Last year, when I went to China Construction Bank to update my ID card, the staff insisted that I apply for a China Construction Bank Life Card (UnionPay version). The card application was quick, and it was approved in about 5 minutes. This card is by default a digital card and can be linked to domestic payment platforms for consumption, but the credit limit is only 10,000 RMB.

I rarely use this card, but recently I saw on the "China Construction Bank Life APP" that I can apply for a "UnionPay PLUS" credit card. Since I have never used a UnionPay card before, I decided to apply for one as a collection. So I applied through the app and it was approved in a few minutes. However, I encountered some problems during the application process, and I will share and record them in this article.

Applying for the China Construction Bank Life "UnionPay PLUS" Credit Card

First, you need to install the "China Construction Bank Life" app, then go to the "China Construction Bank Life Card" section on the homepage.

Find the "UnionPay PLUS" version and fill in the information to apply. Pay attention to the following:

• Make sure the information is genuine.
• The address information needs to be specific, including the door number.
• The card name can be customized (in pinyin).

The application process is quick, and I received an approval SMS in a few minutes. The SMS content is as follows:

Your application for the Dragon Credit Card with the application number YS9**6980 has been approved. Please go to the nearest China Construction Bank branch near the billing address with the application form number and your original ID card for face-to-face verification. [China Construction Bank]

Face-to-Face Verification

Following the instructions in the SMS, I went to a nearby China Construction Bank branch the next day and informed the staff that I needed to complete the face-to-face verification for the credit card. With her assistance, I completed the verification and successfully activated the digital card within a few minutes using the self-service machine. However, I was only given a credit limit of 5,000 RMB, which was a bit disappointing.

Soon, I was able to view my card number and other related information through the "China Construction Bank Life APP", and I could also link domestic payment tools and e-commerce apps.

Receiving the Physical Card & Activation

After the face-to-face verification and activation, a physical card will be made for you and sent out. Here is the timeline of my application:

• 2023-08-05 Online application through China Construction Bank Life, approved in a few minutes.
• 2023-08-06 Face-to-face verification and activation of the digital card at a China Construction Bank branch.
• 2023-08-08 Received a message from China Construction Bank that the physical card has been sent out via EMS, with a tracking number provided.
• 2023-08-10 Received the physical card.

After receiving the physical card, I tried to activate it through the China Construction Bank app as instructed, but it prompted me that it had already been activated and there was no need to activate it again (in reality, the physical card was not activated).

So I called the China Construction Bank customer service hotline 95533 and completed the activation of the physical card according to the voice prompts. During the activation, I was required to set a PIN code, which must be remembered.

After the activation of the physical card, the digital card will expire (but it does not affect the domestic payment tools that have been linked). The card number of the physical card is the same as the digital card, but the expiration date and security code are different from the digital card.

Failed to Bind PayPal

I tried to link this physical card to PayPal, but PayPal prompted that the security code was incorrect. I contacted the bank customer service by phone, and they told me that it might be a synchronization issue and asked me to try again after waiting for a day. However, it still didn't work the next day. Finally, I learned from the online community that there is a pitfall here: the security code of the UnionPay card is the 4-digit number printed on the front of the card, not the 3-digit number on the back. Those who use UnionPay cards must pay attention to this issue, otherwise it will constantly prompt that the security code is incorrect, and multiple failed attempts may even result in card lock.

Conclusion

• Apply for the China Construction Bank Life "UnionPay PLUS" card online, then complete the face-to-face verification offline.
• A physical card will be sent out after approval, and it needs to be activated by phone.
• When linking the physical card to PayPal or other international payment tools, the security code of the UnionPay card is the 4-digit number on the front, not the 3-digit number on the back.
• The UnionPay card has limited acceptance in certain scenarios, so it is not recommended as the first credit card to apply for.
• There is nothing particularly special about this UnionPay card from China Construction Bank, so it can be treated as a collectible.