Rakuten credit card change

[Popochi]

btw have you requested a debit/cash card for your account?? if not you can definitely do it so you can access your money while waiting for a new credit card. I have 2 cards 1 credit and 1 debit.

No you cannot, as far as I understand. This is a bank/credit card hybrid with special rules. He needs to first cancel the Rakuten Bank Credit Card, and then apply for both a new bank cash card

Well, now I'm confused. This page says you *can* apply for a debit card while holding the Rakuten Bank Credit Card:

https://help.rakuten-bank.net/faq/show/ ... order=desc

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So it seems like what Popochi suggested, and getting a Visa/Mastercard Debit card would be the first step. Maybe that's enough?
If not, then you can cancel the credit card, use your debit card in the mean time, then apply for a new Visa/Mastercard credit card a week later.

yes you definitely can.. I have opened a rakuten account and have gotten a Debit card first, then a few days ago I applied for the rakuten bank card with credit function and I got it in the mail today.

Btw I have a quick question for the rakuten bank card users. It seems i’m getting an error when i try to link a bank account for the credit card payment. With this being said is it automatically connected to my rakuten bank account and will automatically withdraw on the due date?

[KCLenny]

Have just applied for a Rakuten Bank debit card (Mastercard). No problems with the application as far as I can tell. I obviously already have an account, so just logged in, clicked through to apply for a new card type and did that. Nothing about cancelling any current cards or features etc. so I really do hope it’s as simple as it sounds. Once I’ve got that, and confirm everything is fine with that, I’ll start the process of cancelling my Rakuten bank credit card (jcb, hybrid thing), if necessary, and apply for a new Rakuten card (visa, credit card). That way, I’ve got Mastercard and visa, so covered there, and a debit and credit card, so covered there. If I knew I could trust Japanese shops to just always accept a debit card, I’d just stick with that, but I’ve been rejected in the past from making some purchases with my old debit card (a Sony Bank, visa), purely on the basis that it’s a debit card, not a credit card (the shop didn’t want actual money in my account for some reason!). So this way I’ve got all bases covered, and I personally find it a lot easier to keep track of payments through the credit card system (1 monthly withdrawal from my bank account as opposed to loads of smaller withdrawals).

Btw I have a quick question for the rakuten bank card users. It seems i’m getting an error when i try to link a bank account for the credit card payment. With this being said is it automatically connected to my rakuten bank account and will automatically withdraw on the due date?

Not sure about this as seems my original card was some weird hybrid so don’t know if the system is the same. I set my bank and my card up at the same time I believe. Don’t explicitly remember having to actively link them.
As much as I love Rakuten, they really need to get their **** together and synchronised across their unnecessarily complicated and multiple platforms.

[TokyoBoglehead]

Have just applied for a Rakuten Bank debit card (Mastercard). No problems with the application as far as I can tell. I obviously already have an account, so just logged in, clicked through to apply for a new card type and did that. Nothing about cancelling any current cards or features etc. so I really do hope it’s as simple as it sounds. Once I’ve got that, and confirm everything is fine with that, I’ll start the process of cancelling my Rakuten bank credit card (jcb, hybrid thing), if necessary, and apply for a new Rakuten card (visa, credit card). That way, I’ve got Mastercard and visa, so covered there, and a debit and credit card, so covered there. If I knew I could trust Japanese shops to just always accept a debit card, I’d just stick with that, but I’ve been rejected in the past from making some purchases with my old debit card (a Sony Bank, visa), purely on the basis that it’s a debit card, not a credit card (the shop didn’t want actual money in my account for some reason!). So this way I’ve got all bases covered, and I personally find it a lot easier to keep track of payments through the credit card system (1 monthly withdrawal from my bank account as opposed to loads of smaller withdrawals).

Btw I have a quick question for the rakuten bank card users. It seems i’m getting an error when i try to link a bank account for the credit card payment. With this being said is it automatically connected to my rakuten bank account and will automatically withdraw on the due date?

Not sure about this as seems my original card was some weird hybrid so don’t know if the system is the same. I set my bank and my card up at the same time I believe. Don’t explicitly remember having to actively link them.
As much as I love Rakuten, they really need to get their **** together and synchronised across their unnecessarily complicated and multiple platforms.

Are you going to be in a hard place if Rakuten rejects your credit card application? If you need a credit facility for emergencies, you might want to wait until your financial more secure to cancel a line of credit.

[Popochi]

Not sure about this as seems my original card was some weird hybrid so don’t know if the system is the same. I set my bank and my card up at the same time I believe. Don’t explicitly remember having to actively link them.
As much as I love Rakuten, they really need to get their **** together and synchronised across their unnecessarily complicated and multiple platforms.

don’t worry it’s as easy at it sounds when applying for the debit card it should just arrive. I believe we have the same hybrid card. haha and by the way, do you know you can just cancel your debit card without calling customer service by using the lost/stolen card.

[zeroshiki]

Are you going to be in a hard place if Rakuten rejects your credit card application? If you need a credit facility for emergencies, you might want to wait until your financial more secure to cancel a line of credit.

Yeah this. I was reading through this thread worried that no one would bring this up. Its not a guarantee that Rakuten Card will approve your new CC application. If you can't lose your CC, don't do it.

[Popochi]

Are you going to be in a hard place if Rakuten rejects your credit card application? If you need a credit facility for emergencies, you might want to wait until your financial more secure to cancel a line of credit.

Yeah this. I was reading through this thread worried that no one would bring this up. Its not a guarantee that Rakuten Card will approve your new CC application. If you can't lose your CC, don't do it.

yes to this. since rakuten card application will be screened by a different company and not by rakuten bank. There is still a chance of it being declined.

[KCLenny]

That’s why I’m at least waiting until I’ve got the debit card. Should be like 90% of my outgoings sorted.
As for being rejected, since my initial application 1 or 2 years ago, my income has only increased, my visa has become longer, so can’t see why a new application would be rejected.
I can’t just wait around to be more financially secure, that’ll take years at the rate I’m able to sort my situation out.

[TokyoBoglehead]

That’s why I’m at least waiting until I’ve got the debit card. Should be like 90% of my outgoings sorted.
As for being rejected, since my initial application 1 or 2 years ago, my income has only increased, my visa has become longer, so can’t see why a new application would be rejected.
I can’t just wait around to be more financially secure, that’ll take years at the rate I’m able to sort my situation out.

Why not simply apply for a different credit card? Amazon is an easy get, as is a View-Suica card.

I do not see the burning need to replace an existing work card, rather than applying for a second card.

[adamu]

Why not simply apply for a different credit card?

One issue with this is that applications are tracked, so applying for another one could affect the Rakuten re-application if he decided to do that.

My personal experience with Rakuten, having gone through their check 4 times, is that when it's approved, it's approved instantly (once for Rakuten Card, once to upgrade to Premum), but when it takes time, it's denied (twice during my first few years in Japan).

[TokyoBoglehead]

Why not simply apply for a different credit card?

One issue with this is that applications are tracked, so applying for another one could affect the Rakuten re-application if he decided to do that.

My personal experience with Rakuten, having gone through their check 4 times, is that when it's approved, it's approved instantly (once for Rakuten Card, once to upgrade to Premum), but when it takes time, it's denied (twice during my first few years in Japan).

Right, but there are two scenarios here.

A. Keep debit/credit card -> Apply for a different credit card (ex.Amazon) -> If rejection happens, KC waits the standard time to try again, but still has his original credit/debit

B. Cancel old credit/debit card -> Apply for Rakuten Card -> If rejection happens, KC has no credit facility now.

.......

Choice A seems far more logical in my opinion.