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Credit Cards for Foreigners

 
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librecommelair



Joined: 23 Aug 2011
Location: United States

PostPosted: Sat Nov 02, 2013 12:29 am    Post subject: Credit Cards for Foreigners Reply with quote

Hey y'all! I've been trying to get a credit card. The problem is that I keep having problems with the companies saying that I need to make like 3million won a month. Have y'all been able to get credit cards here? Which ones would you say are better for foreigners?
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Jodami



Joined: 08 Feb 2013

PostPosted: Sat Nov 02, 2013 5:43 am    Post subject: Re: Credit Cards for Foreigners Reply with quote

librecommelair wrote:
Hey y'all! I've been trying to get a credit card. The problem is that I keep having problems with the companies saying that I need to make like 3million won a month. Have y'all been able to get credit cards here? Which ones would you say are better for foreigners?


I had three credit cards.

Samsung
KEB
IBK

No deposit was needed for a high roller like me. Very Happy
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librecommelair



Joined: 23 Aug 2011
Location: United States

PostPosted: Sat Nov 02, 2013 6:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Did they tell you that you had time prove employment and pay or anything like that?
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Jodami



Joined: 08 Feb 2013

PostPosted: Sat Nov 02, 2013 6:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

librecommelair wrote:
Did they tell you that you had time prove employment and pay or anything like that?


Yeah, had to show them my contract.

I was making over 3 million (base) but that wasn't a factor.
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librecommelair



Joined: 23 Aug 2011
Location: United States

PostPosted: Sat Nov 02, 2013 6:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well, I'll see what they tell me. Thanks for the help!
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saram_



Joined: 13 May 2008

PostPosted: Sat Nov 02, 2013 3:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have a samsung card but I got that about 4/5 years ago..

I know that since then there was a rule banning foreign residents here obtaining a new one thanks to some people taking advantage of them and disappearing without paying..
They may have relaxed their rules since.
Visit those booths that you see at the large supermarkets.
Samsung card and a few other credit card companies are looking for new customers.

Failing that I would try SHinhan bank. If u live near enough central seoul you could visit the the shinhan global center at gwanghamun where everything is completely in English and they can put u on the right track. You might just need a debit card or something like that which is almost the same as a credit card anyway...

Try different banks and see what they say.. It's not easiest thing to get a CC but I'm sure if you try hard enough you can get one easily enough in the end.
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hogwonguy1979



Joined: 22 Dec 2003
Location: the racoon den

PostPosted: Sat Nov 02, 2013 3:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well I'm a Professor so credit card companies come looking for me instead of the reverse.

I get at least 2 reps a semester knocking on my office door offering my cc's with 10 million won limits, airline miles, hookers, you name it. Oh and if I miss a payment they say "don't worry, you're a Professor we know you'll pay it"

You become a University Professor and life becomes so good

Very Happy Very Happy Very Happy
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wishfullthinkng



Joined: 05 Mar 2010

PostPosted: Sat Nov 02, 2013 7:31 pm    Post subject: Re: Credit Cards for Foreigners Reply with quote

librecommelair wrote:
Hey y'all! I've been trying to get a credit card. The problem is that I keep having problems with the companies saying that I need to make like 3million won a month. Have y'all been able to get credit cards here? Which ones would you say are better for foreigners?



my first cc here was a shinhan asiana card that i had to have my work vouch for me to get (i couldn't just get it by myself as a foreigner) but it was a relatively painless process.

then i got a hyundai red card that required i be of a certain status at my company so i think it'd be beyond the reach of most foreigners. after that i got a t3 card from hyundai but they just gave it to me without any questions because i was eligible for the red card.

so in short from my personal experience with hyundai card and shinhan, you have to have your work vouch for you or have a certain status. it doesn't work like western cc companies where they just care about your credit and nothing else. i've heard of others getting cc's here making less than 3mil but you still have to have your school/workplace vouch for you if you don't make the lowest limit (3 mil in your case it seems).

if all else fails you can get the foreigner cards from keb and shinhan (might be others) but they are generally fairly crappy in terms of benefits. the s'more shinhan debit card pretty much out performs their foreigner cc card.
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yfb



Joined: 29 Jan 2009

PostPosted: Mon Nov 04, 2013 8:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

saram_ wrote:
I have a samsung card but I got that about 4/5 years ago..

I know that since then there was a rule banning foreign residents here obtaining a new one thanks to some people taking advantage of them and disappearing without paying..
They may have relaxed their rules since.
Visit those booths that you see at the large supermarkets.
Samsung card and a few other credit card companies are looking for new customers.

Failing that I would try SHinhan bank. If u live near enough central seoul you could visit the the shinhan global center at gwanghamun where everything is completely in English and they can put u on the right track. You might just need a debit card or something like that which is almost the same as a credit card anyway...

Try different banks and see what they say.. It's not easiest thing to get a CC but I'm sure if you try hard enough you can get one easily enough in the end.


Samsung has definitely NOT relaxed their rules, foreigners on an E-2 visa CANNOT get a credit card, full stop. I tried at three different places, if their system sees an E-2, they will deny it. Thank all the irresponsible idiots who decided to run up huge credit card bills and fly back without repaying anything. If you apply anyways, be sure to have more than 6 months remaining on your visa.

The issue with debit cards is that Korea is still stuck in a weird bizarro banking land where the debit cards are good for in-purchase purchases but unusable online or overseas. Credit cards let you, the foreigner, use YOUR money anywhere as YOU see fit.

Having said that, I've applied for a Lotte card. We'll see how it goes.
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jvalmer



Joined: 06 Jun 2003

PostPosted: Mon Nov 04, 2013 8:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Are there any cards without an annual fee?
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Gnawbert



Joined: 23 Oct 2007
Location: The Internet

PostPosted: Mon Nov 04, 2013 9:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

yfb wrote:

Samsung has definitely NOT relaxed their rules, foreigners on an E-2 visa CANNOT get a credit card, full stop. I tried at three different places, if their system sees an E-2, they will deny it. Thank all the irresponsible idiots who decided to run up huge credit card bills and fly back without repaying anything. If you apply anyways, be sure to have more than 6 months remaining on your visa.

The issue with debit cards is that Korea is still stuck in a weird bizarro banking land where the debit cards are good for in-purchase purchases