No need for HK ID. A Japanese friend of mine who is a navigator on a ship just opened an account recently in with HSBC HK. In may 2023. One thing though is when adding someone as a preferred payee to send funds to it takes 48 hours to be added after request is made online.
I’d imagine you need a valid reason for opening the bank account? Perhaps he’s paid in HKD or his company has HK ties and needs to remit money to back home? If you said you like to visit HK and occasionally need local spending money, would they approve?
He just said he wanted a second account for convenience. He is paid in Japan as works for a Japanese company. All accounts are HK$ but you can have 12 currencies you can exchange funds to. I do this sometimes when currency trading.
In many countries non residents can open accounts if you visit a branch with your passport and other forms of ID.
Update I just asked him how he opened the account
I assume he was only able to open the account in HK because his agency charged him to let him use their local address and local phone number, etc. (or otherwise helped him meet other requirements that a typical non-resident of HK wouldn’t be able to meet).
I wanted to open a new bank account in HK after I had already moved to Taiwan but I had to use my friend’s HK phone number and address, even though I am a HK permanent resident and PRC citizen.
Please lets stop with the assumptions. He does not have a local address or local HK phone number. I’ve asked him to give me the agency contact information as have other people here in Taiwan who want to open accounts in HK. As they cannot do it online they need to visit HK. As some may pass HK on a trip they can exit immigration and open an account at the International Airport HSBC branch. No need to go downtown.
So did he tell you why he needed to pay the agency to open that account for him? Why didn’t he just roll up to an HSBC branch and open an account himself?
He has very limited shore time when in ports. In fact he just contacted me to say he is in Taichung port but has leave from 10pm until tomorrow afternoon only. Unfortunately my work schedule for this weekend I cannot get to Taichung.
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Yes I asked. Here is his reply. I also looked up the IFA
https://en-rules.hkex.com.hk/rulebook/independent-financial-advisers-1380-1387
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Thank you, my friend.
You’re welcome. Look I am still in shock at how easy it was for me to apply for the HSBC HK Premier Credit Card. Yes I have had an account for a couple of decades… Consensus I was told was that I would not get a credit card from a bank in Hong Kong as I do not have employment there or live in HK.
So I thought let’s give it a try. I just thought I submit then would get confirmation application accepted. I assumed my application would go off for further processing. I hit submit and I hear my phone ping an sms. WTF it’s a message saying my CC application was approved. Dang… Then I saw it updated on the online banking on the website.
For me it’s just another CC to have as an emergency back up. Also useful for my upcoming visits to some banks in Taiwan like DBS and HSBC.
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I took this from the PDF policy from November 2023
Credit card charge
Become an HSBC Jade /HSBC Premier customer and your HSBC Premier Mastercard® credit card annual fee will be waived permanently
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What are the requirements to have HSBC premier in Taiwan?
Did you apply using your chinese name and Taiwanese identity?
Yes used my Chinese name. I have two accounts in HK with HSBC. At different branches. One using my Australian passport and Australian birth name and one with my Taiwan passport Chinese Name and my Taiwan ID card details.
If you have Premier account in any country HSBC policy is they have to open a Premier Account for you elsewhere. There are extra privileges for Premier Customers.
A long time ago i opened a HSBC account in Hong Kong. To make things easier i first opened an account in Australia then contacted a specific hsbc desk in Hong Kong that assisted existing customers overseas in relocating and establishing an account.
I opened my first account with HSBC in 1989. As I was doing immigration processing and all the applications were done in ACG HK fees had to be paid in HK$. Going to a bank and buying a bank cheque in Taiwan at the time was tedious and took a lot of time. Better just to have staff go to the bank wire HK$ to HSBC HK and issue a HK$ cheque to ACG.
Same when I had to get a new passport thru ACG HK.
ACG Australian Consulate General.
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Would you recommend HSBC in Taiwan?
Member Llary I believe banked with them. I went to see HSBC in Taichung. I called asked to have an appointment. They called me back to confirm the person to see, time and date. I turn up they claim to have never known about me. I show them my phone calls in my phone. Well there it is my calls to your branch and well eff me isn’t that your branch phone calling me?
They decided looking at me in shorts and t shirt I was unworthy. They let another Taiwanese walk in have my appointment time. Unfortunately I did not record the incident. Nor did I shame them with my HSBC Premier card. The staff were totally rude and unprofessional.
Never mind I told them I’ll be back. I will go and record them with a body cam and then if they give me the cold shoulder make an FSC complaint.
Also I will make the FSC complaint right then and there on my laptop and have them watch me do it cause I will name and shame not just the branch, but the name of the actual staff. Then I can send the video to HSBC HK HQ.