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Maybole
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Maybole Gold Member

Maybole

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Posted

I am not sure if this is the correct forum. Moderators, please move it if another forum is more appropriate.

 

On Friday, I could not log into my Sagacard account. On Saturday, I tried to pay a bill and the card was refused. I phoned the helpline and was told that ALL Saga credit cards had been withdrawn wef 28 March. Since the issuing bank was the Allied Irish Bank and Saga is a UK company I believe it is related to the pending UK departure from the EU.

However, I am now without a functioning credit card. Some on line sites will not accept a debit card.

I recall some discussion over the years on TV about credit cards available to non resident UK citizens but cannot now find the thread. I need up to date information on where I could obtain a new card without returning to UK.

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Crossy Star Member

Crossy

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Are you looking to get a UK or Thai card?

 

Certainly most of the banks here will do a Visa or Mastercard backed up with a deposit in line with your credit limit. 

 

I have no idea about UK cards for non-residents (apart from BarclayCard killing my card when they "suspected" I wasn't living in the UK).

 

This is of course where having a backup plan is handy (I know, I know but it still has to be said). Always travel with at least two methods of payment and keep them in separate places about your person. 

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Thailand J Silver Member

Thailand J

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Posted (edited)

I have a secured credit card from Banngkok Bank. What it took: Retirement extension, prove of address plus 100,000B in a fixed deposit account as collateral in case I default on the charges.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by Thailand J
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Maybole Gold Member

Maybole

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My thanks to all who replied, please keep suggestions coming. I thank KittenKong for the link to the relevent article. No notification has reached in spite of Sagacard having a UK contact address to which they have been sending regular bills. I am searching for an address to find out if Saga intend to set up a new scheme.

I have in the past asked several banks in Thailand if any will issue a Credeit Card and all have given the same reply, no falang can have a Credit Card unless he has a Work Permit. One also asked for a letter of guarantee from an employer.

The Sagacard was useful because although they knew that I now live in Thailand, so long as I had a contact address in UK, they did not withdraw the card. RBS did as soon as I notified them.

I used the card mainly for on line shopping, but also occasionally for paying unplanned bills. I could transfer money instantly from my UK bank account to Saga account in payment. I'have had several refusals (on line and in shops in Chiangmai) of my Debit card.

I am therefore looking for  a Credit Card which will allow me to live in Thailand and pay by on line transfer from my UK bank account. I would prefer a UK based isssue but so far all have required residence in UK. If I could get a Thailand issued card, I would need to transfer payment via an agent from my UK bank account in payment. This can take up to 6 days depending on weekends and the many public holidays

I hope this is all clear now.

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JamJar Senior Member

JamJar

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If you have all the required evidence to apply for a card in the UK, then why don't you do so?

No need to tell them you are in Thailand. Just have friends or family send the card to you.

 

First choice would be the Halifax Clarity Mastercard. If you prefer VISA, then Barclaycard Platinum Cashback Plus.

 

 

 

https://www.halifax.co.uk/creditcards/clarity-card/

https://www.barclaycard.co.uk/personal/credit-cards/platinum-cashback-plus

 

 

Both are better than the SAGA card in that neither charge for ATM withdrawals/Cash advances abroad.

 

Clarity charges interest on them, but you can mitigate that by paying off the cash advance immediately.

Barclaycard, like the SAGA card doesn't charge interest as long as you pay off the statemented balance in full, though unlike the SAGA card, doesn't charge you 2% for the privilege.

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dabhand Gold Member

dabhand

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I have recently set up UK CC accounts with:

 

M&S Bank (JV between HSBC + Marks & Spencers) - needed a UK address, but had a useful 28mths 0% balance transfer offer. Limited verification from what I recall (not even a PP scan required) and application completed online and card + PIN was sent to my UK contact and sent on by Royal Mail International Tracked & signed - Stg8.50. Arrived after about 1 week. Account security and opening formalities all completed online.

As a check on my UK credit score, I am signed up with ClearScore who offer a free service. My score is about average, even with no voters roll signup, and it was details on CS that prompted me towards M&S, but independent of CS.

 

Halifax Clarity - needed a UK address and, as others have said, useful for the zero fees. They insisted upon a visit to a Halifax branch in UK (doesn't have to be local branch to your contact address) where address / identity needed to be verified (I used passport + UK DL)

 

I have other UK CC's - Nationwide / Lloyds Bank Avios, but I have had these for a number of years and both had no issues with my changing to a Thai address a few years back. No idea if they would open a new account based on a Thai address. Both send new cards to my Thai address with no drama.

 

I also had Barclaycard for about 40+ years, but, as another poster mentioned, as soon as I looked to change from a UK to Thai address, they closed my accounts (had a number: Platinum/Goldfish/Egg and a few others as they gobbled up the opposition). Did complain, but got nowhere.

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KittenKong Ruby Member

KittenKong

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15 hours ago, Maybole said:

The Sagacard was useful because although they knew that I now live in Thailand, so long as I had a contact address in UK, they did not withdraw the card. RBS did as soon as I notified them.

I've had an RBS credit card (well, NatWest) for 40+ years and didn't live in the UK at all after the first couple of years. A couple of decades ago they contacted me to say that if I didn't provide them with a UK contact address they would start charging me a small sum for posting out statements. So I gave them a UK contact address for statements and have had no problems ever since.

My NatWest card has zero foreign exchange weighting.

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