Applying for and taking out a loan is a big responsibility. Thus it is vital that you are sure you want to apply for a loan, and that you will be able to pay it back. Hang Seng Bank has made this process as easy as possible, with as little complications and jargon as possible.
Hang Seng does not keep its loan policies mysterious and presents all the information you need to know upfront. Their website also features a loan calculator, as well as a repayment schedule sample, which allows you to properly plan out your payments and interest before even applying for a loan.
This short guide aims to help you through the mobile application process for a Personal Installment Loan through Hang Seng Bank.
What To Know Before Applying For a Loan
There are a few things that you should take into consideration before you apply for a loan, regardless of the sum you plan on taking out. Firstly, other than the interest rates, you should consider the terms and conditions of the bank’s loan policy, and see if there are any ‘hidden’ fees/costs.
You should also think about the application process itself, how involved it is, and the approval turnaround time. Is it necessary to have an open bank account with the bank before you can take out a loan with them?
Hang Seng does not need you to have an account with them as a prerequisite for applying for a personal loan. Instead, once you have applied for the loan, you will need to open a bank account before you are able to collect your money and begin repayments.
Most banks will generally need to check with a CRA (Credit Reference Agency). This is to access whether or not you are eligible for credit. CRA collects information about the credit history and indebtedness of individuals. Banks will also usually provide you with the contact details of the relevant CRA if you wish to access your credit reports.
Remember, borrowing does not mean that you are incompetent in terms of managing your finances. It goes without saying that saving money from your main source of income is a great way to build up enough money to buy or do what you want. But saving involves a ‘cost of time.’
Essentially, you have to wait until you have saved enough money to buy and do the things you want. Taking out a loan can help speed up this process, and can end up being beneficial in the long run.
Fees & Rates
The interest rate of your loan depends on the sum that you plan on borrowing, as well as the period over which you plan to pay the sum back. The rates are categorized into ranges. For example, with Hang Seng, if you were to borrow a sum of between HKD5 000 and HKD49 999, for 24 months or more, your interest rate would be 0.49%. And the monthly repayment amount being around 10.52%.
The Hang Seng Bank website also provides a comprehensive list of their personal loan fees and interest rates, for every range of borrowed sum that they offer. When viewing this list of Fees % Rates, you will notice that ‘Selected Customers’ receive lower monthly flat rates and interest rates.
These selected customers include Payroll Customers, Mortgage Customers, and Hang Seng Preferred Banking Customers. If you’d like to view your personalized offers, you may contact the Hang Seng staff, using the contact details below.
How To Apply
The mobile application process for a Hang Seng Personal Loan is a three-step process. First, you will need to complete a CAPTCHA security test before you can upload your documents.
After you have completed the CAPTCHA test, you will be prompted to fill in the fields on the next page. You will then attach the required documents. These documents are the following.
- HKID Card
- Proof of income - regular and irregular income earners will need to attach the latest Tax Demand Note or a Bank account monthly statement.
- Proof of current residential address
Note that your documents may not exceed 2mb in size.
Once you have submitted the documents, you will be able to track your application status at any time. And once it has been approved, you can accept the loan instantly and receive your cash on the same day.
Contact Information
For inquiries, you might want to visit the head office. The head office, as well as the majority of Hang Seng Bank’s branches and sub-branches, is found in Shanghai, China.
Head Office - Shanghai
34/F & 36/F, Hang Seng Bank Tower, 1000 Luijazui Ring Road, Puding, Shanghai, China
Tel: (06-21) 3865 8888
Enquiry Hotline: (852) 2198 5890
Email: hsim@hangseng.com
There are various other branches and sub-branches, the contact details of which can be found here.
Note: There are risks involved when applying for and using credit. Consult the bank’s Important Notices page for more information.
