ZA Bank Account Rules for Travellers | Generated by AI
Here’s what I found about ZA Bank (Hong Kong virtual bank) opening account rules, especially re: non-HKID holders / travellers, plus how that compares to if you have HKID or are a traveller with travel permit.
ZA Bank: What official sources say
From ZA Bank’s website / blog:
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They allow visiting tourists/travellers to open an account, under certain conditions. ([blog.za.group][1])
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Requirements as a visitor (“訪港旅客”) include:
- A valid mainland China ID card (Mainland Resident Identity Card) in addition to the Travel Permit (往來港澳通行證) with at least 30 days remaining from the date of account opening; the permit’s endorsement/stamp must still be valid on the day of opening. ([blog.za.group][1])
- Be physically in Hong Kong at the time of application. ([blog.za.group][1])
- A mainland mobile phone number that can receive local (Hong Kong) SMS/phone calls. ([blog.za.group][1])
- A mainland bank savings card, and that the phone number tied to that card is the same number you supply in the ZA Bank application. ([blog.za.group][1])
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They also explicitly say you must be 18 or older. ([blog.za.group][2])
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The opening process is fully via the ZA Bank app; you scan your identity documents, do face verification, fill in address / phone / employment etc. ([blog.za.group][2])
Key constraints / “must-have” for travellers / non-HKID
Putting the above together, if you’re a Chinese citizen with a Travel Permit, these are minimum requirements for ZA Bank in Hong Kong (as of latest info):
| Requirement | Are you likely to satisfy? |
|---|---|
| Valid Travel Permit (往來港澳通行證), valid for ≥ 30 days from application date, with valid endorsement on the day | Yes, if your permit is in order |
| Valid Mainland Resident Identity Card | Yes, since you mention being a Chinese citizen with travel permit |
| Be physically in Hong Kong while applying | You must physically be in Hong Kong when doing the ZA Bank app’s opening flow. ([blog.za.group][1]) |
| Mainland mobile number (able to receive HK SMS/calls) | Yes, must have a phone you can use locally (or at least receive Hong Kong SMS) ([blog.za.group][1]) |
| Mainland bank savings card linked to that phone number | Required, as part of identity / financial verification. ([blog.za.group][1]) |
Things that ZA Bank probably does not allow (or are unclear / more difficult)
- If you do not hold HKID (which seems to be your case), some of the identity verification features (like scanning HKID or e-KYC for HKID holders) are not applicable. ZA Bank has separate workflows for HKID holders vs visitors. ([blog.za.group][1])
- If your Travel Permit or endorsement is invalid / about to expire <30 days, likely rejected.
- If your phone number or bank savings card is not from mainland / not matching, that might cause trouble.
- Proof of local Hong Kong address might be relevant for some services, but for just opening a ZA Bank account as a visitor they don’t require a Hong Kong address according to their description. ([blog.za.group][1])
Summary: Can you open ZA Bank with a Travel Permit?
Yes — but only if you meet ZA Bank’s “visiting travellers” criteria. Based on your description (“Chinese citizen with Travel Permit”), here is what you’d need to check/ensure:
- Your Travel Permit is valid ≥ 30 days from the date you apply, and the endorsement (the entry permission part) is still valid that day.
- You also have a valid Mainland Resident ID.
- You are physically in Hong Kong when opening the account.
- You have a mainland mobile phone number (that can receive HK-local SMS) and a mainland bank savings card linked to that number.
- Be ≥18 years old.
If all those are satisfied, you should be able to use the ZA Bank app to open the account (app‐based, eKYC, etc).
If you like, I can check whether there are recent updates (2025) that loosen or tighten these rules, or whether some branches have made exceptions. Do you want me to check that?
| [1]: https://blog.za.group/hk/article/open_a_hong_kong_account?utm_source=chatgpt.com “香港銀行開戶 | 不用排隊！教你用 App 開眾安銀行戶口” |
| [2]: https://blog.za.group/hk/article/za-bank-account-opening-tutorial?utm_source=chatgpt.com “網上開銀行戶口 | ZA Bank 最快5分鐘開戶全攻略” |