Opening a bank account for international students | JPSS, the information sit...
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JPSS, for information about studying in Japan's universities and graduate schools. > News／Useful information for studying abroad > Guide for Studying Abroad in Japan > Living Guide for International Students in Japan > Opening a bank account for international students
If you have your own account at bank, you water, electricity and telephone bills could be drawn automatically from your bank account. At the same time, money such as scholarship, part-time job salary, could also be paid into your account automatically and medical expenses and tax could be refunded easily if you have an account.
In order to open a bank account, you will first need to obtain your residence card. After your residence card is issued, bring it to a bank near your home or school to open a bank account.
When you open an account at bank, you should write your name both in Chinese character and katakana. (in the case that your name is written in Chinese character)
Therefore, before going to bank, ask you teacher how to write your name in katakana and remember how to pronounce it.
In order to apply for cash card, please decide personal identification number with 4 digits. Cash card will be sent to you later by post.
In order to open an account, you will be asked to seal documents. Please tell them you are a foreign and you could sign document. If the bank refused your request, please go to make you seal. A seal on which your name in hiragana or katakana has been engraved is OK. It costs from 500 yen to 1000 yen. Your seal could be carved during nearly 15 minutes. In addition, it is no use to make seal which will cost several thousands yen or more.
Once you open an account, please make note of number of account, name of bank and branch. It is usual that part time salary and scholarship will not be paid in cash. If they asked to pay into your account, you could inform them your bank account number quickly by reading your notes.
In the case of paying periodical bills such like water, gas, electricity, it is recommendable to make use of automatic transfer service. Inform the numbers of water, gas or telephone, and take a procedure of automatic transfer service. Those numbers have been written on bills.
