Good Day, I am a new member

[ryan]

Hello everyone,

My name is Ryan. I have been trawling the net for some info and came across this wonderful site and decided to join.
I am on OAP and left Oz over a year ago.  I have been trying out various SEAsian countries to see which one is affordable, that suits me, so I can rest my weary feet....and body. I have a dilemma, which I hoped you learned and knowledgeable members may be able to enlighten me.

My StGeorge debit card will be expiring in June 2017.  Has anyone out there ever renew their Aussie bank card while overseas?
How safe and secure is it receiving my new card through the mail?
With the news lately, about blank Medicare card, driver license, and all manner of id fraud and other "unthinkables", I haven't even thought of, I do feel worried.

Or, is it safer to go back to Oz to get it renew and come back out again?
If anyone reading this and have renewed their card in the past, your reply or any input is much appreciated.

Thanks to all of you,
Ryan

[Banjo]

Welcome to the forum Ryan.

I'm lucky with my bank card this time a friend is coming for a visit and is bringing it with him.
I'll activate it on line.

Posting will always have an element of risk but I once posted a spare card to a friend in Thailand to pay some bills without a problem.

You've still got a year, make a list of everything you could do on a return trip and see if it's worthwhile.

[ryan]

Thanks for the reply Banjo.

It is a risk, I have to consider, not knowing how reliable the postal service in Asia is.
I did spoke to my bank yesterday. It will cost me A$45. The card will be mail 3 months before the exp date, in two separate deliveries by Toll courier service.
First, the card. Three days later, the activation/pin letter. And, I or someone I trust must signed for it.
Whether or when it arrives, is also waiting worry.

Going back just to get the card for three weeks is another cost, as I don't have my place anymore. And, che

[ryan]

Sorry,
Cheap hotels are not cheap in Syd anymore.
I still like to hear from someone who has received their new card smoothly, with no problems, as I might have to booked an early AirAsia ticket.

Thanks again
Ryan

[Banjo]

Well $45 for a courier service is a lot cheaper than flying back.

[aussie25]

Why would you be even using St George debit card overseas the fees are horrendous. Try using Citibank plus everyday account as there are no fees and the rates are the proper visa rates. You may still be charged a fee by the atm operator but you can try to find a citibank ATM depending on your location or request a cash advance inside any bank without any fees.

[ryan]

Hi Aussie,

I have been banking with StGeorge for since they were Advance Bank, like many eons ago. Yes, there are atm fees, conversion fee and monthly service fee.
If I need to switch to Citi, I still need to go home and do it and show my 100 points. Then I also have to inform Clink, and go queue up in their office. I don't really want to go back to Oz if I can help it.

Do Citi charged foreign conversion fee, when I booked airline tickets?

Ryan

[murphy]

Welcome Ryan.

I would go the courier and closely monitor time frames so you can notify St George immediately you suspect something is up.

Are you certain they will change the PIN? If it's the same card number but new expiry date, usually the PIN remains the same.

[Banjo]

Jun 16, 2016 10:24:49 GMT 7 ryan said:

Hi Aussie,

I have been banking with StGeorge for since they were Advance Bank, like many eons ago. Yes, there are atm fees, conversion fee and monthly service fee.
If I need to switch to Citi, I still need to go home and do it and show my 100 points. Then I also have to inform Clink, and go queue up in their office. I don't really want to go back to Oz if I can help it.

Do Citi charged foreign conversion fee, when I booked airline tickets?

Ryan

It's a major drama changing your bank account with Centrelink if you are overseas, I did it a couple of years back, you cannot do it online, and it took three goes; both times they read the account number wrong after I posted photocopies back to them.

If you have an account in your country of residence the savings are substantial though.

[Deleted]

Jun 16, 2016 10:49:39 GMT 7 murphy said:

Welcome Ryan.

I would go the courier and closely monitor time frames so you can notify St George immediately you suspect something is up.

Are you certain they will change the PIN? If it's the same card number but new expiry date, usually the PIN remains the same.

I was advised by a friend here in Chiang Mai to get a citibank card

I have had it for 11 months now
No fees at all Not even to use the card
i will see after 12 months

i go inside the Bangkok Bank Do Not to use the ATM as they charge
With my card plus my Passport
I use the same bank all the time as the teller know me
Plus that helps if i ever need any information
Am able to draw 50 000 baht at a time once per day
easy as pie
been doing this now for 9 Months here
No problems so far

[ryan]

Murphy

This is the first time in my 60 odd years, where I have to do a card renewal overseas. I don't know whether it will be the same pin. I hoped so. As any changing of pin have to be done in the bank with one of those eftpos type machine. I am clueless.

That is why my original post was to query if anyone have actually renew their card out of Australia and I wanted to hear what was their experience, any problems or was it all smooth sailing?
I have read in another expat blog, where this guy did a renewal in Hong Kong with his Commomwealth Bank card. Was told ten working days by C'weath Bk customer service.
No card arrive. Rang up. Was told card already sent. Nothing. Rang again and told Cwealth, it's urgent, still no card. They cancelled the card in transit somewhere between Oz and the deep blue sea. His family have to wired him money through Westere U, got himself a ticket and came back to sort it out in his branch bank. That is a nightmare, I am hoping to avoid.
Maybe, I just booked a ticket. AirAsia is on sale now till Sun 19. Travel period Jan 2017 til. August 2017. KUL to SYD for March is AUD100 one way.
Go home, go to my bank. Get the card. Physically feel it. Put it in my wallet. Peace of mind. But it will cost me heaps in Aussie dollars for the three weeks stay.
Any other suggestions, ideas, inputs?

Banjo,
Yes, I agree with you. Changing banks or accounts with Clink, overseas or on the phone is not recommended. One slip of the finger with a different number or missing digit will surely messed up your monthly payment, and if you are OS, more delays and heartache.

Anyone, out there did a successful card renewal?

[Banjo]

Why would you need to stay for 3 weeks?
You could come back the next day.

Advice to all planning on having an overseas account and doing by snail mail... the only way... make sure you have several months money in reserve to live on in case it goes wrong, you'll get it all back at the end, no problem.

[ryan]

If I am in Australia, a new card will be sent out a month before the exp date. If outside, OS, new card will be sent out 3 mths before exp date. If I chose to go home and front my branch bank, it will still take ten working days, as the card are printed in head office and not in any other branch. Therefore, I am looking at least 3 weeks in Oz to fix it all up. You can't fly in today, asked for a new card and get it straight away and fly out the next day. All cards, I believed have a 3 year lifespan for security reasons, as well as wear and tear.

Anyway, I think Aussie25 and Bedwin has veered from my original query about card renewal to Citibank rates and 50000 baht Chiangmai withdrawal. With thanks and due respect to both of you,
I am new here and I have not renew my card before and was hoping that maybe there are some Aussie pensioners - who still hold an Aussie bank card, which Clink pays into, that might be able to tell me, what happens when their card is near expired.

What do you guys do?
Did you renew your card OS, how long does it take or did you go home?

I have tried trawling on other Aussie expat forum on the net and can't find anything about this, especially as we all need our card to be active, to be able to access our monthly payment.
What happens when your card expired?
There must be some of you reading this whose card has expired before, that might like to share your thoughts with me on this.

I do apologise, if I sound condescending.

Best regards to all of you.
I am going to get a beer now.
And wherever you are, have one yourself

[nomadic]

Hi Ryan, had a number of new cards over the years but they all went to my adress in Oz and were then forwarded to me by relatives by snail mail without any problems. But in saying that i have had one or two non important letters from the same people never arrive. I also once lost a card and when i contacted the bank they said they couldn't send it overseas at all and i needed to get someone to do that. Many years ago though. But to sum up no problems but probably best to send by registered mail at least whoever sends it to you. I live at a place with blue in the same and once the postman took it to blue restaurant. The owner knew me so i still got it but they are bloody hopeless sometimes.

[aussie25]

Jun 16, 2016 10:24:49 GMT 7 ryan said:

Hi Aussie,

I have been banking with StGeorge for since they were Advance Bank, like many eons ago. Yes, there are atm fees, conversion fee and monthly service fee.
If I need to switch to Citi, I still need to go home and do it and show my 100 points. Then I also have to inform Clink, and go queue up in their office. I don't really want to go back to Oz if I can help it.

Do Citi charged foreign conversion fee, when I booked airline tickets?

Ryan

You may be able to open an account and verify your identity on there website. When the card is due for renewal they can just post you a new one to whereever you are. I have even had regular mail from Citi sent to me and they don't charge. There are also no fees for using your card online for foriegn transactions.