Bank account with debit card and paypal

Need advise on which bank is best for paypal capabilities and of course, debit card. Thanks for any feedback.

OK, thanks for your courtesy, I'll check them out.

Hi vnescape,
I'm Khue, a Vietnamese, I'm working at Standard Chartered Bank (a foreign bank comes from British, you can check it out on google :P ). We now have some promotion for customers who open our Bank account (free open fee, high interest for non - term deposit, free debit card for account...). I would like to explain more about our promotion and any question or kindly explain how to open an account, how to withdraw or deposit money, how to use debit card in Vietnam.

Hi bichkhue,

Please note that free advertisement is not allowed on the forum.

If you have informations on "bank account with debit card..", please post on the forum, this will definitely help other members.

Thank you for your comprehension,
Best regards,
Christine

Hi Christine,

That is not an advertisement, just because someone ask for our suggestion and we give them information. Thank you!

Touche' muontrovevietnam. And besides, like so many other banks in country, they do not offer access to paypal through their debit cards...unfortunate for Vietnam, because inhibiting e-commerse online, likewise diminishes opportunities for tens of thousands of dollars from entering Vietnam, just from one single account......do the math people.

Hi Mike,

Most banks will give u a debit card when u open an account with them. But unfortunately non of the bank's debit cards are e-commerce ready. U have to undertsnad that the banking system here is still very domesticated. Financial instruments here are quite basic. Drawing money here from the banks from your own account is also quite a hassle. Remitting is even more of a hassle with a lot of red tape. My suggestion is use western union or similar from your own country to remit money to yourself if u need money. Unless you are planning to be here for the long term no point in having a bank account here.

I am a ex-banker who will be here for the long term. I have an account with HSBC back home and here in vn. As far as I know they are the only bank that u can have linked accounts between your home country & vn that u can transfer money in. External transfer from vn is still a problem because of lesgistration. They need you to prove the source of funds and reason for transfer. There is no limit for internal transfers. These guys are smart, they want & allow money in but getting money out is a problem.

Well that's life here in vn if u want to live here.

Hue1964 wrote:

Hi Mike,I am a ex-banker who will be here for the long term. I have an account with HSBC back home and here in vn. As far as I know they are the only bank that u can have linked accounts between your home country & vn that u can transfer money in. External transfer from vn is still a problem because of lesgistration. They need you to prove the source of funds and reason for transfer. There is no limit for internal transfers. These guys are smart, they want & allow money in but getting money out is a problem.

Well that's life here in vn if u want to live here.


Bro, thanks for this tip. :):)

Yeah, thanks everyone. I'll just roll with it. One thing is certain....Vietnam is changing and change is good, so I feel optimistic. Stuff goin on behind the scenes is ambiguous at best, especially for an expat. Vietnamese people are a very resilient and smart people, so I can be patient and know that it's all good.

Anyone knows a good reliable money changers in D1, HCMC ?

Hi vnescape,

The banks are less problem, as long you not need to borrow. PayPal is a different pair of shoes.
I did open a PayPal from here in VN. It took month and month. You will have pass varios manual vetting and money loundring verification and you will find out - you might need a translator form English to English, as the company simply does not want you.
If you still contacts to home, let them open a PayPal for you. It might save 6 month +.
I had my one after 7 month and about 900 email conversations. And still, some of the automated futures do not work, as Vietnam is still barred and money only floats one way

Hmm.... I had a Paypal account opened in Singapore using my Visa card and it was activated almost immediately. I think you can also link your bank account to this, either directly or via the Visa card.

I have been doing 30 over transactions using my Paypal account this year alone.

Not sure if this is the option you are looking at.

Here's what I ended up doing: went to Florida to celebrate Father's 80th birthday, opened pay pal account and ebay account and new website and now, funds go directly to my account here in HCMC/Saigon at Vietcom Bank. Happy for me. Happy to be back where it is warm every day and many smiles.

MichaelChan wrote:

Hmm.... I had a Paypal account opened in Singapore using my Visa card and it was activated almost immediately. I think you can also link your bank account to this, either directly or via the Visa card.

I have been doing 30 over transactions using my Paypal account this year alone.

Not sure if this is the option you are looking at.


Yes, in the normal world, this is possible, also at and with PayPal. If you sign up at PayPal with true Vietnamese data, you will find out, that you need an US American Bank and Credit Card with the matching data (demanded by PayPal).
Credit Cards from Vietnam can not transfer any funds outside Vietnam either (there some "prepaid" exceptions), neither take most of the banks money in from PayPal and even less (possible 0) could transfer funds to there.

ACB or HSBC is good service, I`m using ACB to link my paypal, its good as well

I recommend ACB and HSBC. I have one acb debit card . Not only link to paypal but also link with many services around the world fluently . HSBC is also as good as ACB but you have to deposit 3 million dong to get a debit card .

My Vietnamese girlfriend (and I ) use the money exchange located inside Cho Ben Thanh market.
We swap out cash monies from USA, Australia, Cambodia, Thailand and others. We swap from Dong to Dollars, Baht etc. and back again.  She is frugal and knows about money exchanges ...   Then again there could be better places.   But this vendor is always busy and no paper work.  Location I believe is center doors on South Side. But do not quote me. Went to a bank once and had to do paper work.