Bank account for new UK resident?

trippy

Our Danish au pair is starting university in the UK next month on a 3 year course and intends to stay in the UK when she's finished. She's been looking for a bank account and looked at Barclays and Lloyds who both stipulate that she needs to have been a UK resident for 3 years. She doesn't intend to borrow any money ie an overdraft as the generous Danish Government are paying her approx £550 a month student support.

Does anyone know off hand if any of the banks would let her open an account?

samjef11_2

trippy wrote: »

Our Danish au pair is starting university in the UK next month on a 3 year course and intends to stay in the UK when she's finished. She's been looking for a bank account and looked at Barclays and Lloyds who both stipulate that she needs to have been a UK resident for 3 years. She doesn't intend to borrow any money ie an overdraft as the generous Danish Government are paying her approx £550 a month student support.

Does anyone know off hand if any of the banks would let her open an account?

You try going into a halifax/bank of Scotland branch and see if they will open a basic bank account or try RBs/natwest.

violetmva

When hubby arrived a few years ago no bank would've open an account for him, so we went to a secluded branch of HSBC and they've opened it. The problem back then was he needed proof of address - bills which he couldn't provide as we rented all inclusive. He got a basic cash card and after a few months he got a premier account with another bank. My advice is if you can go with her and in a way introduce her and say she needs the account so you can put her wages in.

samjef11_2

Try Halifax/Bank of Scotland bank for opening account in a branch. You should try opeing a Halifax/Bank of Scotland Easy Cash Account with a Visa
Electron
card
Acceptable forms of identification

When opening a new bank account, you will need to present two forms of proof at a branch – one for your name and one for your address – so that we can check your identity.
Forms of ID we accept include:
• passport
• photographic driver's licence
• credit card statements
• utility (gas, water, electricity) bills
• council tax form
These must be originals, not photocopies.
IF they can you your address as proof then halifax/bank of scotland may open the account.

Government issued documents include
the following:
• Passport (full signed)
• EEA or UK national identity card
• UK Border Agency ID Card
• Northern Ireland electoral identity card
• Resident permit (issued by the UK Home Office)
• UK or EEA photo card driving licence
(full or provisional)
• UK (paper style) driving licence (full only,
provisional not acceptable)
• Benefit book or original notification letter
confirming your right to benefits or state pension
• HM Revenue and Customs construction industry
registration card or certificate (CIS4, CIS5 or CIS6)
• HM Revenue tax assessment or statement,
but please note P2, P45 and P60 forms are
not acceptable
• Shotgun or firearms certificate
• Disabled drivers pass
• Birth certificate or NHS medical card
(if under 18 only)
• Local authority tax bill
• Local council rent card or tenancy agreement.
For supporting documents you can use
one of the following:
• A document from a regulated financial services
firm confirming a relationship exists, for example
a bank statement or insurance certificate
• Local authority tax bill
• UK or EEA photo card driving licence (full or
provisional)
• UK (paper style) driving licence (full only,
provisional not acceptable)
• EEA or UK national identity card
• Northern Ireland electoral identity card
• Utility bill, statement or certificate, for example
gas, electricity, telephone provider. Please note
mobile telephone bills cannot be used
• Local council rent card or tenancy agreement
• Benefit book or original notification letter
confirming your right to benefits or state pension
• HM Revenue tax assessment or statement,
but please note P2, P45 and P60 forms are not
acceptable
• Housing association rent card or tenancy
agreement
• Student matriculation photo identity card.
Your personal details
As well as asking you for documents to
confirm your identity we may also ask you
for the following information:
• Your nationality
• Your country of residence
• Your date of birth
• Your occupation
• How you expect to fund your account
• The purpose and reason for opening the
account.

jambosans

HSBC offer HSBC Passport. It is a bank account designed for people new to the UK. However it does have a monthly fee, with a minimum term contract of 12 months.

naijapower

Try Barclays as well. They are sometimes sympathetic and would even take copies of previous EU address as some proof

jonesMUFCforever

I think the stipulation of 3 years residency is for borrowing - all banks will offer an account of some sort - some will offer basic accounts , others will offer full current accounts without any borrowing/lending facility.

olly300

trippy wrote: »

Our Danish au pair is starting university in the UK next month on a 3 year course and intends to stay in the UK when she's finished. She's been looking for a bank account and looked at Barclays and Lloyds who both stipulate that she needs to have been a UK resident for 3 years. She doesn't intend to borrow any money ie an overdraft as the generous Danish Government are paying her approx £550 a month student support.

Does anyone know off hand if any of the banks would let her open an account?

Most working foreign nationals I know and work with have either opened accounts with:
1. Their employer's bank
2. The bank that their longer term UK-based partner/spouse uses
3. A bank that has links to their home country

They, then as already mentioned, don't get allowed overdraft facilities.

As you are her employer I suggest you go into a bank you go with her to a bank you use and ask for a basic current account.

trippy

Thanks for the replies. I'll have to go round some banks with her then.
Cheers.

looktothefuture

I got off the plan, walked into Barclays and showed them my Ancestoral Visa and they opened my account for me the same day!