Korean Job Discussion Forums

[tombirner]

Hey guys,

I've used HSBC for years in America... they shut my account down to inactivity, but anyway... I'd love to open an account there that I could use in both New York and Seoul. I'm from New York and will be there for November and December, and I'll move to Seoul in January.

Just wondering if they offer an internatinal ATM card. And if I can make deposits in either city and use the same account in any HSBC branch around the world. Also, do I need a valid alien registration card to open an account? My visa finishes on November 2nd... can I go up there on November 4th, show my card and open an account, or is that information computerized and whatnot?

[sojourner1]

I opened an American HSBC online savings account about a year and a half ago from Korea and occassionally make a xfer to it. It required my relatives to mail my my mail to Korea which included a password to complete opening the account. This was the hardest part.

Yes, it's an international ATM card that works at KEB, but not other Korean banks. It worked in other countries such as Thailand too. It worked in Hollywood.

I haven't ever tried to get service in the Seoul branch nor ever walked into an HSBC bank branch so I don't know if you can truly bank all over the world. I'm not sure if you can use the same account in Korea. I bet if you go to HSBC Seoul and want to do business of any sort in Korea, then you'd open a Korean bank account and then wire money to connect it with your home account.

I used my alien card and passport to open bank accounts in Korea, but it only required my passport to buy Korean won upon arrival.