Have lost my passport! Will I need it to open new bank account?

Diamond66

As it says above. I've reported it lost now. Can't believe it .... definitely gone as I have turned the house upside down four times now, looked in the car, looked in the desk at work. Looked in the obvious places and the totally ridiculous places.

I have a driver's licence ... will that be enough?

jo70

I'd've thought your driver's licence would be ok. Take other I.D like utility bills-what about birth or marriage certificate?
All the best
Jo

Diamond66

I have birth certificate but was born in NZ (British parents allow me to have British passport) ... so no use to me. Don't want to go bankrupt tomorrow only to find I can't open a bank account!

tigerfeet2006

Diamond if you do it over the phone with the Co-op then they do electronic checks first and if they can verify tour identity like that they do not ask for further proof. Might be worth doing it that way.

skylight

With Tiger on this. I opened my Co-Op over the phone and as they could verify my identity (being on the electoral role and having a british passport number) they could do this without me having to send in anything.

Call them today! Do not Delay!!!!!

Diamond66

Ok. Thanks

jo70

Actually we opened the Co-op account over the phone. Had no problems whatsoever. All the best.

Diamond66

well, i have just applied over the phone ... and it has been referred ... fingers crossed !!!! So worried it doesn't get approved

jo70

Ours was referred as well-don't worry too much yet!

psycrow57

I couldn't open a Co-op account because I couldn't give them the proof they needed.

I didn't have a passport.

I did have a drivers licence, but I'm nowhere near a branch and don't know anyone of the correct official capacity to sign off the photocopy.

All utility bills are paid by my landlord, so nothing's in my name.

I tried everything to convince them to take the things I did have - P60s/P45s, birth certificate, medical card, national insurance card, letter from employer (which they would take as proof of address, but only in conjunction with a passport or something stupid like that), I had letters from my consultant at hospital, I had quite a few things, just nothing they would accept.

I went round and round with them for weeks before giving up. They were just so incredibly unhelpful. In the end, I waited until discharge, had my salary paid into my bf's account and have now opened an account with Halifax who were much more easy-going about ID (ie. would accept photocopies in post) and it's now almost sorted 6 weeks later (unfortunately they accept the ID - they also receive it, stamp it, then do absolutely nothing until you phone and pester them - then they tell you to take it into a branch as well!).

I genuinely despise banks - I wish there was a way to have no account, but alas there does not seem to be!

I did look into what Barclays needed for their basic account, and they were far more lenient too, so might be worth trying if you run into trouble?