Open a bank card in Singapore (where is it easily)?

[Maramook]

In what bank(s) is it mostly easy to open a bank (debit, of course) card in Singapore for a tourist? Like in Thail Kansikorn: come to a bank - get a card, whoever you are.

[hermespan]

DBS if you are a non US citizen and have more than USD50,000 and paperwork to prove source of funds if bringing cash. Singapore permits bringing in around USD23,000 without declaring any of it - if memory serves me correctly.

[Maramook]

more than $50k? without that much I won't be able to open an account? I've heard it should be pretty easy to get a bank card in Singapore, certainly that much money is not necessary. But I don't know for sure, though.

[Amusements]

To open up a bank account in Singapore, you need to live there, or work there, invest there, or be a high worth individual, and be able to prove it. Of course this is all up to the discretion of the bank manager.

This was based on my own failed attempt to open up a deposit account with $5k..I got turned down by every bank I tried.

[hermespan]

It comes down to 'it depends'. I can only speak from experience trying to open up an account with $100 or so in 2003 and $50,000 in 2011. The larger amount and with all my papers in order so they could photocopy till their hearts content, was much easier. I *did* open an account with the lower amount previously but I had to knock on many doors until I found a bank that said yes. BTW, it was Standard and Chartered, an unpopular branch. Every single one in 2003 asked me for my residency papers and when I told them I had a tourist visa, smiled, apologized and showed me the door. 'Know your customer' is largely discretionary. I just used a local friend's residential address. I believe they had to send some papers there. Wait a sec, no, just S&S did. DBS just lunged for the money, the sweethearts.

BTW, I disagree that one has to be a 'high net worth individual'. A five figure initial deposit I suspect would do the trick. But the days of opening up an offshore bank account with $50 and sending in a notarized copy of your passport are over.

Edited March 28, 2014 by hermespan

[soihok]

You will need to be a resident / in education / carer / work permit / employment pass / dependent pass / married to a Singaporean or permanent resident, etc (not sure about long term social pass though).

Off shore kind of bank acount possible with a large sum perhaps, but not an ordinary savings account with debit card.

[stuurman]

If you are a HSBC premier client elsewhere it's possible to open a bank account at HSBC Singapore without a visa, work permit or an address in Singapore. I did it a couple of years ago.


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Edited March 29, 2014 by stuurman

[soihok]

Which means a deposit how much?

More or less an off shore account, bet your annual banking fees reflect the service.

Not what the OP was looking for, unless the OP has a stack of cash.

[stuurman]

Which means a deposit how much?

More or less an off shore account, bet your annual banking fees reflect the service.

Not what the OP was looking for, unless the OP has a stack of cash.

The question by OP was: "In what bank(s) is it mostly easy to open a bank (debit, of course) card in Singapore for a tourist?"

This is how I opened an account as a tourist. Yes you need a deposit in the country where you are registered for the premier service, the amount varies from country to country. I don't pay any bank fees.

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[soihok]

Noted, but I think that if the OP had a Premier HSBC account, they wouldn't be asking the question in the first place.