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Approval for any credit card depends on your status. The representative APRs shown represent the interest rate offered to most successful applicants. Depending on your personal circumstances, the APR you're offered may be higher, or you may not be offered credit at all. Fees and rates are subject to change without notice. It's always wise to check the terms of any deal before you borrow. Most of the data in Finder's comparison tables is provided by Moneyfacts.
What is Bank of China?
In 1929, Bank of China’s first overseas branch was opened in London. In 2007, the Financial Services Authority gave it the go-ahead to establish a formal UK subsidiary, now known as Bank of China (UK). The bank now also has branches in Glasgow, Manchester and Birmingham.
Its cards are part of the Visa network, so they are accepted at over 20 million locations worldwide.
What benefits can I get with a Bank of China (UK) credit card?
Global acceptance. The Bank of China (UK) credit cards are part of the Visa network, meaning they are accepted at more than 35 million locations worldwide.
Enhanced security. Have peace of mind when shopping online with Verified by Visa.
Online account management. See your balance and make a payment at any time, and from anywhere.
Fraud monitoring. Bank of China (UK) will contact you if your card transactions appear to be abnormal, for example if there is a large one-off payment, unusual overseas transactions or payments to retailers not normally used by you.
Flexible credit limit. Once you have had your credit card for at least six months, Bank of China (UK) will consider increasing your credit limit.
Applying for a Bank of China (UK) credit card
You will need to download, complete and sign a “Great Wall International Credit Card application form” from the Bank of China (UK) website. You can also request a paper form from any Bank of China (UK) branch.
You will need some valid ID, current bank statements for the last three months and proof of employment. You may be asked to provide additional documents depending on your financial circumstances.
Once you have completed the form, you can return it to the branch and your application will be processed.
If you are approved, you will be notified of your credit limit and your new credit card will be sent to you in the post. You can activate your card over the phone using an automated system.
Eligibility requirements
To be eligible for a Bank of China (UK) credit card, you must:
Be aged 18 or over for the main card.
Be aged 16 or over for an additional card.
Hold an existing bank account with Bank of China (UK) with no previous unsatisfactory account history, default payments or bad debt.
Why might you not be approved?
On the whole, if you meet the eligibility requirements but have a history of bad debt or no credit history at all, you may be rejected. Equally if you are in an IVA or have had a CCJ you may not be accepted. If you have ever declared bankruptcy you are also unlikely to receive a card.
Frequently asked questions
Bank of China has removed its rewards programme from its cards.
Yes, you can withdraw cash at any ATM in the world that displays the Visa sign. If you withdraw cash outside of the UK, you will be charged a cash advance fee and currency conversion fee.
Payments are usually made by direct debit and you can choose to pay off a minimum amount or the full balance on an agreed date each month. You can also make further payments at any time through your online banking account.
If you do not make a minimum payment towards the balance on your card by the due date, there will be no further interest free period. This means you will pay interest on every transaction from the day it is made. You will also be charged a late payment fee. Always ensure that you can comfortably afford to make repayments before you take out a credit card. Late or missed payments can cause you to fall further into debt and will also harm your credit rating.
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Chris Lilly is Head of publishing at finder.com. He's a specialist in personal finance, from day-to-day banking to investing to borrowing, and is passionate about helping UK consumers make informed decisions about their money. In his spare time Chris likes forcing his kids to exercise more. See full bio
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Izzy Thomas is a senior associate publisher at Finder specialising in credit-based products including credit cards, business loans and personal loans. Izzy has a Masters in Publishing and a Bachelor of Arts in International Business Management. See full bio
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With a well-below-average interest rate, this credit card is an affordable way to borrow money for Bank of China customers.
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Finder.com is an independent comparison platform and information service that aims to provide you with the tools you need to make better decisions. While we are independent, the offers that appear on this site are from companies from which Finder receives compensation. We may receive compensation from our partners for placement of their products or services. We may also receive compensation if you click on certain links posted on our site. While compensation arrangements may affect the order, position or placement of product information, it doesn't influence our assessment of those products. Please don't interpret the order in which products appear on our Site as any endorsement or recommendation from us. Finder compares a wide range of products, providers and services but we don't provide information on all available products, providers or services. Please appreciate that there may be other options available to you than the products, providers or services covered by our service.
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