Can’t Add a Debit Card to My Apple Wallet and Terrible Experience at Apple Store

I’ve been using Apple Pay for a while, and I’m a such fan of wireless payment. Recently I have an issue adding my new debit card to Apple wallet. As trying to solve it, I had terrible experience with Apple technical support team either over the phone or in-store.

Since my physical card has lost, Bank of American replaced a new card for me with a new card numbers. Automatically my old one was removed from Apple Pay since I was reporting lost. Once I’ve gotten the new card, activated, and I tried to add the card to my “Wallet”. It reports “Card not Added- contact card issuer for more information”. I went to BOA financial center, the staff doesn’t know about Apple Pay, but he said I could wait for couple days while the database might be updating some information preventing me add to mobile payments.

Few days later, it still fails with the same pop-up windows. I noticed that after I hit “+” at top right of Apple Wallet page, there is an option “Beijing Transit Card” along with “debit/credit” and “Apple Card”. My assumption is my Apple Wallet considers I’m in China market therefore the U.S. bank card doesn’t match the China religion in Wallet.

Then I called Apple Support Team, they led me switch country/regions in settings and App Store both. Even so, the “Beijing Transit Card” is still an option when adding a card. No surprise, it failed again.

What interesting here, before I decided to go Genius Bar, I had tried to add this card to my iPad which logged in with same Apple ID on my iPhone. Surprisingly, no “Beijing Transit Card” option, and it successes! When I got someone can help me in-store. I showed to him the following also as a wrap up for you here:

1, my iPhone with my primary Apple ID - failed

2, my iPad with same Apple ID - works

3, my iPhone with ANOTHER U.S. Apple ID - works

4, my iPhone with my primary Apple ID adding my ANOTHER U.S. bank card - works

5, friend’s iPhone with her Apple ID adding the debit card - works

I have enough evidence to show my debit card works everywhere including my iPhone as long as I login with another Apple ID.

I know this is a uncommon, and complicate issue. Please find someone help me or contact me for more information.

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SHARE SOME TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE WITH APPLE SUPPORT TEAM OVER PHONE AND IN-STORE HERE

I was trying to reach technical supporter over phone at first. They helped me switch the country and region to make sure I’m in U.S. market in Apple system. The last second expertise referred me to call Bank of America to check if they have some reason declined my inquiry. Surely I called, and I cannot argue with them because my debit card has good standing to work anywhere and my other devices.

After that, I don’t want to repeat every single time when I connect to a new associate. Therefore I went to Apple Store with appointment made online. I got there 5 mins late, but relatively checked in on time. Then I had been waiting for at least 40 min to get a Genius Bar person to help. He looks like never had this problem before and not confident. He led me to factory rest my phone at the beginning but it didn’t help. Then he ask me if I have another card can test my phone. At that moment, I was able to find another card to do it. He looked like nothing he can do without my secondary card for testing! I had to call my friend to share his card information and borrow for a second. And the result is good! In my point of view, I’ve showed all the evidences that my debit card and bank are fairly good to go, but he still referred me to work with my bank eventually.

God! I walked out the store with nothing solved but erased everything in my phone!!. UNPROFESSIONAL and DISAPPOINTING!