Preparing to go!

[Alex]

I will flying out to GZ on Tuesday. Last time I was there no one wanted to accept my American Express travel checks, and my credit cards didn't do me any good either. I'm going to carry alot of cash in a waistband pouch because I may need the extra $$$ to buy two tickets for my SO and daughter when they come back with me.I appreciate any other suggestions you may have.

 

P.S.......my SO has my updated income statement and tax return papers, along with my updated letter of employment. I can't imagine what GZ could come up with next.

[jtaylo69]

Alex, The best suggestion I can offer you is that if you have a bank card with the visa logo and on the back of it it has the Cirrus and star logos, then you shouldn't have any problems with ANY of the Bank of China machines. I do however suggest that you contact your bank & inform them of your plans & to ensure you that they will infactwork here.

 

Sometimes you have to go by the bank to sing some form so that they will accept an ATM Transactions during your vist. They will want to ask you for your expected Daily limit that you will want on your card & then they will submit that into your account. This way, it helps to protect them as well as you. Once these things are in order, you shouldn't have any problems.

 

As always, after using an ATM here (Preferably just outside the bank itself) go inside the bank & count your money there to make sure that the machine gave you the correct ammount.

 

Have a safe trip, as we are flying out of GUZ on the 2nd, so maybe we will see each other. If not, Good luck to you & have a safe trip.

[Phnom]

I will flying out to GZ on Tuesday. Last time I was there no one wanted to accept my American Express travel checks, and my credit cards didn't do me any good either. I'm going to carry alot of cash in a waistband pouch because I may need the extra $$$  to buy two tickets for my SO and daughter when they come back with me.I appreciate any other suggestions you may have.

 

P.S.......my SO has my updated income statement and tax return papers, along with my updated letter of employment. I can't imagine what GZ could come up with next.

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Alex,

 

I have found that a Debit card works great at the local ATM's. Most have a limit of 2000 RMB but you can just keep making transactions for more money. The charge is only 1.50. Good Luck from Nanning

[warpedbored]

I have never had any luck with ATM machines in China either Alex and my card has cirrus plus and everything else on it. I have gone inside the Bank of China and had a teller give me a cash advance before though with no problems. Good luck on your journey and don't forget the mouthwash. I know you are angry and justifiably so but now is not the time to lose it. I wish you the best of luck my friend.

[Chris+XiaoXia]

Alex,

 

I traveled all over China for four months and had no problem using my ATM debit card. I was able to withdraw money in every city I visited -- even in Tibet. I had Citibank but I don't know if it matters. Nonetheless, I was able to withdraw money every time I use an ATM with the Maestro or Cirrus logo. Perhaps you could call your bank and ask if you can withdraw money from China.

 

I discovered that Bank of China could be found in every city I visited and they charge only a small ATM fee. I think about $1.50 the last time I checked. I would stay away from smaller banks though. At one time I was charged a $5 ATM fee from using a small bank’s ATM.

 

I highly recommend using your ATM card instead of carrying a lot of cash with you. And you get the best exchange rate. I read an article once where the author compared different exchange rates from bank tellers, hotels, airport exchange booths, and ATM machines. He discovered the ATM machines consistently give better rates. The worst rate was from the airports.

 

Oh, one last advise about China ATM machines. Go during business hours. I had on more than one occasions couldn’t withdraw money from an ATM machine after hours. The machine wouldn’t tell you to come back during business hours. It just wouldn’t give you money stating something about cannot process my request. At first, I though something was wrong with my account but when I returned the next day during business hours, I was able to withdraw my money no problem.

 

Good luck.

 

Chris

Edited October 29, 2005 by Chris+XiaoXia (see edit history)

[cosmiclobster]

My 2 ATM cards worked in Bank of China every time. Most other banks worked about 1/4 of the time.

 

Have a good trip!!

[Yuanyang]

I've taken cash with me the last couple of times.

[bubbafred10]

I took cash in my previous trips to China, but I never ventured into the "wild west" Guangzhou area of the country. I have also used my ATM card and did not like the transaction fee for the maximum allowed 2,000 yuan amount of withdrawal and the lower exchange rate.

[castaway109]

I did a direct transfer into my wife's bank account so I didn't have to carry very much cash. That way we could access it from the China bank system. I just was not comfortable carrying very much money.

[HanLi]

Alex, if you have a Visa card, the major stores will honor it, and I always carry cash, exhanging at the Bank of China when necessary...

Keep your cool, and bring your lady home..

good luck

[Randy W]

Alex, if you have a Visa card, the major stores will honor it, and I always carry cash, exhanging at the Bank of China when necessary...

Keep your cool, and bring your lady home..

good luck

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The bank of China will also convert the Traveler's Checks

[Guest ShaQuaNew]

Alex, was taking a little time today reading through the endless throngs of immigration law and found this memo. It contains information that is pertinent to your case regarding the assumptions of adjudicators and alleged fraud....

 

http://uscis.gov/graphics/lawsregs/handbook/RFE021605.pdf

[johnxiaoying]

I used my PayPal debit card at the Bank of China in Guilin two weeks ago. The rate I received was 7.988 plus a $1 service charge.

[david_dawei]

Alex, best to you !!

[obxtrainman]

Good luck to you Alex