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HSBC or Barclays?

Mammal
Mammal Posts: 5 Forumite
in Budgeting & bank accounts
I´m a foreigner in the UK and I need to open a bank account. I wanted to choose an international one, I don´t know if HSBC or Barclays would be the best.
Any ideas on this?

Comments

  • izools
    izools Posts: 7,513 Forumite
    1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Unequivocally and absolutely HSBC, every time.
    Cashback Earned ¦ Nectar Points £68 ¦ Natoinwide Select £62 ¦ Aqua Reward £100 ¦ Amex Platinum £48
  • pmduk
    pmduk Posts: 10,694 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    HSBC are generally regarded as more helpful in these circumstances. I doubt whether most Barclays staff would know the procedure.
  • grumbler
    grumbler Posts: 58,629 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Mammal wrote: »
    ...I wanted to choose an international one,...
    What are you implying by 'international'?

    Do you have any proofs of your UK address?
  • 9217niall
    9217niall Posts: 323 Forumite
    Having accounts with both of these banks, I can wholeheartedly recommend HSBC. Barclays have been, quite honestly, useless. Only thing I use them for now is my ISA.
    "We are the change that we seek."
  • Mammal
    Mammal Posts: 5 Forumite
    grumbler wrote: »
    What are you implying by 'international'?

    Do you have any proofs of your UK address?

    Yes, I am working as an au pair in the UK and my hostmother gave me proof of address.

    When I say international I mean a bank that is present oversees, which might be useful for travelling as well.

    It seems like everyone thinks HSBC is the best. What does this bank have that barclays hasn´t?.
    Also, is there HSBC in Spain? (That is my country of origin).
  • FireWyrm
    FireWyrm Posts: 6,557 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker Debt-free and Proud!
    This might be helpful : http://www.hsbc.es/1/2/esp/es/home
    Debt Free! Long road, but we did it
    Meet my best friend : YNAB (you need a budget)
    My other best friend is a filofax.
    Do or do not, there is no try....Yoda.

    [/COLOR]
  • grumbler
    grumbler Posts: 58,629 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Mammal wrote: »
    When I say international I mean a bank that is present oversees, which might be useful for travelling as well.
    I have never found it useful. I find it much more useful to have a debit and/or a credit card that doesn't charge you for overseas transactions, including ATM withdrawals.

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