Bank account drama - SMBC debit card rejected

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?