Okay, be forewarned. This won’t be my last attempt if it doesn’t work but I’m not going to be happy if it doesn’t work.
Yet again, we are attempting to get the only thing in Denmark that is harder than citizenship: the Dankort. It’s taken me almost a month to recover from the disappointment of having exactly the same MasterCard arrive in the mail that I already had, without the precious chip in the back.
This time, NQDII organised the paperwork. If it works, it will just confirms I was born under a cloud that follows me everywhere.
Interestingly, I was ‘interviewed’ by The Copenhagen Post last week about how easy (or not) it is for ex-pats to settle into life in Denmark. It was a very intense, probing interview that took three minutes. The reporter was a bit taken aback, I think, because I couldn’t tell her any difficulties we’d had adjusting to Danish life – until I remembered the Dankort. Then I almost burst into tears. She gave a bit of a laugh, which indicated to me it may not have been the first time she’d heard it.
Straight after, I was filling a couple of workmates in on The Copenhagen Post’s exclusive on my now public and famous international sojourn (you can have a blog about it but when you get interviewed by print media, you really move up to celebrity status) and they made a couple of comments. The other expat said he’d even noticed you can’t use a swipe card at the terminal shops where the ferries come in. Not good for tourists. The Dane said: “I give you my heartfelt apologies on behalf of my country”. It is obviously not an uncommon problem.
So, as you will see in the pic, I just popped it in the post today!
I wait with anticipation and a slight sense of foreboding.
15 comments:
I still find this very amusing, how come, it is so hard to get a Dankort? I read another expat blog in Denmark which discuss about the same exact problem like you have. Apparently, my bank is absolutely wonderful when it comes to giving away Dankort :P
aha! Writer! Well, to tell you the truth, I used you in my conversation to the bank after the last disaster with it, "You know, I have a friend who got her Dankort pretty much as soon as she arrived." - It didn't do any good. Still, consider yourself one of the chosen few and keep it under lock and key!! If we don't get them this time, I'm changing banks.
maybe different banks just have different way of discriminating their customers LOL just kidding
I assume that you're applying at Danske Bank? Mine is Amagerbanken (well naturally, since I live in Amager and the bank is just around the corner), I have a friend whose bank is Nordea and he got it pretty easy too
I might try Amager then. Seems ridiculous that Danske make it so hard..
Here is another twist to the Danish credit card saga: When Danes become ex-pats but travel home to the pretty country on a regular enough basis, they like to go shopping for liquorish and such special delights in what used to be their local 'Brugsen' supermarket. However, proper Danish ex-pats have the cheek to actually only carry a credit card from their adopted country which even the biggest of supermarkets will NOT accept. 'Tis not easy!
Good luck!
Irene, I'd never thought of that! :( I'd love the to know the reason behind the Dankort Conspiracy. It seems so ludicrous that such a modern, international European city - the best place in the world to live at the moment - won't accept swipe credit cards. Many restaurants etc don't even take international credit cards. It's wayyyy weird.
Bluefish: I'll need it!
But, but, but, my MasterCard is an all modern, all singing, all dancing (Irish) chip card!!!
Dunno, 'tis weird!!!
(I once heard that it is certain banks that will not sign credit deals with the international credit card companies, but that just doesn't make sense...)
The Dankort conspiracy really is baffling, considering my non chip credit card will work nearly anywhere in the UK, for instance.
I've heard one of the reasons businesses here don't accept foreign cards is because it's an added expense. Seems pretty short sighted to me to turn away potential revenue because of a few extra kroner per transaction, but I suspect it's probably the reason why. It baffles me how Monocle Magazine can consider Copenhagen so livable when something as basic as paying for your groceries becomes such a hassle (or finding non-wilted lettuce, etc. etc. etc.)!
Andelskassen is another bank that was pretty good about giving me a Dankort. Up until that point, though, shopping was really annoying here.
Good luck!
All true Fuzzy, but the thing is my MasterCard is actually Danish, which makes it all even more bizarre. Anyway, the countdown is on. Who knows? By the end of the week I might be almost Dansk!
BTW, if I had all that hassle with my bank, I would go to the competitor and tell them my story, they might just be more awake in another bank than Danske Bank. As a matter of fact, as a Dane, I would never go near Danske Bank for any business at all!!!
I couldn't agree more, Irene. If it was up to me, I would have left DB long ago - like when they didn't give me a Dankort initially. But, NQDII - a stickler for procedure - is keen to build up a history at a bank. Personally, from what I can see so far, it's a pretty torturous history to date. If they don't arrive in the mail this week, I will forward you NQDII's email address and you have my full permission to badger him. I don't care about a banking history to be frank. I just WANT A DANKORT! :)
Also Irene, it's funny you say that about DB. A mate at work was with another bank and swapped to DB because he thought it would be easier... For the past two months they have lost his pay... :(
This is not going to help, but my husband got his chip Dankort more or less at once.
I hope it goes through this time, I actually thought they no longer produce Dankort without chips? I was required to change mine to one with a chip a couple of years ago, even though it hadn't expired.
Of course when I moved back to Denmark, I discovered that the chip wasn't working, so I know what a pain it is to be "chipless"
Oh, and I'm a stalker, have been reading your blog for months, just didn't have a Google/Blogger account so I could introduce myself. :)
Welcome May! So you're another who got a chip card quickly... Hmm. Well so far this week they haven't arrived in the mail. Maybe today? :Måske ikke... I think what I find most... interesting about the whole situation is that it's a debit card, not a credit card. It's not like I'm going to go racing up a bill I can't pay. It's just a chip for goodness sake. I really don't think you can begin to feel 'Danish' until you have one. It seems to be the equivalent of reaching for the vegemite jar when you make toast in Australia.
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