Bank account drama - SMBC won't let me get a debit card

Oxford Scholar

2026-04-06

# 日本あるある 👁 1♥ 0💬 2

So I've had an SMBC account for about 2 years now. Last week I tried to apply for a debit card linked to my account and got rejected. The reason given was 'insufficient transaction history' - but I've been receiving my salary into this account for 2 years! Called customer service and they said because I'm a foreigner, they need 'additional verification' even though I have a permanent resident visa. Has anyone else experienced this? Which banks are actually foreigner-friendly for debit cards?

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💬 2

Jordan・Global Career Coach 2026-04-06 · ♥ 0

SMBC's foreigner policy varies wildly by branch. The 新宿 corporate branch is foreigner-friendly because they handle so many. Try a different branch before giving up — same bank, different attitude.

Oliver T. 2026-04-06 · ♥ 0

I had identical struggle with SMBC last year. Switched to Sony Bank — full debit/credit/Mastercard combo for foreigners, no in-person interview. Banking should not be this hard in 2026.

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