Can foreigners get a Korean credit card?
I have been living in Korea for 1 year on an E-7 visa. I have a Korean bank account and steady income. Is it possible to get a Korean credit card? If so, which banks are most foreigner-friendly?
My salary is about 4 million KRW/month. I mainly want a credit card for:
- Building credit history in Korea
- Getting cashback/points
- Easier online shopping (some sites don't accept debit cards)
1 Answer
Yes, foreigners can get Korean credit cards, but it depends on your situation.
You'll need a valid visa (E-7 works fine), your Alien Registration Card, a Korean bank account with steady income deposits for at least 3 months, and annual income verification (소득금액증명원).
The easiest banks for foreigners are Hana Bank, which is the most foreigner-friendly with global branches, and Shinhan Bank, which has good English app support. KakaoBank is also possible for some visa types and has a very easy app-based process.
A helpful tip is to start with a debit or check card (체크카드) first since those are much easier to get approved for. Use it for a few months to build up transaction history with the bank, and then apply for a credit card. This shows the bank that you're a reliable customer. When you do apply for a credit card, having a good relationship with your bank and a consistent salary deposit history will make the process much smoother.