‘Online’ Bank’s xenophobic reasoning for denying "foreigners" the ability to open an account online

Must have been thinking Fuck me, these foreigners are really different to us. Weirdo. We are correct to treat them differently.

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I would write a reply saying that it shouldn’t be “exclusive” it should be a system that is “inclusive”

This weekend I am going to make a thread on submitting discrimination complaints to the ministry of interior

(Edit)
Here it is - https://tw.forumosa.com/t/how-to-make-a-discrimination-complaint-to-the-moi-an-easy-guide/

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I am curious how many levels of management needed to sign off on offering NT$500 in compensation, especially to a foreigner. Maybe it went all the way to the CEO? :sweat_smile:

I did try and joke with her whether foreigners are eligible to use Family Mart digital gift cards, but I’m not 100% sure she got my point.

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Should say “I got 500NTD for simply signing up for the Costco credit card and using it a couple of times”

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Yeah, this is something I wanted to think about and address too.

I’m not expecting them to develop something specifically for foreigners, but rather find a way to incorporate foreigners into whatever processes are going on at the moment. Even if that means some internal changes for them and some additional paper, like applications by foreigners needing to be manually approved (I don’t see why that should be so onerous).

I think this all originates from them not being able to electronically verify our identities, is that correct?

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I think that is BS that we are being fed.

I find it really hard to believe that a bank that already has all your details (you have an account with already) needs to verify you in that system.

Again… IF you are already an account holder… why do they need to verify your information again? They have it all…

Also… there are “digital citizens cards” which supposedly have all your information. Mine seems to verify enough information for the ministry of labor, dmv etc… to do things online. Why can’t I use it to open a bank or sign up for a card?

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Maybe. I remember (possibly incorrectly) reading something along these lines by reliable posters like @fifieldt or @au in other threads, but I might have misunderstood something.

In any case, even if true, I see it as an internal bank problem and something they should be fixing rather than using as an excuse. The law doesn’t say “you’re not allowed to discriminate, except if providing a fair service would be too much work.”

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It’s something they should be complaining to the government saying “why are we having to do manual verification for foreign citizens?” - That kind of attitude drives change. They are clearly being lazy

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I have made a thread on how to complain to the MOI

You should definitely give it a try. It is fun haha

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the main issue, as I have been told by some bank officers and also by the Gold Card Office, is that there is no API integration by NIA to automatically check A(P)RCs, it exists with MOI for National IDs, but not for aliens. So there must be a person logging-in into a NIA on-purpose platform inputting MANUALLY all the data of the A(P)RC to check its validity.

Frigging silly

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The other issue is that they still believe the rest of the world follows the US for tax laws on taxing its citizens abroad. (Even though Taiwan doesn’t do it to its own citizens)

This means that even citizens born abroad still have trouble opening accounts.

Also I still find the “main” reason to be a bit strange considering there are digital cards that were meant for that purpose…

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Nonsense. I got o-bank years before I was allowed to get Richart. I was on an ARC at the time. I guess they’re not as prrogressive as they think they are.

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Do you remember when you opened it, and if you did it entirely online? How do the features compare with Richart?

I don’t find this point of theirs very relevant to my complaint, but I’m in the process of writing a response to it to push back on the BS and one of the points I made was that “online banking service for foreign residents” isn’t remotely a new thing in Taiwan - we’ve been able to do that with regular banks for years.

I think their point hinges on the additional qualifiers (“online banking service for foreign residents by a digital bank”), but if even that isn’t true, well…

Ypu can get them on false advertising…equals big fines in medical industry in Taiwan, probably the same for the finance industry.
A lot more tha 300nt coupon from Family Mart!

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About 15 years at least I reckon.

I have had to complain about that rickart bank. They require I put in the name of the elementary school I went to in Taiwan to open an account. I mean ffs they don’t ask foreigners that. I shot off an email and posted on their website I am an citizen who was educated overseas. So I cannot complete the application as it is mandatory to answer that question. What does where I did elementary school have to do with opening an account FFS.

I will need to write a complain to the FSC and MOI about discrimination for non Taiwan educated citizens. Oh the humanity.

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I couldn’t open it online. I had go to the service center in Taipei to apply and verify my documents. After that everything can be done online. It was over 5 years ago. I’m not sure exactly when though.

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Can’t you just put the elementary school closest to where you live?

and potentially get in trouble for providing a bank false/misleading information?

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That’s far different from a bank that allows you to apply online…

Just saying :man_shrugging:

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