Dificulties Opening a Bank Account, British Citizen, No Proof of Address

Heaney

I've done some searching but thought I'd start a new thread as everyone's situation is slightly different.

My gf has been living abroad in the Canary Islands for the past 12 years from the age of 6 to 18 and has just moved back to start college. She's finding it very difficult opening a bank account, just a normal current account, and we all know they're necessary nowadays.

She's been to a couple of banks so far, HSBC and RBS I think, and both have rejected her. One because she is required to have lived in the UK for the past 10 years (this seems like a straight up lie to me) and another because she needs a bill with her name and address on. She provided an official letter from her college addressed to her Grandparents house which will be her new permanent address, but this wasn't good enough.

Obviously she won't be able to provide a utility bill with her name on it, she is living with her Grandparents. She does have a full British passport, official letters from college with her address on, a bank account in the Canaries with La Caixa (which does not have a british branch as far as I know), a birth certificate, college student identification.

Obviously she has no history in the UK for the past 12 years, but surely this shouldn't stop her? She's a British citizen who was born here.

I have told her she should keep going to different banks to see if one will say yes, every one seems to have different policies.

Thanks for reading all this and any advice would be greatly appreciated.

opinions4u

If she's eligable to vote, get her on the voters register.

She could also apply for a national insurance number which will increase the amount of formal documentation she has.

Heaney

She has applied for her NI number, her interview is on the 20th. Thanks for the register idea, will see what we can do.

MrTomato

If she gets onto the electoral roll, she can just apply online somewhere and no more ID should be needed.

Fiddlestick

Heaney wrote: »

Obviously she has no history in the UK for the past 12 years, but surely this shouldn't stop her? She's a British citizen who was born here.

Citizenship is not the same as residency.

System

Is there a Clydesdale or Yorkshire Bank nearby?

book12

Try Barclays. They only need a UK passport.

inmypocketnottheirs

book12 wrote: »

Try Barclays. They only need a UK passport.

Lloyds too judging by the number of foreigh customers the Crewe branch has.

aanderson5

Maybe try some sort of HMRC documentation confirming eligibility to any student finance or EMA :-)

iblametheparents

book12 wrote: »

Try Barclays. They only need a UK passport.

Yeah, you only need one piece of id if it's a valid UK passport or valid full photo driving licence.