Won't help, most people in HK are unaware of RO or RTL status.
For those wondering why RO instead of typing RTL, it is because the designation on the hkid card is RO.
I did a masters degree in hk and it took me 4 hours for two offices to register me because Chinese University didn't know about RTL/RO and I had to show them the website and they had to call the immigration office to confirm.
It's funny how our bloody memory keeps things like this in mind... this post keeps coming to mind lately. I opened a SC account for this reason last year -- lesser of all the evils. But, like anyone, I need a credit card. And for whatever reason SC doesn't seem to want to give me one. My pay isn't from a "company", so I don't quality for the "auto-pay" cc option... So now I've tried again for a "standard" card based on my balance. Applied back in January/February.... still NOTHING! I call and ask what's up, they say it's "still processing, but we don't need any additional information" and "we'll mark it as urgent and give an answer for you in a few days".... wait two weeks, try again, same answer.
Wtf?!?!
Standard Chartered is slow as anything processing any transactions. Everytime I make a deposit, the teller makes casual chat asking if I will consider some special interest rates. And I explain everytime that I am a US citizen and I can't have any investment services, your bank won't allow it. Of course they say no no that's not true, go thru the scheme, they are super excited at this point and leave the counter before asking you and come back 20 minutes later saying you're right or worst they ask you to go to the special room and wait 30 minutes for some sales guy to come and say the same thing. Meanwhile they only have 2 windows open and 25 people in the queue and usually at the next window is some Chinese lady complaining about her credit card bill.....
So I try to use the ATM's but they all have per limit transactions so that's another battle where you need to do several separate transactions.
I haven't had any trouble with annual fees though. I complained once and never saw an annual fee again. I have the AE platinum card which I'm cancelling, don't find it useful.
When applying for credit cards, if you do it standalone, usually they never call you. Find it annoying. So I apply for credit cards when I open my bank account, kind of as a condition, and the salesperson at the bank always finds a way. Don't understand the logic but that's the best way and never an annual fee. Some cards I never use too.
Agreed that AMEX is the easiest card to get as a standalone.
Great to get all those miles, if you are lucky enough to redeem them. Everytime I try to redeem there is no availability. (Business class long haul)