Rakuten Card is popular among foreigners for its easy application process and quick approval.
The lack of physical branches means all dealings are online, making it convenient in today's digital world. Despite not having an English website, Rakuten offers superior online card services. Read on to learn how to apply.
Prerequisites, Advantages and Disadvantages
Take a look at these points to know if you are eligible and if you want to apply:
Advantages:
- All services available over the internet
- (Usually) a fast screening/delivery process. Rakuten Card CMs often brag about 7-day delivery after signup
- Has a very usable mobile app (with limited features)
- Has English support if you must call them for any reason
Disadvantages:
- Nobody to check your application before sending it to screening. Errors will delay your registration process.
- It seems you cannot have multiple Rakuten Cards at the same time.
- Rakuten tends to spam your e-mail inbox a LOT.
Prerequisites:
- A valid address in Japan
- A Japanese Bank Account
- You must already have a Rakuten Group account. Registration is easy since it is in English.
Some Notes…
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There are currently ten different Rakuten credit cards available. We will introduce a few of the most commonly applied cards.
Rakuten Card Overview
You get the Rakuten Card, a credit card by the e-commerce giant Rakuten.
Sign up, and you might get 2,000 points right off the bat or even 5,000 if it's your first time using it.
The card's a good pick for overseas travel, offering you things like travel insurance and discounts on Wi-Fi rentals.
Don't travel much? It's still worth considering for its perks.
Rakuten ANA Mileage Club Card
Fly a lot? Check out the Rakuten ANA Mileage Club Card. It takes everything the Rakuten Card offers and adds ANA Mileage Club benefits.
Here's the deal: every two Rakuten Super Points you earn can be turned into one ANA mile.
They throw in special offers now and then, like discounts on Rakuten Travel and bonus points for newbies.
Rakuten Card Academy
If you're a student aged 18 to 28, the Rakuten Card Academy could be your thing. Buy books or DVDs from Rakuten Books and rack up to four times the points.
Booking an express bus through Rakuten Travel? That's triple points for you.
Rakuten PINK Card
Do you prefer your credit card to have a bit of style? The Rakuten PINK Card lets you choose fun designs like Mickey Mouse or the Shopping Panda.
Great for earning double points on travel and comes with a bonus for female cardholders: accident compensation insurance.
The Application Process
Let's begin the process:
Step 1: Hit Up the Rakuten Card Site
Start by heading to the Rakuten card site. Look for and hit the red "カンタン申し込み" (easy application) button. No Rakuten account? No problem. You can set one up as you apply for the card. Prefer English? You can sort that out when you create your account.
Step 2: Complete Basic Info
The 2nd step involves filling up your information. Follow these tips for each section:
- Card Type & Design: Choose from JCB, MasterCard, and Visa. Design options vary; Visa has fewer choices.
- Your Name: Enter your name in katakana, hiragana, and the Latin alphabet. If it's too long, contact Rakuten for a special form.
- Gender & Birthday: Select male (男) or female (女). Must be 18+.
- Phone Number: Fill in the first field only.
- Email Address: Enter your email. First for regular emails (e.g., Gmail) and second for Japanese carrier emails.
- Rakuten Newsletter: The default is "yes." Opt-out if unwanted.
- Address: Use postal code to autofill; add building and room manually. Include furigana for address.
- Family Situation: Indicate living situation and household size, counting yourself.
- Housing: Detail housing type and ownership. Specify the duration of residence.
- Loans: Indicate if paying off a loan or living with someone who is.
- Employment: Select employment status.
- Annual Income: If employed/retired, specify income in 万円. Students indicate if they have income.
- Savings: Disclose savings available for credit card payments, optional.
- Invoice: Choose delivery to home or workplace.
- Application Reason: Suggest selecting shopping as the reason.
- Loan, Again: Disclose loans from other companies.
- Edy Function: Add for prepaid payments at certain stores.
- Edy Auto-Charge: Set auto-recharge amounts and limits.
- Edy Newsletter: Opt-in or out.
- Bank Account: Link a bank for payments. For paper documents, select the postal option.
- PIN Code: Choose a PIN, enter twice, and proceed.
Step 3: Update Details
When updating your work details, follow these steps:
- Company Name: After confirming you're employed, select your company's category and enter its name in kanji and hiragana.
- Workplace Prefecture: Choose the prefecture where you work. Use Wikipedia for kanji assistance.
- Work Phone Number: Provide your office phone number. Expect a verification call.
- Employment Duration: Mention how long you've been with the company. Under a year is fine for credit card applications.
- Job Category: Select your job from options such as sales, service, office, HR, education, etc.
- Employment Type: Choose your employment status from employee, self-employed, civil servant, part-time, etc.
- Industry: Pick your industry sector, such as manufacturing, service, education, information and communication, etc.
- Driver's License: State if you have a Japanese driving license; if yes, provide the number. Click the yellow button to proceed.
Step 4: Create a Rakuten account
To set up your Rakuten account, follow this step. If you're new to Rakuten, you'll need to create an account with the details you've already entered.
Make sure everything's accurate. Then, choose a password and enter it twice for confirmation.
Your account ID? It's the email you used for your credit card application. Want Rakuten newsletters? Click left for yes, and right for no. Finished? Hit the yellow button to proceed. Simple as that.
Step 5: Link Your Bank Account
To link your bank account to your Rakuten card, follow these steps. If you've already picked your bank, hit the yellow button to start.
If you opted for paperwork by mail, you're heading straight to data confirmation.
- Pick Your Bank: Scroll through the list, find yours, and select it.
- Branch and Account Info: Type in your branch number. Choose your account type—usually, it's the regular one at the top. Enter your account number. Then, click the button on the right (次へ進む) to move forward. Next, you'll need to confirm your account details on the following page.
Step 6: Confirmation
You've made it to the final step of the online process. Double-check the accuracy of your details. To make any changes, click on 修正する.
Enhance your security by setting a unique password for Rakuten e-navi. Slide left for no, right for yes.
Tick the 同意する box to agree to the terms. Then, with confidence, hit the red button to submit.
Step 7: Identity Check
After you submit your application, expect to wait. You'll get a confirmation email, likely in Japanese, confirming your application and mentioning a possible identity verification call.
They'll verify your identity by asking for your name and date of birth. In my experience, they called my workplace four days after application submission.
Step 8: Receiving Your Card
If your bank account is linked to your Rakuten card, anticipate its arrival via mail in one to two weeks.
Without a linked bank account, you'll first receive a document to send back before getting your card.
Final Thoughts
The Rakuten Card, favored by foreigners in Japan, simplifies obtaining a credit card with its quick online application and diverse perks.
Despite digital-only interactions and no English site, its fast approval and variety, including special versions like the ANA Mileage Club Card, make it a top choice.
