[Jaywalker]

Has anyone managed to get a credit card on a Work Visa? We're using our card at home at the moment and it's dwindling our UK stash down.

Any help or advice gratefully received.

[urban78]

Hiya Jaywalker,

Have you tried enquiring with your bank about applying for one? You can apply online too and I'm sure I've never seen anything on the banks sites about mentioning being a PR or having a work visa (not with my bank, BNZ anyway).

I've heard some people on work visas (as opposed to PR) being asked by their bank to put a deposit down for a credit card, or ask you for a job contract to see how much you earn per year. Don't know whether it's the case for everyone or every bank though :confused:

Even if you have PR you might get refused a credit card because you don't have enough credit history (and not having been in the country for a long time) but it can be built in about 6 months time...this happened to me and was offered a card by the bank without reapplying for one :roll

Hope this helps,

Jen :)

[KerryS]

I got a card with BNZ when still on a work permit. I just applied and was approved straightaway. No problems at all.

[Jaywalker]

I got a card with BNZ when still on a work permit. I just applied and was approved straightaway. No problems at all.

If we apply online for any of the accounts, there is a section at the end where you have to confirm that you are a New Zealand resident. I suppose we could just blag it, but I'm worried about the legal repercussions of doing this.

Am I just being paranoid?

[Smiler]

Jaywalker

Where and who did you open your bank account with?

Email or call the person who dealt with your original application (or your personal manager). They should be able to help.

Good luck :nice1

[eternalkiwi]

As Jaywalker said most, if not all, banks require people to have PR for their standard credit card applications. Some banks will provide cards to people without PR on a case-by-case basis or as Jaywalker mentioned you could just fudge it and say you have PR when completing your online application.

As long as you pay for your card regularly you are not likely to have any legal issues with the bank. I even know of international students that have done this and gained credit cards from banks they have their (International) Student bank accounts with.

[anna_c]

A bit of a tangent, but the only way international students can get credit cards is to have twice the limit of the credit card in term deposits with the bank.

[constablechuck]

My wife is going through the process of getting a credit card, I'm a NZ Citizen by descent so I had no complications getting approved, my wife however has a one year work permit but will be applying for permanent residency in the partnership catagory.

She wasn't sure if she could answer yes to being a resident so we looked up "resident" in the dictionary here's the definition.

a person who resides in a place.

residing; dwelling in a place.

She lives here, works here, has a NZ Driver License, owns a car in NZ, has a bank account in NZ and intends to stay permanently, so it seems to me that she is a resident, so I told her to answer accordingly.

[dean1968]

Try the ANZ (unless the rules have changed) as long as one of you is a NZ citizen you can get your other half / spouse / partner / girlfriend whoever a credit card in their name. They can be living overseas and be a foreign citizen. You become responsible or liable for any bills the other person clocks up.

[Trigirl]

She wasn't sure if she could answer yes to being a resident so we looked up "resident" in the dictionary here's the definition.

thats all well and good but it depends on the circumstances the question is asked in. someone who is "resident" for tax purposes isn't necessarily "resident" from an immigration viewpoint. surely asking them what they mean by resident (ie do they mean currently living in NZ or - more likely - do they mean has got PR) might hve been a better idea?

if everyone took your defintion then they could say - "oh well i'm residing in the heritage hotel for 3 days - yes i'm resident"

[eternalkiwi]

I would concur with what Trigirl said, as you are forming a legal contract the term resident would refer to a legal resident (PR).

The option Dean mentioned is one straightforward way to gain a card if one partner has PR or Citizenship. As the person who has PR or citizenship is the Primary card holder, they have the contractual relationship with the card issuer and are liable for all charges on the card. Visa, Mastercard, Amex & Diners provide this option.

For international students banks sometimes do require fixed term deposits though this varies on each banks policies and also on a case by case basis.

[Jaywalker]

Thought I would just share my experiences with this to date.

At the moment, it appears that no banks will front up with a credit card. I have tried applying with several and all have refused since I am here on a work visa.

I have tried applying online (and feigning ignorance on the PR part of the declaration - naughty, I know, but I'm getting desperate), but then I receive a letter from the bank asking me to call them. I do, and the first question I get asked is whether or not I am a New Zealand resident. I am not prepared to lie to their faces and so am turned down.

My next step is to attempt to open an account with Westpac, who provide a Visa debit card, although a quick trawl through their website suggests that I will be required to be a NZ resident even for this!

I'll keep you all informed, but this is turning into quite a headache. All I want to do is be able to book a few cheap flights and buy a few books off the net!

[constablechuck]

Update, I called the BNZ and discussed it with them, it turns out that by "resident" they do in fact mean permanent resident in the context of your immigration status, I suggested that they may wish to specify that upfront because simply asking if someone is a "resident" could be confusing, maybe my advice will make it to their "suggestion box", I had to break it to my wife that she will have to settle for EFTPOS until she gets PR.

As a side note, I noticed that NZ Post offers pre-paid credit cards.

[Kim39]

You mentiion going to several banks and you get the same answer. Well have you tried the ASB. When we arrived 16 months ago we popped along to the local ASB branch in Cambridge. Once all the formalities were out of the way regarding monies that needed transferring, we were offered firstly a mortgage if we wanted it, even though we were here only on a 2yr work permit, we immediately refused. Then the conversation was switched to credit cards. We refused to begin with, but they pushed a little and told us to think for 5 mins as they went through the benefits with us. Now having had a few back home and managed to ditch all debt on them when we moved, we thought no, but we then thought long and hard and decided to take the offer but at a limit that we thought was managable. So the proof is there, they do offer them out.
Could it be that your cards back home have such an amount that they may think you are a risk? Its only a thought.

Kim

[jaycee]

I too have a credit card from ASB - I am an international student but don't have a tertiary banking package. I have no job, not even part-time. I do own property here, but I don't think that was a factor in the decision. I applied in person and the banker I dealt with let me see everything on her screen as she worked, including my credit history (1 check done by Telecom). My UK credit history wasn't checked. She offered me the card on the basis of income from my savings in the UK, with a limit of $15K if I wanted it (I opted for $3K as I only want the card for online purchases), and I didn't have to prove that income.

I'd recommend ASB (my branch is Remuera) - they have been very helpful about everything - and also that you go and talk to someone in person rather than applying online - not only because face-to-face is the most effective means of communication, but you also avoid having to fill in the forms yourself!

[zxof]

how about hsbc? they accepted my application when i was on wtr visa (technically work visa), amex I know.. not so popular here in NZ, but still quite useful and no annual fee for the first year.

[constablechuck]

We closed all of our accounts in the U.S. but I don't think they looked at our U.S. credit report anyway, my wife applied to BNZ online and she was approved for a 10K credit line, however when we called to clarify what the residency requirement was they withdrew the offer and told her to re-apply after she had PR.

I was approved for a card within 2 days but I'm weary of carrying a balance at 12.65% interest (and that's the low interest card), back in the U.S. I was paying 7.9% interest and no annual fee, I will think very carefully before making a major purchase on credit here since it is expensive to carry debt at these high interest rates.

[eternalkiwi]

From my experience it is banks standard policy to require PR for Credit Card applicants, though at lest some of these banks do provide their staff to issue cards on a case by case basis.
I guess the key factors they would consider are your asset (equity) level and the level of income you have available to support the credit limit.
I know National Bank and have heard ASB do issue cards in these situations with a low credit limit.

Shawn

[sidabrine]

I was told by ASB, BNZ, National and Westpac representatives that they don't issue credit cards for non residents. ANZ first told that they'd issue a credit card if I can prove that I earn more than 60k, but when applied got an apology call: "sorry, but you have to earn over 75k". The call was from a person that I've met face to face before. I guess, he just didn't like my face... :roll

[Angelonthemove]

We have $2,500k credit card on work permits with ASB. No credit checks done on UK.

Just had our bank account 2 months and were stuggling with salaries coming in after rent had gone out so used it to tide us over, they were more than happy to transfer the funds to our account to cover a DD. We now just use it for online purchases.

they have been offering us mortgages from day one. 20% deposit needed without PR, and 100% mortgages with PR yup to $500k on our salaries. $750k if we had a deposit.

Hope that helps

[Jaywalker]

We have $2,500k credit card on work permits with ASB. No credit checks done on UK.

Just had our bank account 2 months and were stuggling with salaries coming in after rent had gone out so used it to tide us over, they were more than happy to transfer the funds to our account to cover a DD. We now just use it for online purchases.

they have been offering us mortgages from day one. 20% deposit needed without PR, and 100% mortgages with PR yup to $500k on our salaries. $750k if we had a deposit.

Hope that helps

Well, after calling visiting every single bank in New Plymouth, I finally hit gold with TSB. They let me have a credit card on the condition that I put aside enough cash in a holding account to cover the credit limit. In other words, I had to open a savings account and transfer enough money into there to cover my credit card limit. I now cannot touch that money, but I'm earning 6.5% interest on it, so who cares!

At least now I can buy online!