How participants of the Amazon Associates program are getting paid in the Republic of Georgia by a bank check is a blog series I originally made at the end of 2014 / start of 2015 while struggling to redeem my first bank check issued by Amazon,
Although it's still technically possible to withdraw bank checks in Georgia, at the end of 2016, I flew to the US and opened a bank account there, see: How To Open A Bank Account in the U.S., As A Non-resident Non-citizen, Wells Fargo Bank
For complete series of my adventures while living in Georgia with Georgian banks and checks from Amazon, please see:
- How Amazon Affiliates get paid in the Republic of Georgia - Part 1
- How Amazon Associates Receive Their Checks in the Republic of Georgia - Part 2
- How Amazon Associates Receive Their Checks in the Republic of Georgia - Part 3 - Waiting 40 Working Days
- How Amazon Associates Receive Their Checks in the Republic of Georgia - Part 4 - Bank Commission Fees
I created the first post of this series at the start of November 2014. Back then my earnings for August, September, and October has reached $486.00 and I was looking for ways to get paid.
Prior to that, I did set up a minimum threshold of $450.00 on Amazon Associates before processing the payment - because I'm aware of bank commission fees.
Direct deposit is not an option right now for me, because I'm not a holder of a US bank account, and neither I'm a US citizen. I'm left with two options - gift card or check.
The first check from Amazon was issued at the end of December (December 27, 2014) - I received it via snail mail here in Georgia on January 28, but before I got an envelope with a check inside it, I got a sticker on my apartment building's entrance door from Georgian Post.
Sticker from Georgian Post
I was lucky enough to notice this little sticker with my name on it. In case you are wondering, in Georgia it's not common to have a postal box.. why should you have one, if a postman can stick a sticker with your name on it on the entrance doors of your apartment building?
Since I have no clue, what is written on it - and what should I do now - I contacted a friend of mine living in Germany who can read Georgian, and with help of his transliteration, I learned I must go to Tsereteli Avenue 95.
On the second day, I went to the Georgian Post branch on Tsereteli avenue and got my mail:
Mail from Amazon
Georgian Post Stamp
It turned out mail arrived in Georgia, already on January 23, though I received a sticker with the invitation to visit the post office just on January 28. 5 days - who cares about 5 days?
Amazon Check
And here it was - my first check from Amazon Associates, worth Four Hundred Eighty-Three Dollars And Sixty-Three Cents.
I straight went to my bank, but turned out - my bank turned me down, by saying it was not possible to clear that check... I went to the central branch of my Bank - they turned me down again. I went to another bank, they turned me down as well. Luckily I found a bank - which hadn't any issues redeeming a check sent by Amazon - Bank Republic. You can learn more, about how banks turned me down, and how I found that the Bank Republic is a great option in this post.
Right now I'm waiting for those dollars to land in my bank account.
Do you have a story to share on receiving and clearing Amazon checks abroad? Please leave your comment!