Aegean Visa Card

Old Dec 12, 2017, 7:37 am
  #31  
 
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My best advice: do not get get involved with a Greek Credit card if you are a non-Greek resident in Greece. The banks are very difficult for the Greeks. As for foreigners Greek banks got their fingers burned in the mortgage market for EU nationals buying property in the country before the financial crash. The housing market prices collapsed and foreigners just walked away leaving huge debts. So of course bank are 'reluctant' to deal with foreigners. Second point. The Greek tax structure is dynamite. Stay clear except for the absolute bare minimum of 'have to'. Aegean does not encourage anyone but Greek resident Greeks to apply. Doesn't that tell you something? I think there are too many 'wise guy' comments in this thread from contributors who have not thought through clearly of what is involved.
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Old Dec 12, 2017, 12:30 pm
  #32  
 
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How bout the Cyprus Card? I heard it is a lot easier to get.
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Old Dec 12, 2017, 1:42 pm
  #33  
 
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Originally Posted by GeorgieBoy4
My best advice: do not get get involved with a Greek Credit card if you are a non-Greek resident in Greece. The banks are very difficult for the Greeks. As for foreigners Greek banks got their fingers burned in the mortgage market for EU nationals buying property in the country before the financial crash. The housing market prices collapsed and foreigners just walked away leaving huge debts. So of course bank are 'reluctant' to deal with foreigners. Second point. The Greek tax structure is dynamite. Stay clear except for the absolute bare minimum of 'have to'. Aegean does not encourage anyone but Greek resident Greeks to apply. Doesn't that tell you something? I think there are too many 'wise guy' comments in this thread from contributors who have not thought through clearly of what is involved.
What about you? You're in Greece, do you have an Aegean Visa?
I myself was interested because I might have the advantage that I'm half Greek and my father lives with me in Belgium but is Greek and has AFM for his Greek properties (however income in Belgium). My Greek is not on point that I can talk about bank details so I'm too shy to do the conversation in Greek and I'd rather do it in English. Except if you still discourage me to get a visa after all this.

Kind regards,
George
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Old Dec 13, 2017, 1:52 am
  #34  
 
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Originally Posted by unusualtravelblog
What about you? You're in Greece, do you have an Aegean Visa?
I myself was interested because I might have the advantage that I'm half Greek and my father lives with me in Belgium but is Greek and has AFM for his Greek properties (however income in Belgium). My Greek is not on point that I can talk about bank details so I'm too shy to do the conversation in Greek and I'd rather do it in English. Except if you still discourage me to get a visa after all this.

Kind regards,
George
I have no idea whether Alpha UK issues Aegean-branded credit cards, if yes and you're happy with having a cc in a country that uses a different currency than yours, go ahead and get it. It will definitely be expensive, but I have no idea whether the extra cost will be offset by the bonuses.

As for a Greek Aegean-branded credit card, as many people have written before, you'll need your own AFM (ΑΦΜ) to open an account plus a copy of your last tax return summary (εκκαθαριστικό εφορίας) plus a utilities bill. The last two items are required annually, although hardly any bank asks for the unless you ask for a new PIN number, or you change your address. Are the bonuses so important to go through that?

PS I have a M&M credit card and although I no longer fly with them, I got an additional ~25000 miles during the last couple of years
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Old Dec 17, 2017, 11:03 am
  #35  
 
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Guys forget it, to get a new credit card account in GR with Alpha you need at least 2,000 EUR a month 'declared' income on your tax statement and a owned property (maybe even 2) in Greece in your own name so they can chase you if you default and auction your house . It is very difficult to get a credit card in GR these days, even for Greek residents born and raised in GR! Most of people's credit cards in GR were acquired from the 'party days' when the banks were calling you to get a credit card, not the other way around!

However, think about this, in GR you can at least use an Alpha Bank Debit Card Amex that collects points 'Alpha Bank Bonus' that can be used to redeem points to buy Aegean tickets. So if I was in GR and had to use Greek banks (most foreigners in GR use their foreign cards while in GR and don't rely on GR banking at all) to recieve my salary, I would be getting myself an Alpha Bank Amex rewards Debit Card.
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Old Dec 17, 2017, 12:45 pm
  #36  
 
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So my (Greek) father just went to a Alpha Card Branch in Athens and they told him a lot will change in 2018 and that it will be easier to get one as a foreigner.
The debit card ahmetdouas is talking about is the 'MyBonus' by Alpha Bank I think? This does not give Miles+Bonus miles if I'm correct.
I have a property in Greece which is the reason they gave me a AFM number to pay taxes on the property. Lets see if I will be able to get a Visa in 2018...
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Old Dec 17, 2017, 3:03 pm
  #37  
 
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Originally Posted by unusualtravelblog
So my (Greek) father just went to a Alpha Card Branch in Athens and they told him a lot will change in 2018 and that it will be easier to get one as a foreigner.
The debit card ahmetdouas is talking about is the 'MyBonus' by Alpha Bank I think? This does not give Miles+Bonus miles if I'm correct.
I have a property in Greece which is the reason they gave me a AFM number to pay taxes on the property. Lets see if I will be able to get a Visa in 2018...

That sounds like good news, I guess they are desperate to bring money into Greek banks so I hope they make it easier for foreigners to open bank accounts.
The Alpha Bank Enter Bonus Amex, which is a debit card. You collect bonus points, which you can redeem on Aegean.
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Old Dec 18, 2017, 12:32 pm
  #38  
 
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The normal way that Alpha Bank get security for their credit cards is to require a blocked deposit account for 10% more than the credit limit they give. With this, they do not need to see evidence of property ownership. Of course, mechanisms to pay the monthly bill need to be set in place like a current account or direct debit mandate.
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Old Dec 19, 2017, 4:58 am
  #39  
 
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Originally Posted by johnirvine
The normal way that Alpha Bank get security for their credit cards is to require a blocked deposit account for 10% more than the credit limit they give. With this, they do not need to see evidence of property ownership. Of course, mechanisms to pay the monthly bill need to be set in place like a current account or direct debit mandate.
I am not sure this is the case for Alpha Bank in Greece. As already stated, the last tax return summary is mandatory. Without a "strong" one you are going to be rejected. A friend of mine got rejected with a mediocre income of 10K.
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Old Dec 19, 2017, 6:06 am
  #40  
 
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Originally Posted by Argyris
I am not sure this is the case for Alpha Bank in Greece. As already stated, the last tax return summary is mandatory. Without a "strong" one you are going to be rejected. A friend of mine got rejected with a mediocre income of 10K.
10k a month or a year?
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Old Dec 19, 2017, 11:56 am
  #41  
 
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Originally Posted by johnirvine
€10k a month or a year?
The latter :P
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Old Dec 19, 2017, 12:22 pm
  #42  
 
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Originally Posted by Argyris
The latter :P
I can only begin to imagine what 'P' means. But it is perhaps necessary to get real: what bank manager in his right mind is going to give an Aegean Visa credit card to someone with declared earnings of 833 a month? Such a person could hardly pay the subscription fee and what miles would they be able to collect? A debit card perhaps?
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Old Dec 19, 2017, 12:40 pm
  #43  
 
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Originally Posted by johnirvine
I can only begin to imagine what 'P' means. But it is perhaps necessary to get real: what bank manager in his right mind is going to give an Aegean Visa credit card to someone with declared earnings of 833 a month? Such a person could hardly pay the subscription fee and what miles would they be able to collect? A debit card perhaps?
It's not a great amount is it? But it's a pretty typical salary in Greece at the moment and many, even in 'professional' jobs earn even less. What I don't understand is that if the total amount of the credit-limit has to be covered at all times by blocked funds then, in effect it IS a Debit card isn't it? Or am I missing something?
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Old Dec 19, 2017, 3:23 pm
  #44  
 
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Originally Posted by Knobbgb
It's not a great amount is it? But it's a pretty typical salary in Greece at the moment and many, even in 'professional' jobs earn even less. What I don't understand is that if the total amount of the credit-limit has to be covered at all times by blocked funds then, in effect it IS a Debit card isn't it? Or am I missing something?
This type of arrangement is used for all new Aegean Visa Cards in Cyprus. The blocked funds of 110% of the credit limit are merely used for security and the Visa Card bill is paid monthly via a current account. With a debit card, each transaction is debited immediately from the linked current account. After a couple of years, Alpha Bank will typically allow the customer an increase in credit limit for the Aegean Visa Card without any increase in blocked funds.
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Old Dec 19, 2017, 5:39 pm
  #45  
 
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Originally Posted by johnirvine
This type of arrangement is used for all new Aegean Visa Cards in Cyprus. The blocked funds of 110% of the credit limit are merely used for security and the Visa Card bill is paid monthly via a current account. With a debit card, each transaction is debited immediately from the linked current account. After a couple of years, Alpha Bank will typically allow the customer an increase in credit limit for the Aegean Visa Card without any increase in blocked funds.
This card is easy to get in Cyprus for nonresident?
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