Getting a Credit Card in Taiwan as a Foreigner: Which Banks Say Yes in 2026

Getting a credit card in Taiwan for foreigners used to mean guarantors, deposits and a lot of "sorry, foreigners can't apply." In 2026 it is much easier, if you pick the right bank and bring the right paperwork. We read the last two years of Forumosa threads where expats post their approvals and rejections, and this is what works right now.

This article is only about credit cards. If you still need a bank account, start with our pick for the best bank in Taiwan for foreigners and the step-by-step guide to opening a Taiwan bank account.

Credit card in Taiwan for foreigners: what banks check

Banks look at four things:

• Your ARC or APRC, and how long it has left. Banks often set the card's expiry to match your permit. One forum member's Hua Nan card, issued under its Gold Card scheme, was cancelled in early 2026 when his Gold Card expired, even though he had moved to an APRC. If your ARC expires within a few months, renew it first, then apply.
• Proof of local income. The standard pack people report: three months of payslips, a passbook (bank book) showing salary coming in, last year's tax withholding statement (扣繳憑單), plus your business card or work ID. Some banks now let you tick a box allowing them to pull your tax data online instead.
• Your history with the bank. Not required everywhere, but it helps. One October 2025 E.SUN approval came with a passbook showing a three-month average balance of around NT$500,000; that applicant had a card in five business days.
• Your JCIC credit record. Taiwan's credit bureau, the Joint Credit Information Center, is what banks check. No record is fine for a first card. A score only appears after you have held a Taiwanese card for roughly three months, according to a CTBC applicant in May 2025.

If a bank asks for a Taiwanese guarantor, treat that as a polite no and move on. Many of the big private banks no longer ask for one.

Which banks forum users report approvals from (2025 to 2026)

Photo: Solomon203 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

E.SUN (玉山): the most consistent recent approvals. In October 2025, two walk-in applicants got the Unicard, one with no Taiwan credit history (NT$100,000 limit, about two weeks, using ARC, passport, job details and a salary passbook). In June 2026 a PhD student with no JCIC history was approved in two days with an NT$90,000 limit, and the card was usable in Apple Wallet before the plastic arrived. In August 2026 an online STARLUX card application was approved the next day. Users also praise the E.SUN app for working fully in English.

Cathay United (國泰世華) CUBE card: the easy all-rounder. February 2025: applied at a branch, NT$50,000 limit, card in two weeks. August 2025: NT$150,000 with a passbook and tax documents. You no longer need a Cathay account to get one.

CTBC (中國信託). A May 2025 applicant with no score had a China Airlines card nine days after walking into a branch. In May 2026 an APRC holder got the China Airlines Infinite card in two weeks with payslips and a passbook from another bank. Note that CTBC's English app is missing features compared to the Chinese version.

American Express Taiwan: the fallback that says yes. A new graduate in November 2025 was rejected by E.SUN, Fubon, CTBC and others and only got the Amex Gold card, applied for online with no history. It's a fine first card for building credit, but acceptance is patchy: reliable at hotels and pricier restaurants, rare at small eateries, utilities and telecoms.

HSBC Taiwan: good, but picky. Several approvals in 2025, but a December 2025 TravelOne application was rejected after a three-week wait.

Fubon (富邦). Issues the Costco card. Existing holders report easy limit increases; new applicants have mixed results.

Small local banks and digital banks. One resident tried six smaller banks (Entie, Changhua, Land Bank and others) and was refused by all. Online-only banks like LINE Bank and Rakuten Bank have historically refused foreign residents. Skip them.

Our recommended order to apply

1. E.SUN Unicard, especially if your salary already lands at E.SUN. Best approval track record lately, solid English app.

2. Cathay United CUBE, if E.SUN says no or you want a second card. Widely accepted, simple rewards.

3. CTBC, if you already bank there or fly China Airlines.

4. Amex Gold online, if two banks have turned you down. Get a yes, use it for six months, then try E.SUN or Cathay again with a JCIC score.

5. A secured card as a last resort (see below).

Apply to one bank at a time and wait for a decision. Each application can show up as an inquiry on your JCIC report, and a pile of fresh inquiries looks bad.

Branch, online, or by post?

Branch: best for your first card. Bring originals plus copies.

Online: works better than it used to, especially if you are already a customer (one E.SUN customer got a second card in under six days in November 2025). Some web forms still reject ARC numbers; if that happens, use the paper form.

By post: veteran forum members swear by this when a branch employee says "foreigners can't." Download the Chinese paper application from the bank's website, fill it in, attach copies of your documents and mail it to the card center. Front desk staff are not the people who approve cards.

The new one-stop program. On June 4, 2026, the National Development Council and the Financial Supervisory Commission launched a one-stop banking program for foreign residents (Taipei Times). Six banks (CTBC, E.SUN, Taipei Fubon, Taishin, Mega and First Bank) run it at 17 designated branches. They promise to accept overseas income proof and foreign tax records, to waive the guarantor requirement for people without local credit history, and to let you book online and upload documents first so the account, card and wire setup happen in one visit. In Taipei the designated branches include CTBC Dunbei, E.SUN Neihu and NTU, Fubon Shifu, Taishin Business, Mega Lanya and First Bank Zhongshan. Forum regulars are skeptical, but if you have no Taiwan payslips yet, this is your best shot. Our one-stop banking guide has the branch addresses and which one we would book.

Gold Card holders and secured cards

The official Gold Card site names four state-linked banks as most familiar with Gold Card holders: Bank of Taiwan, Mega, Hua Nan and First Bank. They will still run their own risk check, and as the Hua Nan story shows, the card may be tied to your Gold Card's validity.

Photo: Solomon203 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

A secured card means you deposit money and get a credit limit at or below it. Mega Bank is the name forum users mention most. One February 2026 report described a bank (likely Mega) offering a deposit-backed card instead of a guarantor, with the deposit locked until you cancel the card. It builds history, but your money is tied up and one user found his Mega card refused at PX Mart and 7-Eleven. Last resort only.

Common reasons for rejection

• ARC expiring soon, or a permit type change the bank wasn't told about.
• No Taiwanese income on paper yet (very new job, freelancers paid from abroad).
• Several applications in a few weeks.
• A branch employee deciding for you. Apply by post or online instead.

If you think you were rejected for being foreign, complain to the FSC Banking Bureau. It is slow, but forum members say it sometimes works.

Checking your JCIC credit report

Every person gets one free JCIC credit report per year. Extra copies cost NT$80 online or NT$100 on paper. The simplest route for foreigners is in person at the JCIC counter (No. 2, Section 1, Chongqing South Road, Zhongzheng District, a short walk from Taipei Main Station) or through a post office, bringing your ARC and passport. Online needs a digital certificate. You can also sign up on the JCIC website for email alerts whenever a bank pulls your file.

To build a good score, use the card every month and set up autopay for the full balance from your Taiwan account. Revolving interest on Taiwanese cards can run from around 5% to nearly 10% depending on the bank.

Annual fees and cashback basics

Photo: Matt Zhuang via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Everyday cashback cards are usually free the first year and easy to keep fee-free; Amex Gold waives its fee if you spend NT$60,000 a year, per a January 2025 cardholder. Premium travel cards are different: HSBC's Infinite card charges roughly NT$8,000 a year with no first-year waiver.

CUBE: pick one reward category per day in the app (dining, digital, travel and so on) for 2% to 3%, up to 3.3% at the top tier. Your choice applies to the whole day, so you can switch after you buy.

Unicard: three plans, from 2.5% on 100 listed merchants to 4.5% if you spend NT$30,000 a month and keep a NT$300,000 average balance (or pay points to unlock it). Bonus points arrive on the 17th of the following month.

Paying through LINE Pay or JKOPay can earn the bonus rate, but utility and telecom bills are usually excluded.

What to use while you wait

• Your Taiwanese debit card. Most banks now issue Visa or Mastercard debit cards that work for online shopping and often Apple Pay or Google Pay. Some overseas government and airline sites still refuse debit cards, which is exactly why one 2025 applicant needed a real credit card.
• Your home-country credit card. Fine in stores, but expect foreign transaction fees and some rejections on Taiwanese online shops.
• Cash and EasyCard for night markets, small restaurants and transit.

And remember, a credit card won't replace your bank account for the big monthly bill: most Taipei landlords still want rent by bank transfer.

FAQ

Can foreigners get a credit card in Taiwan?

Yes. With an ARC and proof of local income, most big private banks will consider you. E.SUN and Cathay United have the most consistent recent approvals for foreigners in the reports we tracked.

Do I need a Taiwanese guarantor for a credit card?

Not at the major private banks. If a bank asks for one, treat it as a no and apply elsewhere, or try one of the designated one-stop branches, which are encouraged to drop the guarantor requirement.

How long do I need to work in Taiwan before applying?

There is no single rule. Some applicants were approved with a few months of payslips, while some cards expect a year of Taiwan employment. If you have no local payslips yet, a one-stop branch that accepts overseas income proof is your best option.

What if every bank rejects me?

Get a yes from Amex online or a secured card, use it for about six months to build a JCIC record, then reapply to E.SUN or Cathay United.

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