opening bank account

Hi,

I would like to know what the procedure is for opening a bank account in UK is once I hav arrived. I'm going to be on an ancestral visa. What documentation would I have to provide and also would it be a straight foward process or is it convoluted? And while I am about it, what is the process of getting an NI number...

Thank you guys I really appreciate your help thus far.
Paul

I found info regarding NI number on the net and also that it is a painful process regarding opening bank account....

Hi PaulM

Not necessarily.....money talks, and because banks want your custom, some of the high street banks may have an account that you can set up easily. You may have to pay a monthly fee or not be able to get credit however. An example of money talking:

http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/busines ... =613492007

Although the following is aimed at international students, it gives you an idea of how easy it can be and what is available:

http://www.city.ac.uk/s4s/guide/banking.html

If you are coming to London, your current bank may even have a branch here.

If you want a National Insurance Number you will have to wait until you get to the UK. As far as I am aware you can work without one, but your employer will probably want you to get one as soon as possible. You will also need one if you are self employed. There is more information on the Department for Work and Pensions' website:

http://www.dwp.gov.uk/lifeevent/benefits/ni_number.asp

Good luck!

Thanks so much for the information.

Indeed i also beleive it is very painful proecess

You can apply for HSBC passport account, it is very easy, but they need a letter from your home country HSBC branch (you need to have account in HSBC in your country)
I did that and it was very easy process.

I am using the HSBC Passport account in London now. It is very useful as in most places they accept chip and pin card only. Hassle free. Worth the 60 pound per yr fee.

And no you dont need a HSBC account in you home country. I didnt have one. Just apply in advance (1 month before u come here) online at www.hsbc.co.uk and they will send you a letter. Bring it to a branch nearby once you come here, with identification proof and photo id. And an account is opened.

You can opt for either one time fee of £60/yr (only one yr) or £6/month. They will change your account after the first yr and no charges thereafter.

Hope this helps

I was able to open a Halifax "Easy Cash" account for no charge. It has all the facilities except for the ability to write cheques. No proof of address or proof of job required. They took a copy of my passport data page and HSMP visa, and that was it.

FYI.

Way back 3 yrs ago I've to "Struggle" to open a bank account. You were lucky if you could get one easily.

HSBC is quite liberal in this matter and they were only one to open my account in those hard days.

Even after having a job didn't help either.

I'm not going to complain about the Banks and opening account, just to give a glimpse of it, it is a hellish experience and a complete nightmare.

As others say HSBC passport program is just the one which you would be looking for.

If you have job then you might be lucky to get opened a regular account.

If you are Indian and in London (other cities i'm not aware) then try ICICI (But don't be fooled to think they will do any favor for being Indian, they can be worse sometimes also)

It all depends on all luck and the "Intelligence" level of the person with whom you interact in Bank"

But Never try Barclays and LlyodsTSB you will get completely Pi$$ed off. Stay away from them.

On one occasion one Bank officer in Barclays even "Informed" me that the name on my passport is not acceptable to them (Guess what she was ABCD Indian)

So guys it is all left to you how you deal with it, but don't give up hope there is always a way out of any difficult situation and that is how we survive in alien land.

cheers

The procedure is called pain in the mule.
Sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you get help, it depends who you get. Try one bank, try another, go back to one you tried and make sure you speak to someone else and you might get someone sensible

SYH wrote:The procedure is called pain in the mule.
Sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you get help, it depends who you get. Try one bank, try another, go back to one you tried and make sure you speak to someone else and you might get someone sensible

Correction a s s => A r s e

Try "same bank" in different high streets and you will have fun
If you get past the reception you party.

I was feeling it very difficult as every bank was asking for a residence proof but then Barclays made it easier for me with their Cash Card Account and that too without any charge unlike HSBC.

All they took is a copy of my passport and driving license (Indian). So in case someone is finding it difficult try Barclays..

I found it easy with Barclays.

Ajay Kumar Singh wrote:

SYH wrote:The procedure is called pain in the mule.
Sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you get help, it depends who you get. Try one bank, try another, go back to one you tried and make sure you speak to someone else and you might get someone sensible

Correction a s s => A r s e
No its mule, American spelling

i have a bank account with lloyds tsb and i'm very happy with them....

i came as a student in october 2006 and i had some thousands of travellers cheque in my hand then... i straight awy went to the lloydstsb branch in my area and told them i have travellers cheque and i find it unsafe to keep it in hand and i need a bank account to make it safe. the man straight away got papers signed and gave me an classic account with a visa debit card....

i pay all my bills through my online account...its complete peace of mind....

now i also got a credit card with them.... what more would a student wish for?

i have been very satisfied with them all these days...

just 2 weeks before i applied for a halifax account and they rejected my request for a student acccount.then i requested current account and again refusal...then i settled for "easy cash account" . Halifaxs easy cash account is better than other banks basic account. 'coz halifax easy cash account gives u debit card where as others gives u cash card which u cant swipe it in shops or use for online shopping....

if u r student then take a letter from ur college,ur passport and some money just for the opening day .....dont worry u'll surely get atleast a basic account.......

my roommates have account with barclays,natwest and hsbc and unhappy with tthem...

Hi,
I would like to share my experience of opening a bank account with Barclays. It proved to be a piece of cake in my case. I had got my national Insurance (NI) number immediately after reaching UK (Thanks to my friend for timely advice to get the NI number). I got the job and took a letter from my employer to show to the bank that I have been employed and needs a bank account in which my salary would be transferred by the company.

I went to Barclays branch near my office. The lady over there was so kind. She asked me if I had a proof of my residence (utility bills on my name). I told her I arrived here recently and didnt have such proof however I do have NI number issued on my name. She took my passport, my NI number letter and my passport. She interviewed me for half an hour and gathered all the details required to open the bank account including the type of account I would like. Finally, she gave me a confirmation letter printout with my account number on it and said I could transfer money to the account now. The debt card/check book would be ready in arnd five days and would be delivered on the address mentioned on my NI number. Whereas, I could apply for the credit card after three months.

I really liked the experience and how it all went very well. Kudos to Barclays and my friend who advised me in time to get the NI number.
Cheers

My gf got an account in her own name with my bank, Nationwide no problem at all.

Wanderer wrote:My gf got an account in her own name with my bank, Nationwide no problem at all.

We recently tried the same with Nationwide. First our local branch tried to tell us that she would need 3 years residence in the UK, then this turned into just any proof of residence over the last 3 years (we lived abroad and came to the UK last December) but everything in English and no translations. Simply impossible for us.

Then she tried to apply online but failed again when she was asked for previous addresses (the system only knows about UK addresses). Nevertheless, two days later she got a letter telling her that an account had been opened in her name. She was asked to send proof of identity and proof of residence (the letter said explicitly 'current' address). Since she is a non EEA national she needed a certified copy of her passport which meant back to the branch again.

At this point we were already tired dealing with our local branch and decided to go to another one. This one turned out to be a Nationwide agent. They just made copies of the documents and sent it off to headquarters two weeks ago. We haven't heard anything since.

Lloyds on the other hand was no problem for me (EEA national). Later we changed this account to a joint account. No problem either except that they demanded my wife's passport (was with HO for six months).

EDIT: Got the Nationwide card today.

If it hasn't been said already: If you one branch says you can't get an account try another one.

Barclays was easy - but they did require proof of residence and photo ID . We got a cash card,no cheque or debit card facility.

86ti wrote:

Wanderer wrote:My gf got an account in her own name with my bank, Nationwide no problem at all.

We recently tried the same with Nationwide. First our local branch tried to tell us that she would need 3 years residence in the UK, then this turned into just any proof of residence over the last 3 years (we lived abroad and came to the UK last December) but everything in English and no translations. Simply impossible for us.

Then she tried to apply online but failed again when she was asked for previous addresses (the system only knows about UK addresses). Nevertheless, two days later she got a letter telling her that an account had been opened in her name. She was asked to send proof of identity and proof of residence (the letter said explicitly 'current' address). Since she is a non EEA national she needed a certified copy of her passport which meant back to the branch again.

At this point we were already tired dealing with our local branch and decided to go to another one. This one turned out to be a Nationwide agent. They just made copies of the documents and sent it off to headquarters two weeks ago. We haven't heard anything since.

Lloyds on the other hand was no problem for me (EEA national). Later we changed this account to a joint account. No problem either except that they demanded my wife's passport (was with HO for six months).

EDIT: Got the Nationwide card today.

If it hasn't been said already: If you one branch says you can't get an account try another one.

Can somebody tell me what documents are needed toopen bank account in Italy&

Can somebody tell me what documents are needed toopen bank account in Italy&