Like Tree44Likes

i can't open bank on HK

Closed Thread
Page 5 of 6 FirstFirst ... 2 3 4 5 6 LastLast
  1. #41

    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Posts
    495
    Quote Originally Posted by resurection:
    How all DH's doing it without? Sorry this time you are wrong.
    Surely DH have this though?

  2. #42

    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Shek Tong Tsui (HK Island)
    Posts
    263

    >>>]]Do what i said. Don't show your passport, .....

    Err.... Bad advice. Only for PERMANENT HKID people... they do not need to show passport.
    @laam :
    You are a VISA holder, and your HKID has restrictions on it, so the bank will certainly insist on seeing your passport. The best advice is given by GotIt . Have added some details

    1) Ask your employer, what is the bank and BRANCH where the business account they have, and visit that bank.

    Important is the business account that the employer use to process their PAYROLL.

    2) Take employment letter confirmation To That specific branch.... specifically asking to open bank account for you.

    Better ... ask your company HR staff (the person who is doing the payroll) to go there with you. Then the company can "introduce" you.


    Quote Originally Posted by resurection:
    Do what i said. Don't show your passport, if bank ask just waiting for renewal which can take up to 2 months. Nationality chose Hungarian or something like that. They don't have any right to ask for a passport. HKID is enough. And bank can't check this since EU GDPR policy!

    AS post above even US citizens can't open a bank account in HK same as you.
    shri, traineeinvestor, bdw and 2 others like this.

  3. #43
    Quote Originally Posted by MABinPengChau:

    Well, it sucks but have you tried just putting down some other country (don't pick the US- no one wants to deal with the hassle of our banking laws, they hate us quite a bit) and just make up some random passport number- pick some country they won't really check, some other more mainstream Middle East country or lesser known European country. Tell them you are renewing your passport and it's at the consulate if they ask for a copy.
    I agree that it sucks but respectfully disagree with the suggestion that the OP puts a false nationality and/or passport number on the application form.

    If the bank ever suspects that the account has been opened using false information, they will be obliged to file a report to JFIU (they have no choice in the matter under HK's AML laws) and it is a near certainty that the account will be frozen until JFIU completes its investigation. Also, JFIU's investigation will likely include making inquiries of OPs employer and, possibly, landlord.

    Technically, it would also be a criminal offence as well.

  4. #44

    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Posts
    8,280

    You can open a bank account with Citibank "Remote Account Opening" function using their mobile app. You use the app to take a picture of your HKID, address proof, take a selfie pic of yourself, write your signature on a white piece of paper and take a picture of it, then you create a login and password for their online banking, then they say "Congratulations please wait 10 minutes and you can login to your account and then use FPS function to transfer money into your account". YOU DO NOT NEED TO SHOW ANY PASSPORT REGARDLESS OF WHAT HKID YOU HAVE in order to do all of the above.

    However, this is all complete f*cking bullshit and Citibank are just as worse as every other bank in HK. I did this for my wife 2 weeks ago, had trouble logging in to the account, called up the support, they they say are working on it. Two f*cking weeks later they still cannot figure it out, still cannot give me a reason why my login is throwing up an error on the login screen, and they advise me to go to a branch to setup an account. But I already have a login and password with Citibank, I asked them will they delete my login now and I have to start again? They have no f*cking clue and will check and call me back.

    Honestly dealing with EVERY bank in Hong Kong is the absolute worst. All complete idiots. They are advertising heavily their "remote account opening" function on their website now, giving extra cash rebates for signing up online, etc. But its all a complete total scam. If you actually use it, it does nothing. The staff at Citibank have no idea what remote account opening is, I have to show them on their own f*cking website, and in the end they just say "better go to a branch". Then I say what about all the cashback you offer for doing online and they just shrug their shoulders and don't know anything.

    I had the worst experience in a HSBC Premier center last month trying to do the same thing. Now Citibank I thought "Yippee I can do it all online and dont have to see or talk to these bastards". But its all a scam and they are just as bad.

    shri likes this.

  5. #45

    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    薄扶林
    Posts
    47,967
    Now Citibank I thought "Yippee I can do it all online and dont have to see or talk to these bastards". But its all a scam and they are just as bad.
    A previous post about Citi from your end had me worried - surely Citi cannot be that good at bypassing the usual fax and photocopy requirements.
    bdw and traineeinvestor like this.

  6. #46

    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Posts
    8,280
    Quote Originally Posted by shri:
    A previous post about Citi from your end had me worried - surely Citi cannot be that good at bypassing the usual fax and photocopy requirements.
    After my experience with HSBC last month, you guys on geo told me I talked to much, shouldn't tell them my future plans or why I want to open the account etc. So this time with Citi, I don't say a word, don't speak to a person, do it all online, follow all the steps in their app, get the "Congratulations your bank account will be open in 10 minutes" message. Then I still get screwed in the end

    I can't win. I just want to open a bank account in my wifes name before I leave HK in a months time. Either I have the worst luck or the banks are just complete idiots. I'm going for the top level Premier, Gold, etc, I have the funds to support it, I want to put in over $1m and then buy some investments with it. The account will be for my wife to hold some HK investments over $1m. Why they don't want my business??

    If an Australian/Japanese couple with permanent HKID cards, 12 years living in HK, over $1m to deposit, cannot open an account with both HSBC and Citibank, then what chances does a new arrival from Syria have?

  7. #47

    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    薄扶林
    Posts
    47,967

    Did you go to the HSBC account opening center in Central?


  8. #48

    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Posts
    8,280
    Quote Originally Posted by shri:
    Did you go to the HSBC account opening center in Central?
    I thought I was sorted out with Citibank. The bastards scammed me with their fake mobile app and wasted 2 weeks of my life. Probably I will resort to this in the end. But I'm still confused why HSBC has dedicated "Premier Centers" all over HK but they cannot open a simple premier account and deposit $1m for my wife who is permanent HKID holder and living here for 12 years, Japanese nationality (but this should not matter). It sounds crazy to me that I would need to go to central for this.

    Also shouldn't Citibank be prosecuted for having a fake mobile app that does nothing? It's quite an elaborate scam, the app they built actually looks like it works right through to the end, they even advertise it on their website with cash rebates. But in reality the app does nothing except waste time and the rebates are impossible to get. When I talk to Citibank on the phone, they refuse to complete my remote account setup and refuse to give a reason why.

    Name:  citibank.jpg
Views: 137
Size:  73.1 KB

  9. #49

    Join Date
    Dec 2002
    Location
    薄扶林
    Posts
    47,967
    HSBC has dedicated "Premier Centers" all over HK but they cannot open a simple premier account and deposit $1m for my wife who is permanent HKID holder and living here for 12 years, Japanese nationality (but this should not matter).
    They can open accounts. They're just not used to your levels of honesty.
    Paxbritannia and bdw like this.

  10. #50

    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Location
    Taiwan and HK
    Posts
    6,158
    Quote Originally Posted by traineeinvestor:
    I agree that it sucks but respectfully disagree with the suggestion that the OP puts a false nationality and/or passport number on the application form.

    If the bank ever suspects that the account has been opened using false information, they will be obliged to file a report to JFIU (they have no choice in the matter under HK's AML laws) and it is a near certainty that the account will be frozen until JFIU completes its investigation. Also, JFIU's investigation will likely include making inquiries of OPs employer and, possibly, landlord.

    Technically, it would also be a criminal offence as well.
    OK, I withdraw my advice to lie, no need to go to jail for a bank account. Just seems like really harsh treatment and I know how absolutely frustrated I was trying to get a business account- seriously, the banks acted like we were a money-laundering operation for synthetic opioids from China.
    traineeinvestor and bdw like this.

Closed Thread
Page 5 of 6 FirstFirst ... 2 3 4 5 6 LastLast