Euro payment card

Anthorn

adindas wrote: »

So far is just a theory, not many people have confirmed they could get a truly Euro Bank accounts form EU countries, while you are still living in the UK.

There is a previous thread regarding this which is complete waste of time as all of that is just theory and few people have confirmed it is not working.

How can it just be a theory if I actually did it? Or is it that I am not telling the truth? All it takes is to walk into a bank with your passport and proof of address.

Perhaps you can point to a European law that says bank account applicants must be resident in the country of the bank they are applying to. Tip: Don't bother, it doesn't exist. French banks especially allow bank accounts for residents of EU countries although that might change for UK due to the Brexit vote.

SLZ

pascal22p wrote: »

No, not yet. They check ID via a video call from what I read so far. I am not sure if you still need an invite or not. Also I don't know if you require a german address to receive the card.

I presume that this is comdirect? Unless you're a German citizen or resident with German ID, you need to get your passport notarised and sent off separately at least that is how I understand it but then I did it before they had video ID.

They actually have an entire form for internationals with no German address now rather than use the same one as they did previously.

adindas

"I was given a French account instantly over the counter but the documents and card were sent to me by post to my French address."

I was talking about opening Euro current account with EU banks while you are in the UK.

Anthorn wrote: »

How can it just be a theory if I actually did it? Or is it that I am not telling the truth? All it takes is to walk into a bank with your passport and proof of address.

Perhaps you can point to a European law that says bank account applicants must be resident in the country of the bank they are applying to. Tip: Don't bother, it doesn't exist. French banks especially allow bank accounts for residents of EU countries although that might change for UK due to the Brexit vote.

Anthorn

adindas wrote: »

"I was given a French account instantly over the counter but the documents and card were sent to me by post to my French address."

I was talking about opening Euro current account with EU banks while you are in the UK.

So was I. I own two static caravans in France but I do not live in France.

Here's something I found which provides info although conflicting with my own experience. But be very careful with such services and be wary of scams

Basically it's a case of visiting bank branches and if you have your passport and id docs it shouldn't be too difficult and you should get one eventually. Lastly, I have never heard of such an account being opened online or by post but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

eDicky

SLZ wrote: »

I presume that this is comdirect? Unless you're a German citizen or resident with German ID, you need to get your passport notarised and sent off separately at least that is how I understand it but then I did it before they had video ID.

They actually have an entire form for internationals with no German address now rather than use the same one as they did previously.

Pascal is referring to number26.eu - a smartphone account run by Commerzbank (I think). They do not currently accept UK applicants.

Do Comdirect provide a payment card with their account?

adindas

Anthorn wrote: »

So was I.

Here's something I found which provides info. But be very careful with such services and be wary of scams

Basically it's a case of visiting bank branches and if you have your passport and id docs it shouldn't be too difficult and you should get one eventually. Lastly, I have never heard of such an account being opened online or by post but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

Are you talking about BNP paribas in London ??? ID there any debit card (or the like) with this account, so you could withdraw cash while in the Euro countries ??

It could be more helpful if you could provide the link to this particular account.

What sometimes happen if you are opening a Euro bank account in the UK with EU banks, it might not operate the same way as if you were opening in the EU country like the local people in the EU have. It could be something to do with charges, you will not be allowed to deposit in euro, poor exchange rate, huge balance requirement with interest of a pittance to maintain the account ????

Lloyd Bank, HSBC also operate the same international bank account for people not living in the UK. But it is different with the a/c local people in the UK are having.

SLZ

eDicky wrote: »

Pascal is referring to number26.eu - a smartphone account run by Commerzbank (I think). They do not currently accept UK applicants.

Do Comdirect provide a payment card with their account?

Comdirect have both debit and credit cards as well as american express cards however AMEX have recently tightened the rules and non-German addresses are refused. You can still apply through the Netherlands (although it's unconfirmed if you'll be successful, I'll find out in a couple of months when I switch my banking to ABN Amro as it can only be opened in person).

Comdirect have a separate form for internationals now, go to 'Für Personen, die nicht länger als 183 Tage in Deutschland leben' for the form, fill it out and send it off with proofs then get the notary to do the second section unless you can get to Germany for the PostIndent.

Anthorn

adindas wrote: »

Are you talking about BNP paribas in London ??? ID there any debit card (or the like) with this account, so you could withdraw cash while in the Euro countries ??

It could be more helpful if you could provide the link to this particular account.

What sometimes happen if you are opening a Euro bank account in the UK with EU banks, it might not operate the same way as if you were opening in the EU country like the local people in the EU have. It could be something to do with charges, you will not be allowed to deposit in euro, poor exchange rate, huge balance requirement with interest of a pittance to maintain the account ????

Lloyd Bank, HSBC also operate the same international bank account for people not living in the UK. But it is different with the a/c local people in the UK are having.

You miss my point that you open the account in the country where you want the account. You don't open it in the UK. To that end of course you deposit Euros but GBP is a foreign currency and treated as such.

SLZ

adindas wrote: »

It could be something to do with charges, you will not be allowed to deposit in euro, poor exchange rate, huge balance requirement with interest of a pittance to maintain the account.

Most banking in Eurozone is charged for either as an account fee or debit card charge. Only a couple online banks offer free banking (ING, Comdirect, DKB). Poor exchange rate on what?

Balance requirements only come into play if you're going for a premium account, for example ABN Amro ask for 10.000€ minimum for expats but you get better service than a local who opens a lesser account. Savings interest is terrible in the EZ at the moment so of course interest rate will be a pittance but you can get away with putting it into investments held by the bank instead.

Most banks don't distinguish between local and international accounts, Italy however is the exception whereby you get an account with no credit facility for example.