Hello, all. I’m here on an ARC, and I have an account with China Trust. While they offer credit cards, and ATM cards, I have been completely unable to get a debit card (visa
I don’t know the answers, but please keep me posted, and let me know if you want to go in and “discuss” the issue up the food chain with them. I’ll be glad to go along.
Ol’ Ironlady is beginning to get really po’d about all these “foreigners can’t” rules coming out of the woodwork lately. 
Can I come?
I find this very hard to believe. You need to find out the name of this law or regulation in Chinese.
They may be telling you that they have their own internal regulation though.
They’re lying. Ask to see this “law”. Or even ask for the relevant reference number. They will not be able to produce it I’m sure, because a French bank, Cetelem, tried the same thing with me when I wanted to pay for a FNAC purchase in installments, something I had the right to do as a FNAC member, and as someone who had already done this twice in the past, albeit with a previous incarnation of Cetelem, which wasn’t a bank at the time, but a “finance company”. Anyway. they told me that it would be illegal, and I said great, I would leave their offices just as soon as they could produce this law and convince me that they personally weren’t discriminating against foreigners. Well, it took four hours from start to finish, but the result was a lot of embarrassed apologies from them, an angry GM chewing out the people talking to me, and a third successfully-approved FNAC installment-plan purchase.
Don’t give in too easily. Stay polite, resolute, keep smiling, take names, positions and employee numbers and bring a tape recorder to tape people. Tell them that if they’re telling the truth, they won’t mind going on the record. It’s a pain in the ass, but if you want to effect change and not just bitch and moan, it’s the only way to go.
Think it’ll work on Chunghwa too?? 
Maoman, your FNAC story is inspiring. You are definitely my hero. 
I wanted to buy mutual funds from my bank and it took an ordeal similiar to yours to convince them that they could do it.
Maoman’s really good at this stuff! 
I truly believe half the time that they just don’t want to deal with foreigners and make up some dumb ass excuse to get rid of you.
Well, today I recieved a response to my complaints about not being allowed to get a debit card as a foreigner. At first the email response looked promising, but the attachment basically says I can’t do it. Here’s the email China trust sent me:
[quote=“MarkWilbur”]Well, today I recieved a response to my complaints about not being allowed to get a debit card as a foreigner. At first the email response looked promising, but the attachment basically says I can’t do it. Here’s the email China trust sent me:
You’re nice, Maoman. I’d go right to the friendly media with this one. If there ARE any friendly media, that is. Makes as much sense as anything else the TT carries, after all.
If you are going to the media, doesn’t Next magazine have some sort of counsumer protection section? You could go to them and play up the jilted foriegner/big businesses that break the law/bad for Taiwan’s international business image angle. I’d give the US branch of that bank hell too and send press releases everywhere.
On the other hand, have you thought about just trying a different bank and getting a normal visa? I had no trouble getting Fubon and AE cards here. The only condition I can remember is that they wanted info my exisitng US credit cards.
I do want to win, but I’m afraid my Chinese isn’t up to that level of interrogation. If it were possible to hire a lawyer to help me fight them, I would. But my Chinese isn’t sufficient to do it myself. Thanks for the advice, though… maybe in a couple of years I will follow it.
Talk to Ironlady … she said she’d go with you. Give 'em hell! 
Sure. Good practice!! If we can set it up, I’ll be glad to go along for the fun.
Anyone for a nice interview with “Next” magazine??
I read with great interest the string associated with this issue. Last summer, before going to US for a visit I called to confirm that I could use my China Trust ATM there as I had read somewhere that this could be a problem. Turned out that the number I called was the “service” number for debit cards. I wasn’t even in the market for one, but the fur on my back got pretty ruffled with the “foreigners can’t get one” brush off. I didn’t get past a good bitchy complaint to the woman who answered my call, so I am very impressed with your effort until now. I am curious if anyone has followed up on the follow up idea. Also, glad to know regular credit cards shouldn’t be a problem.
Thanks to all of you out there sticking up for yourselves and the rest of us indirectly! I will try to do my best to follow suit. I just lose my temper so easily and that just doesn’t get one anywhere.