Mainland Bank Acct or Drivers License Using China Travel Permit

[GRRR]

Thanks for all the useful information above.

I opened a HSBC China account years ago using HSBC HK Premier's international bank account opening service.

I was given multiple China account numbers including a "RMB Settlement Account CNY" with a suffix ending in "050."
Can this be considered to be a Mainland bank account?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

[fanzy]

Hi @GRRR, I don’t think those accounts are consider mainland bank account given the name “Settlement Account CNY”, it’s mainly for for settling CNY currency but not used for transactional basis in China (Similarly to a HSBC one multi-currency account). You will need a bank account directly opened from China or use a bank like BOC/HSBC to open a GBA account through attestation, which they will help you a RMB savings account with their China Entity.

[redslert]

Thanks for all the useful information above.

I opened a HSBC China account years ago using HSBC HK Premier's international bank account opening service.

I was given multiple China account numbers including a "RMB Settlement Account CNY" with a suffix ending in "050."
Can this be considered to be a Mainland bank account?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

You have a HK based multicurrency account.
It is not a China account.

[LGB]

I am a non-Chinese permanent HK ID holder. I have the MTP and my wife has the HRP.

I am waiting for BOC in Tung Chung to get back to me whether or not they will give me a mainland bank account. It was a long process and the staff in the bank told me it was his first time to apply for a non-Chinese person for this scheme. I think the main issue is that the HRP has Hxxxx format while the MTP has HAxxx.

I went to the traffic office in SZ some weeks ago and managed everything (with the help of someone local on WhatsApp, and someone I met while standing in line). There was a choice between a 1 year "temporary" drivers license, vs the full 6 year license. I went for the 6 year license which means I could not get it on the spot. We found out we had to do this "Residence Permit" box ticking exercise, so I went to a nearby hotel and got a 3 hour room (!) and they issued the permit. Remember that it HAS to have a RED STAMP on it, or they won't accept it.

I got just about everything set up, and it took a whole day. I was there when they opened. I still need to do that written exam, but for that, I need to register with the 12123 app and book a test online.

For all my endless attempts, I have not yet been able to do that. I did the initial setup with the motor office. I have an SMS that confirms my HK IRD, phone number and password for logging in.

But I cannot log in to the 12123 app. Oh yes, I tried it at lot.

First of all, I am overseas for Christmas and New Year, so I had to use a Chinese VPN app. Either the SpeedCN or HICN apps work. They are free for a limited time. But getting the 12123 app in the first place was an issue, as my phone is not in the HK Apple store. The app is simply not available! Then I used it as a miniapp from WeChat, but eventually got a mainland Apple account and had to more or less reset my phone. Duh!

But I am getting a separate phone, just to deal with all the China stuff.

The 12123 app either says network or server is busy or the password is wrong. There are many combinations of types of ID, A, B, F, G, Y and so on. Some say foreigner, some HK person and so on. I tried them all. All are rejected.

So I have not yet been able to log in to the 12123 app. I tried with my HK ID, my passport number (with and without the check digit), HAxxx number, phone number, password, Chinese name ... I have not once been able to log in, so that drivers license test which I cano only book 10 days (or 14?) ahead, that is where I am currently stuck at.

I imagine I will need to make a lot more trips to China.

One to simply book the test.

Then go back to do the test.

Then wait 3 days to go back to pick up the license.

China might not have invented bureaucracy, but they surely perfected it!

[LGB]

Chinese speaking assistant essential!

If your reading and listening skills in Chinese are not so good, you would need an assistant to help with all this for sure.

For the "medical test" that takes place in automated boots, there are no options for anything but simplified Chinese. You will have to be alone in this boot, at least part of the time, in order to make sure YOU are the one passing this test. Part of it is a colorblind test. You can do that without reading Chinese. But there are other options where you just have to guess which place is confirm/enter/continue.

When they do the hearing test, part of it is just tapping which side a sound is coming from. But then you have to type in three digits your hear. I know the numbers in Mandarin also, but ... I initially failed to press the "confirm" button, and it will time out. So the machine speaks 3 single digits, 0 to 9, so you better be able to recognize the sound of them. Probably not a bad idea either to be able to know basic numbers in mandarin Chinese. Be aware that number 2 in cantonese sounds quite similar to number 1 in Mandarin Chinese. Yes, I know it is slightly different, and the tone is different, but definitely confusing.

[fanzy]

@LGB You probably need to get 12123 working as soon as possible, it’s the central app for your test booking and also digital license if need be.

If you can’t read chinese, i suggest going through some agents which now advertise that they can help with getting a mainland license.

On the website, hzmbqfs will also show you that permanent license is required for HZMB and temporary license is not allowed for the application.

Also note, if you are driving to china, you will have issue scanning your home return permit at the checkpoint. The non-chinese MTP is still have issue being identified.

[magpielaw]

Hi guys,

Very pleasant update as I went back to The traffic police depot in Nanshan to continue the driving licence application. I was gonna provide a Shenzhen hotel stay proof but as soon as I presented my MTP, HKID and HK driving licence they said I can apply via the exam-free route. I did say I was previously advised that due to my non Chinese status I was asked to apply via the foreigner route but they said I can now apply via the regular HK exam free route. All I did was to sign some declaration / documents in Chinese, paid rmb 480 fee, watched the safety awareness video for half an hour and picked up my newly issued PRC driving licence! (Note I previously already passed the medical test).

Hope this is good news to bring you as they seem to have relaxed the requirement for MTP holders albeit you’d be expected to do the application in Chinese.

On the banking side, I visited a few Bank of China branches in Futian area. Two of them cannot open bank accounts due to fraudulent cases whilst the other 2 branches’ staff seem to have no clues with MTP and still insist the account needs to be opened with Passport. I got so infuriated and just stormed off as it seems there had been lack of internal updates to staff. Unfortunately it seems their system can yet handle applications for non Chinese MTP holders. Has anyone had any recent joy with bank applications?

[fanzy]

Hi guys,

Very pleasant update as I went back to The traffic police depot in Nanshan to continue the driving licence application. I was gonna provide a Shenzhen hotel stay proof but as soon as I presented my MTP, HKID and HK driving licence they said I can apply via the exam-free route. I did say I was previously advised that due to my non Chinese status I was asked to apply via the foreigner route but they said I can now apply via the regular HK exam free route. All I did was to sign some declaration / documents in Chinese, paid rmb 480 fee, watched the safety awareness video for half an hour and picked up my newly issued PRC driving licence! (Note I previously already passed the medical test).

Hope this is good news to bring you as they seem to have relaxed the requirement for MTP holders albeit you’d be expected to do the application in Chinese.

On the banking side, I visited a few Bank of China branches in Futian area. Two of them cannot open bank accounts due to fraudulent cases whilst the other 2 branches’ staff seem to have no clues with MTP and still insist the account needs to be opened with Passport. I got so infuriated and just stormed off as it seems there had been lack of internal updates to staff. Unfortunately it seems their system can yet handle applications for non Chinese MTP holders. Has anyone had any recent joy with bank applications?

do you mind sharing what nationality you hold? I hold a Singapore passport and managed to open a bank account.

[magpielaw]

I’m BBC holding British passport. The bank staff said because UK passport isn’t visa free with China and because the visa on my passport is no longer valid (after MTP issuance) so they can’t do it. I said my visa is replaced by MTP but that stubborn lady seems to not know what to do next so she tried to make me go away by saying leave my contact number for a callback. I gave up and walked out.

I will try again next year but am so frustrated but was overall pleased that the driving licence was unexpectedly obtained so was bitter sweet.

[fanzy]

That’s a shame, hopefully it will get better next year. Kinda figured it was to do with the visa-free status. I’m still having remittance issue with my bank account because of their transaction CDD which rejects my transactions from HK. However, I could just exchange CNY in HK and deposit in my bank account in CNY.