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Hong Kong Basics

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  1. #1

    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Posts
    4

    Hong Kong Basics

    Hi,

    I am moving to Hong Kong in May with my wife.

    Can anyone give me some tips/advice on where to go for set-up some of the basics such as mobile phones and banks?

    Any recommendations on which is the best bank?

    Thanks to anyone who takes the time to reply!


  2. #2

    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Posts
    966

    The common banks that expats use are: HSBC, Standard Chartered, Citibank (not sure maybe)

    Two proof of ID is required: passport/or HKID Card and a HK Utility bill, tenancy agreement or even a recent bank statement from your home country's bank. Your employment letter may also do the trick.

    Manski likes this.

  3. #3

    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Posts
    108

    Day one in HK - I remember it well.

    1. Bank. I went to HSBC because I had set-up an account in the UK before I left. Fairly painless and the basic account was - and has been fine. Can't comment on the other banks but at HSBC your personal banker is about 16 years old - but perhaps I am an old fart.

    Next stop. I went to Smart tone because my kids had vodaphone accounts in the UK. This was easy - but I have to remember my id card is my passport number and not my (now) HK Id. They seem incapable of changing this - so I gave-up and lucky I still have the same passport. Get the tarrif that suits - I have a basic phone with a camera - dandy

    Next stop is TV package and internet. I went to PCCW for this because Now TV had the Premier League and Spanish soccer. Now Cable have the PL (and Now PCCW) has Spanish soccer and the brilliant FX channel - Archer Rocks!
    I got their broadband package and it has been at least as good as anything in the UK (I know that doesn't say much but I can't complain much about 3.5 years of pretty much unbroken connection). The modems are made of junk apparently - so get yourself somethinkg like an Airport Extreme if you are an enlightened Mac user - or join a church if you still fumble with a PC

    Oh lunch I went to Outback and discovered my first "Gunner" Brilliant. An exhausting but overall satisfying day.

    Next day I went shopping for furniture - WITHOUT my wife. OOPS!!
    All downhill from there - but I like the 50" plasma and Joey and Chandler chairs - They Rock

    Welcome to the best city

    InigoMontoya and Manski like this.

  4. #4

    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Posts
    4

    Great thanks very much for your advice!!


  5. #5

    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Posts
    4

    What kind of bank accounts do they offer? I have been living in Malaysia for the last 3 years and as a foreigner unless you have ridiculous amounts of money in your bank account they don't offer you much more that a basic ATM card, even at the international banks, which can be very inconvenient sometimes.


  6. #6

    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Posts
    966

    You get loads.

    HSBC Advance type of account you get: Current + Savings + Multi currency, overdraft. You can trade stocks. Credit card

    Its not uncommon for people in HK to have 3 banks accounts - Crazy!


  7. #7

    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Posts
    4

    Ooooooh... sounds dangerous.. lol.

    Thanks again for the advice.


  8. #8

    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Gold Coast Marina
    Posts
    17,934

    HSBC is the bank account most people go for. Consequently there are huge queues at lunchtime or any other time since most of HK seems to be bank there. And they are pretty awful. Unfortunately I have never found anything better!
    If you have a decent sum of money (say more than HKD1m, does not need to be cash) then you can get an HSBC Premier account. If you do this, set it up in your home country before leaving, add any global accounts you need (like HK) and you'll be already done before you arrive. HSBC Premier is better than a normal account, it's only awful rather than absolutely dire.


  9. #9

    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Posts
    108

    HSBC online has been good
    Easy to move money around - I like it
    just get used to feeling like you are walking into a teenagers shop when you go to a branch. I can't quite be bothered talking to an advisor about my money when they look younger than the kids I have that are the root of my financial drain.
    Otherwise all good from me with HSBC.
    I got a credit card with Hang Seng and they are "remarkable to still be in business" outfit. I never go in there anymore - but the card is fine and I clear it every month so have as little or nothing to do with them