Job Discussion Forums

Caterinamh · Joined: 27 Jul 2006 Posts: 140 Location: Istanbul

Ok, I have now applied five times and each time gotten a different response. Yesterday, I was told that the branch just doesn't like giving cards to the "yabanci" which I find so odd as they say they cater to the such on their website. Go figure.

I have given them a stack of paperwork this time only to have them again lose it or ask for more. The last time I took in what amounted to a one inch notebook. I have a co signer, (Turkish husband), all the proof of income and res. permit alike. What the heck is their problem?

Irish · Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 371

thrifty · Joined: 25 Apr 2006 Posts: 1665 Location: chip van

Why not get your husband to get you an extra card. I had one from Textil Bank as my wife banked with them?

Otterman Ollie · Posted: Thu Oct 18, 2007 6:48 am Post subject:

I have banked with them for over 10 years ,I have had few problems and they usually go out of their way to help when the need arises . I suggest you try a branch where there is at least an English speaking manageress /manager . Their website does seem to contradict on a few issues but I was able to get a card pretty easily .Perhaps using an employer to help you set up the account might bear fruit !

Caterinamh · Joined: 27 Jul 2006 Posts: 140 Location: Istanbul

restlesstraveler2 · Joined: 01 Jun 2007 Posts: 8

Our school strongly urges all employees to use GARANTI BANK bec they use that bank. It is always easiest to use the bank that your employer uses.

However, having said that I did not want to and went to ISBANK and here in Yildiz I found an English-speaking employee and my problems were solved. I called initially at the bank before going there, so I would have a contact person. Back in Istanbul I had gone to a Garanti Bank with an employee of our school (who only spoke Turkish.....so go figure with that) and got such a runaround there that I refused to open an account with a bank that could not be bothered (as if you were bothering them on their tea break, as one put it so nicely).

Now just this week, I had a friend staying here in Ankara (he is from Prague) and he walked into a T C ZIRAT bank, asked to open an account and got the manager directly (bec he was the only one who could speak English). My friend got the account opened with no money on it in less than 10 minutes. The manager waivered all charges because as he told my friend HE COULD.

So go figure. It is all a matter of timing and simply finding the right person who feels s/he wants to talk to you.

Supposedly if one's employer uses a bank, e.g. GARANTI, then the employees of that company are not charged. However, this does not seem to be the case with GARANTI. I know for sure, this is the case with HSBC Bank though.

On www.mymerhaba.com there were many pp who had nothing but complaints about GARANTI.

Anyway...........good luck!

Caterinamh · Joined: 27 Jul 2006 Posts: 140 Location: Istanbul

Ok.... after 5 months Garanti Bank has finally decided to approve my credit card application. It has been a fight but by golly I have beaten the "b astards" with my constant efforts.

big3bc · Joined: 27 Oct 2007 Posts: 132 Location: Turkey

I have been depositing my savings in Finansbank for the past 5 years. I have never applied for a credit card as I refuse to use them. Here are some of their quirks:
- you can only deposit money into an interest account on the 29th of the month
- if you wish to deposit money in a branch other than the one your money is in, you will be charged about $20 (this is the most ridiculous one)
- if you want to withdraw money, you have to have a Turkish tax number
- occasionally, if I don't have the exact amount of money when paying a bill, the teller has to leave his post or sometimes the bank to get change!
Like most institutions in this country, banks are about 50 years behind those in the rest of the world.

nomad22 · Joined: 14 May 2007 Posts: 71 Location: Auckland, NZ

i have been told that yabanci cannot get credit cards, cos they dont have permanent residency. meaning that your ikamet always has a final date, it is not infinite.

Otterman Ollie · Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 6:15 am Post subject:

My employers (bless them) like to change their bankers quite often, or at least every other year or three. They recently did just that after the term break, much to everyone's dissatisfaction. So the bank is obliged to offer us all kinds of things as more than 300 new customers are going to be beating a path to their door each month. The amount of plastic I have collected from the various banks over the years is quite staggering, yet I'm even more staggered by the number of people I know who have lived and worked here as long as me, and they have'nt got one to their name.
I find the idea of being without a credit card of some kind as alien as not having the use of my own vehicle.

Laura777 · Joined: 13 Apr 2004 Posts: 101 Location: Istanbul Turkey

I finally got a card from my bank and offered through my work. Its great to have actually. Also got my tax id number. So hopefully will have no more problems with investments and such matters.

I do have problems getting the bank to mail to my home address but now also that I have the tax id number I HOPE to make that happen.

Miss the efficiency of US banking systems.