I’m the guy that had the recent quarantine hotel debacle, which I’m relieved to say was eventually sorted out. We finally settled into our place in Hukou (Hsinchu County) nearby Zhubei.
Immigration Office turned me away and said that I can’t come in and apply for my ARC until the entire 3 week quarantine period lapsed (including the 1-week “self-management at the end”).
I did that on Monday and was told that now there will be a 10 business day + postage time to receive my ARC card. In the meantime, they gave me a form that has something called a UI number which can 100% (their words) be used to open bank accounts, etc while waiting for the physical card. Well, that failed at two banks today (Standard Chartered in Hukou and Taiwan Business Bank) They said I need the actual ARC card as it has my address on it (the house lease is currently in my wife’s name (how am I supposed to get onto the lease without an ARC).
Does anyone have any recommendations regarding a bank and particular branch in Zhubei/Hsinchu area which will accept this UI number?
Second. Try the Bank of Taiwan. There is one across from the Carrefore.
You will want to open all your accounts at once. Visa debit, online banking, savings, international funds account. This will make your life easier later. You will need your passport, identification number/ tax filing number/ social security number from your country and your address phone number in Taiwan.
You will need good luck.
You will most likely receive the ARC after about 4 days. The 10 days is just a standard time frame.
Yeah, they were lying/guessing wrong, because it’s not something that affects them.
You haven’t been able to reliably use that piece of paper to open a bank account since like 2017 or something. I think you can still open a basic account at the post office bank if you’re lucky, and maybe you’ll find one or two other branches that accept it if you put in the effort, but you’d really be better off just waiting for your ARC.
I’ve no idea. When was the last you heard they did it?
I got the piece of paper sometime in 2017 before I had an ARC and went around a few banks with no success. Apparently I was a bit too late, and some places told me that the rules had recently changed (not sure whether that’s true, like usual).
The question comes up in Facebook groups from time to time, and the consensus seems to be the same - not possible anymore except at the post office or the odd stroke of luck elsewhere.
I had good experiences with E-Sun and abysmals with Taishin. The latter are recorded somewhere in this forum as. You can read it to prepare yourself for what is most likely lying in wait for you XD
Wasn’t your problem with the new “foreigner-friendly” UI number though? I thought you had an ARC? OP doesn’t, and that will likely be the sticking point here.
I have an ARC, but the general inaptitude shown by the local bank’s customer service agents is something OP has to deal with regardless of having an ARC or not.
