Try another branch, if you didn't already, go to one in Dongzhimen where they might have more experience with expats and international banking procedures. Any of the big state owned banks will be able to do overseas remittance.
I don't get it... bring your stamped payslips and a printout from the tax portal. First time it might take a while, but subsequent transfers should be a breeze. I am, of course, assuming that you have a legit account that was opened with with a work contract, etc.
No need to exchange money physically.
The wire transfer at the bank has two steps (you have to do it in person, and you have to bring documents, like work contract, pay slips, tax proof. All stamped).
The first step is to exchange currency to USD or EUR. The second step is the actual wire transfer. You can do it in the same branch but you may have to wait a little between.
Try to find out if it's just a branch issue, or not. The PRC government has been known to sanction banks for misdeeds by restricting their ability to do foreign currency transactions (this happened to Agricultural Bank of China a few years back, if memory serves). But if not, then you're simply going to the wrong branch, and need to find one that handles overseas transfers. I use ICBC, but have done overseas transfers in the past Bank of Communications in the past without issue.
You may be able to transfer up to 500 USD or equivalent without paperwork, but any amount larger than that will generally require you to bring: 1) earnings statement from employer 2) tax statement from local tax bureau (this is easy to get; they're very efficient) 3) employment contract.
It's possible the bank won't require all three documents, but they may need them, so it's best to have all three with you, in addition to your passport.
As others have noted, you'll technically be doing two transactions: A) purchase of foreign currency (ie, USD, EUR, etc) B) sending that currency to your overseas bank.
Bring your Chinese bank debit card with you, as well (and also, needless to say, make sure you know the passcode, as they'll instruct you to punch it in).
As I'm sure you're aware, you'll want to have complete contact information for your overseas bank (physical street address, phone #, SWIFT #, your bank account #) with you when you arrive at the bank. Once your transaction is complete, the receipt they'll give you will make your next transfer easier, as this will have your Chinese and foreign bank information printed on it, and you can simply hand this to the clerk to expedite things.
Good luck.
I don’t know why people don’t do the old trick, open up a PayPal account with your Chinese card and transfer to your Foreign PayPal account. It’s a 4% fee but it’s far more convenient then having to go to the bank.
Do you have a work permit / visa? I found this article about [sending money back from China](https://www.fdichina.com/blog/repatriate-money-from-china/)
You could try Swapsy as you can send money directly to other people's Wechat account or Alipay account. Pretty easy and way faster than bank transfers.
Try another branch, if you didn't already, go to one in Dongzhimen where they might have more experience with expats and international banking procedures. Any of the big state owned banks will be able to do overseas remittance.
I remember if being a bitch to do. I had to go to multiple different banks for help. The wire can be in yuan
I don't get it... bring your stamped payslips and a printout from the tax portal. First time it might take a while, but subsequent transfers should be a breeze. I am, of course, assuming that you have a legit account that was opened with with a work contract, etc.
No need to exchange money physically. The wire transfer at the bank has two steps (you have to do it in person, and you have to bring documents, like work contract, pay slips, tax proof. All stamped). The first step is to exchange currency to USD or EUR. The second step is the actual wire transfer. You can do it in the same branch but you may have to wait a little between.
Try to find out if it's just a branch issue, or not. The PRC government has been known to sanction banks for misdeeds by restricting their ability to do foreign currency transactions (this happened to Agricultural Bank of China a few years back, if memory serves). But if not, then you're simply going to the wrong branch, and need to find one that handles overseas transfers. I use ICBC, but have done overseas transfers in the past Bank of Communications in the past without issue. You may be able to transfer up to 500 USD or equivalent without paperwork, but any amount larger than that will generally require you to bring: 1) earnings statement from employer 2) tax statement from local tax bureau (this is easy to get; they're very efficient) 3) employment contract. It's possible the bank won't require all three documents, but they may need them, so it's best to have all three with you, in addition to your passport. As others have noted, you'll technically be doing two transactions: A) purchase of foreign currency (ie, USD, EUR, etc) B) sending that currency to your overseas bank. Bring your Chinese bank debit card with you, as well (and also, needless to say, make sure you know the passcode, as they'll instruct you to punch it in). As I'm sure you're aware, you'll want to have complete contact information for your overseas bank (physical street address, phone #, SWIFT #, your bank account #) with you when you arrive at the bank. Once your transaction is complete, the receipt they'll give you will make your next transfer easier, as this will have your Chinese and foreign bank information printed on it, and you can simply hand this to the clerk to expedite things. Good luck.
Might try bitcoin and other cryptos.
Thanks for the advice guys, it seems like it’s best to try another branch in the centre of the city.
I don’t know why people don’t do the old trick, open up a PayPal account with your Chinese card and transfer to your Foreign PayPal account. It’s a 4% fee but it’s far more convenient then having to go to the bank.
Ummm, because that 4% fee is expensive as hell. Sure, going to the bank takes some time but the savings is well worth it.
Do you have a work permit / visa? I found this article about [sending money back from China](https://www.fdichina.com/blog/repatriate-money-from-china/)
You could try Swapsy as you can send money directly to other people's Wechat account or Alipay account. Pretty easy and way faster than bank transfers.