Opening an account from abroad

gozomark

BritRael wrote: »

For me, I live in the UK, but I work overseas most of the year; therefore, I am an expat and 'non resident for tax purposes'. er...I am also (ever so slightly) over the age of 16 (plus about 250% VAT!!)

In the case of Nationwide, as stated earlier, I opened the account so long ago I cannot remember what proof they asked for, but I have been asked for proof when opening other accounts (although the resent accounts that I have opened; Egg & Citi did not ask for anything). When asked, I usually provide scanned and e-mailed copies of bank statements. Reason being, all my utilities are in the name of my missus!

thanks ! so as far as they are concerned you are a UK resident

BritRael

gozomark wrote: »

when you opened the accounts did you give a UK address or only the one overseas ?

I just spoke to Egg and asked if I could open an account with an overseas address and they said no (actually I only mentioned a credit card, but I'm guessing same rule for savings??)

I always give my UK address, never the overseas (apart from where it asks about employment).
Although I have residency in my working country, the fact is (like all expats), my contract could terminate at any time without notice and I would then immediately travel home. Although, if this were to happen way before the end of the tax year, I would simply go and stay somewhere else overseas (Thailand for example) and sit out the time before returning to t'UK.

gozomark

the fact is (like all expats), my contract could terminate at any time without notice and I would then immediately travel home

not all expats work - many (most ?) are retired, and don't have a UK address, so I guess your situation is not applicable for many. For them (me) they have a friend's address in the UK they can use, but can't prove they have any connection with the address

BritRael

gozomark wrote: »

thanks ! so as far as they are concerned you are a UK resident

Yes. But for the tax man, I am 'non-resident for tax purposes'.

If you are also, don't forget to fill in the R85 (on EVERY account that you have) to get interest paid free of tax. When I started working overseas, I didn't realise this and was paying tax. However, no problem, when I did find out, I contacted the tax man (he was very helpful) who explained that I should fill in the R85 and claim a refund on previous tax paid (can't remember the form number). This I did, and when I returned home 6 months later the check from him had been sitting there for months.

BritRael

gozomark wrote: »

the fact is (like all expats), my contract could terminate at any time without notice and I would then immediately travel home

not all expats work - many (most ?) are retired, and don't have a UK address, so I guess your situation is not typical for many

I did make this point on an earlier mail; I am only talking about working expats who are 'temporarily' outside the UK for work, not say, retired to the Costa's

gozomark

BritRael wrote: »

I did make this point on an earlier mail; I am only talking about working expats who are 'temporarily' outside the UK for work, not say, retired to the Costa's

thanks for clarifying - from your post "I have opened 2 accounts online from abroad (outside the UK) in the last month; 1 with Egg and 1 with CitiBank. Both were very easy/quick (relatively) to open.", I hadn't clicked you were only talking about "temporary expats" - so you were abroad, but gave them a UK address, and as far as they were concerned you were in the UK, and resident in the UK

gozomark

eeja wrote: »

REPLY

Nationwide like many UK institutions, insurance Co's etc etc have a published rule that their accounts are for UK residents only .
Do you want me to let you into a well known secret ?
NationWide B.S has tens or even hundreds of thousands of non resident expat a/c holders all around the world .
Why is N/W so popular with expats ? Because their debit card is the best thing since sliced bread ! Use it in ATM'S around the world and you get the interbank exchange rate and are not charged a penny for usage . No expat should be without them . Many use these cards are used not only to draw their UK pensions but to pay their daily grocery bills !

eeja - I agree "No expat should be without them " - but how does an expat with no UK residence get one ?

KingL

FWIW when I first applied to NW (end of last year) they sent out an inital contact to my (UK) address via 'signed for' Royal Mail. As it happened, they were slower at sending it out than I expected and I had gone out of the country for a few months, so couldn't sign for it or pick it up from my local postal delivery depot.

When I got back to the UK I tried to pick up the application but found that I had been put on some kind of blacklist for not being able to sign for the original letter.

I got it ironed out eventually (by taking passports, bills etc to a branch), but I have had trouble* opening accounts anywhere since then.


*'Trouble' meaning that I always have to produce pages and pages of proofs of id.

BritRael

gozomark wrote: »

thanks for clarifying - from your post "I have opened 2 accounts online from abroad (outside the UK) in the last month; 1 with Egg and 1 with CitiBank. Both were very easy/quick (relatively) to open.", I hadn't clicked you were only talking about "temporary expats" - so you were abroad, but gave them a UK address, and as far as they were concerned you were in the UK, and resident in the UK

Almost - I did not tell them that I was in the UK at the time of application. I simply answered the questions. i.e. home address is in the UK, whereas my employer details are quite clearly (to them) overseas.
Yes, I am resident in the UK, but not for tax purposes (because of the time that I spend out of the country).

eeja

gozomark wrote: »

eeja - I agree "No expat should be without them " - but how does an expat with no UK residence get one ?

Most expats I know have family and friends, brothers and sisters living in the UK whose address can be used for such 'nefarious' purposes.
Highly legal though as long as no money borrowed or you could be charged under the Theft Act for obtaining money by deception....The deception being you are not in fact UK resident.
Also better watch it if you try and use your 'false residency' to obtain financial and social benefit which I know many expats do ie claim child allowance for an infant who lives overseas or obtain a Freedom Pass travel card if not living permanently in a London borough...a huge temptation one has to resist as these cards are so easy to obtain.