why I need a guarantor, and they are going to ring me back with an answer. Oh well, at least I’ll have an opportunity to argue with them. The cherry on top is I’m already a Fubon customer paying them close to 100k a year in various insurances. Well, they’re gonna lose that business from me. To say I’m pissed off is the understatement of the fucking year. I am never letting this go ---
**Author:** ![meishijia](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/meishijia/32/178949_2.png) [@meishijia](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/meishijia)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2022, 4:10am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/credit-cards-for-foreigners-general-discussion/194325/237 "2022-05-23T04:10:02Z")
Does anybody know, how illegal is it for me to defame a company, for example if I wanted to print some t shirts with “Fuck example company”, how bad could they sue me? What if I made some signs to hold outside their office, would that be pushing it? ---
**Author:** ![papertowel](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/papertowel/32/179757_2.png) [@papertowel](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/papertowel)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2022, 4:20am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/credit-cards-for-foreigners-general-discussion/194325/238 "2022-05-23T04:20:24Z")
> [@meishijia](#): > > “Fuck example company” You could probably sell those at a night market for cheap and let other people do that for you. ---
**Author:** ![Myn](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@Myn](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/Myn)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2022, 4:34am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/credit-cards-for-foreigners-general-discussion/194325/239 "2022-05-23T04:34:20Z")
> [@meishijia](#): > > Does anybody know, how illegal is it for me to defame a company I think it should be your next project to find out and report back to us ---
**Author:** ![meishijia](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/meishijia/32/178949_2.png) [@meishijia](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/meishijia)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2022, 5:22am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/credit-cards-for-foreigners-general-discussion/194325/240 "2022-05-23T05:22:05Z")
![image](https://forumosauploads-12829.kxcdn.com/original/3X/c/3/c3032a988bc6b8102d689a1c4f1e6adc994ba2f0.gif) [Previous page](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/credit-cards-for-foreigners-general-discussion/194325.md?page=11) [Next page](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/credit-cards-for-foreigners-general-discussion/194325.md?page=13)