Chinese banks deny man without arms a loan due to inability to provide fingerprints

A prospective Chinese homeowner and double amputee's application for a loan was rejected by several banks after he was unable to provide fingerprints to identify himself, it has been reported.

Wu Jianping, 25, from Zhengzhou, Henan province lost both arms at the age of five after he suffered a severe electric shock. He is able to write his signature by holding a pen in his mouth.

Wu had paid 55,000 RMB (£6,416, $7,967) towards a deposit on a new home and sought to secure a mortgage when he encountered the problem. Creditors claimed that without his fingerprints, they would not be able to go ahead with the purchase as a signature alone would not be legally binding, China Daily reported.

"Fingerprinting is a common practice because signatures can be imitated, but there is no way to copy a fingerprint," local media quoted one employee as saying.

After Wu's story became public, netizens took to Chinese social media to vent their frustration over his treatment by the banks, pointing out the lack of compassion towards the disabled community. Writing on Facebook, one commentator asked why the banks could not take a DNA sample, toe print or scan the eye as an alternative to a fingerprint.

Wu was later granted a "green passage" by Zhengzhou's Housing Management Bureau to help complete the process, according to the New Zealand Herald. The city's highest housing authority said the special path would also be available to other members of the disabled community so as not to disqualify them from obtaining mortgage loans too.