Getting a bank account for a Slovenian National

Princess_Skysie

Head straight to HSBC.

They have an awesome new bank account I opened recently having just arrived in the country from Australia. It's called Passport.

They accept bank statements and utility bills from your home country (mine being Australia) as proof of address so you don't need to worry about getting a home address over here first.

The best thing is that the debit card they give is a Maestro card that means I can have my salary paid in (when I get a job over here that is!) and shop with my card anywhere I want. It's not like with those awful Basic Bank Accounts that you can only withdraw cash from ATMs and can't use them in shops.

They also give you a cool SIM card for your mobile phone that has really cheap international call rates. I only pay 6p a minute to Australia with this SIM - and that's on A MOBILE!!!

You get heaps of other stuff too - still wading through the pack they gave me but it's been a god-send. I was going crazy not being able to find a single bank that would give me a decent bank account.

sofa_surfer

grumbler wrote:

. AFAIK basic current accounts are not reported to CRAs ...

Well, my basic flexaccount from nationwide (no bells, no whistles, just a cash card) is on Experian and Call Credit

grumbler

With £0 Credit Limit? Or without any credit limit? - I am just curious ...

I have two accounts with NW: a current one with £2500 agreed limit and a basic one with a cash card. Only the former is reported to Experian (no limit shown) and Equifax (£0). All my other accounts with other banks are reported with correct credit limits (overdrafts).

mroller

grumbler wrote:

With £0 Credit Limit? Or without any credit limit? - I am just curious ...

I have a flexaccount with a cash card and with no overdraft facilty and it is reported to equifax and experian.

Maybe NW report only 1 account per customer.

Kilty_2

ejones999 wrote:

Basic or cash accounts at LTSB only issue cards that work in a LTSB machine.

Oh :eek:

That's awful.

bankersmug

Well, this afternoon my girlfriend has been upgraded to a full Current account by her bank LloydsTSB! I think going into the branch in Birmingham city centre helped - local branches don't seem very clued up on accounts for foreign nationals.

She had initially signed onto the Select account at £7 per month. When she told me this I told her to go straight back in and ask for a normal overhead-free Classic current account - typical banks - they always get you when are grateful or asking them for something!

They of course obliged and put it back to a Classic account.

Her debit card and chequebook will arrive around 12th October - she is thrilled, as am I, not having to drive her round looking for Lloyds so she can get cash out!

Thanks to all who advised me!