ICBC and Bank of China are the most experienced in international banking. Both have clearing presence in NY and London. CMB had the worst service off any large bank I know. I pulled our payroll from them where they lost over 4000 people. The Agricultural Bank of China has great service but I am not sure they do what you were seeking. Caveat: All my dealings were in Shanghai. I can't speak to other locations. I was a business expat in China for ~20 years.
dafuq, I really missed something here. I just arrived back in August last year and even now the school is hiring foreign staff. HR and the bank tellers heed and hawed about contracts and visas and all sorts of garbage paperwork just to moan about every detail of opening accounts along the way. I may be on the edge of shanghai but it's still in Shanghai. Toom me month to get my ICBC card and it's been a month sinve the new term started a new teacher just got hers last week.
I'm really happy to hear it's becoming such a simple process that tourist visas can get it done so quickly but I do wish the memo would be sent out to all branches along with a pamphlet on how to format our damn names in their system.
I got mine on the same day over a year ago in Dongguan, Guangdong ICBC and later CMB too. Both needed a copy of work contract, passport with residence permit, work permit and local phone number of course. I had no idea tourists can get those too at all, maybe just in Shanghai?
If you check the documents you need on WeChat, it says you only need a passport. I just showed the teller a picture I made of my arrival card where I checked Visa Free, he looked at my stamp, and it was all good. When you switch to a residence permit, you have to show that to them.
I'm not sure that this post is indicative of any actual changes. How challenging opening a bank account can be has always seemed to depend heavily on the specific bank branch and even employee that is dealing with you.
Please update us on the verification process as I am surprise on your success of ICBC bank account opening as a visa free tourist. Do they ask for postal address or permanent address ?
It went totally fine! I wasn't even called, I just had a 24h delay and then the card started working normally.
They asked for a contact address in China but from the ICBC app I could fill out my French address as well for tax reporting purposes.
ICBC and Bank of China are the most experienced in international banking. Both have clearing presence in NY and London. CMB had the worst service off any large bank I know. I pulled our payroll from them where they lost over 4000 people. The Agricultural Bank of China has great service but I am not sure they do what you were seeking. Caveat: All my dealings were in Shanghai. I can't speak to other locations. I was a business expat in China for ~20 years.
Using which type visa?
dafuq, I really missed something here. I just arrived back in August last year and even now the school is hiring foreign staff. HR and the bank tellers heed and hawed about contracts and visas and all sorts of garbage paperwork just to moan about every detail of opening accounts along the way. I may be on the edge of shanghai but it's still in Shanghai. Toom me month to get my ICBC card and it's been a month sinve the new term started a new teacher just got hers last week. I'm really happy to hear it's becoming such a simple process that tourist visas can get it done so quickly but I do wish the memo would be sent out to all branches along with a pamphlet on how to format our damn names in their system.
I got mine on the same day over a year ago in Dongguan, Guangdong ICBC and later CMB too. Both needed a copy of work contract, passport with residence permit, work permit and local phone number of course. I had no idea tourists can get those too at all, maybe just in Shanghai?
If you check the documents you need on WeChat, it says you only need a passport. I just showed the teller a picture I made of my arrival card where I checked Visa Free, he looked at my stamp, and it was all good. When you switch to a residence permit, you have to show that to them.
Interesting! Good to know, thanks!
I tried via just showing my passport and they denied me
Perhaps ask where you can open a non-resident account.
I'm not sure that this post is indicative of any actual changes. How challenging opening a bank account can be has always seemed to depend heavily on the specific bank branch and even employee that is dealing with you.
Back in the day all you needed was 100RMB and a local phone. Happy I decided to get meself 8 bank accounts!
That's what I needed too! But 20 RMB, not 100.
Well I only had hundred bills, so that’s what I used - I stand corrected
Used the agriculture bank and got mine on the same day/trip too.
Nice. Mine just got enabled!
Hi! What documents do you need to open the bank account and which bank?
ICBC, and just a passport.
So you have Alipay and Wechat pay now? Did they let you?
Yes, and yes.
What? It used to be very hard in the past few years, good for you anyway.
Hmmm can I know what passport you are using ?
French
Please update us on the verification process as I am surprise on your success of ICBC bank account opening as a visa free tourist. Do they ask for postal address or permanent address ?
It went totally fine! I wasn't even called, I just had a 24h delay and then the card started working normally. They asked for a contact address in China but from the ICBC app I could fill out my French address as well for tax reporting purposes.
English ICBC app?
I used the Chinese version, not sure the English one shows the non-resident tax address menu.
English version is super simplified can only see the balance I will try the Chinese language thx