Bank accounts for expats

friolento

ellieellie1955 said:

Monzo, Wise, Revolut. All of those are great

You need to be a UK resident for a Monzo account. 

I would stay clear of Revolut as they have not managed to obtain a UK banking licence in over 2 years. If they can’t convince the FCA, they can’t convince me, either. They do have an electronic money licence from the FCA though.

BrittanyBoy

Tried HSBC Expat in Jersey (where I lived until 20 years ago) but they want 50K£ on deposit with them or an annual income of 100K£. Now trying NatWest International whose minimum income level is achievable for me but would still be out of reach for many. Expat does not necessarily equal wealthy.

Rheumatoid

BrittanyBoy said:

Tried HSBC Expat in Jersey (where I lived until 20 years ago) but they want 50K£ on deposit with them or an annual income of 100K£. Now trying NatWest International whose minimum income level is achievable for me but would still be out of reach for many. Expat does not necessarily equal wealthy.

A lot of immigrants are quite poor

gt94sss2

BrittanyBoy said:

Citibank have recently advised that they are closing all UK current accounts - except for "high value" customers. Unfortunately I do not have 3 million USD on deposit with them (!), so looking for a new UK bank as my pension income arises in sterling, but am fiscally and physically resident in EU.

Which country in the EU do you live in? It can make a difference..

If France (going by your username), then HSBC UK (not expat) will allow you to apply for a current account.

You could also open an account with HSBC France and that might make it easier to open an UK account with them (though HSBC France is supposed to be sold next year)

BrittanyBoy

So, I tried NatWest 'cause their income/capital requirements were achievable for me.  Got to a point in their online application where they required a "selfie" via my system. I have a camera attached to my PC but despite turning various lights on/off, sitting closer/further away, changing backgound etc. the computer said NO. But the online application stated that if you had a problem just click on a link and there was an alternative - did that, filled in all my details - again (another 15 mintes of my life I won't get back - and ended up at the same page asking for a "selfie" again. Tried ringing NatWest and, basically, told that they didn't really understand the problem but if I couldn't do what their system wanted then sorry, but they couldn't help.

Yes, gt94sss2, I am based in France, and I am now trying HSBC (not Expat). Did all the online stuff, collated documents proving identity etc., not straightforward as my French bank, though initially sounding co-operative vis-a-vis signing and stamping official confirmation of documents as representing a true likeness of myself, decided when I visiited them (not simple as I am partially disabled, therefore requiring booking and paying for a VSL), that couldn't actually help BUT suggested local Mairie (Town Hall) could do the business - even rang them to confirm. So, when my transport arrived to collect me, the driver kindly took me round to the Mairie. The "functionary" wouldn't use the precise wording suggested by HSBC, but did officially sign and stamp copies of my official documents.

Sent all this stuff off to HSBC in Coventry plus copies of tax-documents, other bank accounts of UK and French banks, plus NS&I documentation and local tax forms (like council tax). After a respectable gap (postal services not being too rapid these days) I rang HSBC and was told they had received my paperwork and all was proceeding well. After a few days I called again as i hadn't heard anything (they have my email address, landline number and mobile number), to be told again that all was on track and that I should await a "Welcome Pack". Yippee!!

But nothing arrived ..... so I rang again. This particular operative (call centre based in Phillipines, others had being in India) advised me that my application had "time expired", after questioning, stating it was because I had not responded to a request for further information. After saying that the only contact I had had was by my contacting them it was suggested that I start again!

This was now on the eve of my existing sterling bankers, Citibank, pulling the plug on my account.  I have sent a "terse" letter to HSBC in Coventry, in part referring to recent media featuring the HSBC CEO saying how they, as an organisation, recognise the stress and mental anguish modern technological methods and systems can cause to the less capable in society (no kidding sunshine!). I've rung HSBC once since I sent that last letter, which they haven't received yet - but they have acknowledged that my (second) online application is "on their system". I will be calling them again later today.

I will continue to push this issue as I have, regretably, found that more organisations seem to make it so difficult to get any actual answers or action out of them that most honest people with a genuine complaint or concern,simply give up because of the complexity and obfuscation put in their way.

I find this even more galling when, at the same time, I hear reports of scammers/fraubsters opening multiple dodgy companies via Companies House in the UK, using innocent peoples address, opening lines of credit etc., apparently with impunity.

It is so sad that many people, particularly the less IT savvy, elderly or disabled, are being defrauded out of their homes and savings whilst also not being able to transact the normal daily financial necessaries of life without endless fences being placed in their way to jump through, especially when trying to avoid the less regulated parts of the financial system by using previously "trusted" institutions. Unfortunately, given some of the fines being handed out to those self same institutions - who can you really trust anymore?

With apologies for the lenght of this sage and "rant", I will try and revert here when I have further news.

wmb194

BrittanyBoy said:

So, I tried NatWest 'cause their income/capital requirements were achievable for me.  Got to a point in their online application where they required a "selfie" via my system. I have a camera attached to my PC but despite turning various lights on/off, sitting closer/further away, changing backgound etc. the computer said NO. But the online application stated that if you had a problem just click on a link and there was an alternative - did that, filled in all my details - again (another 15 mintes of my life I won't get back - and ended up at the same page asking for a "selfie" again. Tried ringing NatWest and, basically, told that they didn't really understand the problem but if I couldn't do what their system wanted then sorry, but they couldn't help.

Yes, gt94sss2, I am based in France, and I am now trying HSBC (not Expat). Did all the online stuff, collated documents proving identity etc., not straightforward as my French bank, though initially sounding co-operative vis-a-vis signing and stamping official confirmation of documents as representing a true likeness of myself, decided when I visiited them (not simple as I am partially disabled, therefore requiring booking and paying for a VSL), that couldn't actually help BUT suggested local Mairie (Town Hall) could do the business - even rang them to confirm. So, when my transport arrived to collect me, the driver kindly took me round to the Mairie. The "functionary" wouldn't use the precise wording suggested by HSBC, but did officially sign and stamp copies of my official documents.

Sent all this stuff off to HSBC in Coventry plus copies of tax-documents, other bank accounts of UK and French banks, plus NS&I documentation and local tax forms (like council tax). After a respectable gap (postal services not being too rapid these days) I rang HSBC and was told they had received my paperwork and all was proceeding well. After a few days I called again as i hadn't heard anything (they have my email address, landline number and mobile number), to be told again that all was on track and that I should await a "Welcome Pack". Yippee!!

But nothing arrived ..... so I rang again. This particular operative (call centre based in Phillipines, others had being in India) advised me that my application had "time expired", after questioning, stating it was because I had not responded to a request for further information. After saying that the only contact I had had was by my contacting them it was suggested that I start again!

This was now on the eve of my existing sterling bankers, Citibank, pulling the plug on my account.  I have sent a "terse" letter to HSBC in Coventry, in part referring to recent media featuring the HSBC CEO saying how they, as an organisation, recognise the stress and mental anguish modern technological methods and systems can cause to the less capable in society (no kidding sunshine!). I've rung HSBC once since I sent that last letter, which they haven't received yet - but they have acknowledged that my (second) online application is "on their system". I will be calling them again later today.

I will continue to push this issue as I have, regretably, found that more organisations seem to make it so difficult to get any actual answers or action out of them that most honest people with a genuine complaint or concern,simply give up because of the complexity and obfuscation put in their way.

I find this even more galling when, at the same time, I hear reports of scammers/fraubsters opening multiple dodgy companies via Companies House in the UK, using innocent peoples address, opening lines of credit etc., apparently with impunity.

It is so sad that many people, particularly the less IT savvy, elderly or disabled, are being defrauded out of their homes and savings whilst also not being able to transact the normal daily financial necessaries of life without endless fences being placed in their way to jump through, especially when trying to avoid the less regulated parts of the financial system by using previously "trusted" institutions. Unfortunately, given some of the fines being handed out to those self same institutions - who can you really trust anymore?

With apologies for the lenght of this sage and "rant", I will try and revert here when I have further news.

Smartphones or iPads usually work better for selfies.

Did you try opening an account with Wise?

BrittanyBoy

My saga with HSBC to open a basic sterling bank account has now entered its' fifth month.

After countless telephone calls and emails resulting in numerous different references for Customer Identification, Account Opening Applications and Complaints Cases from various "siloed" parts of an organaisation that is so restricted by its own internal protocols and processes that are unable to communicate with each other seem to have finally being cut through by contacting the UK CEO directly.

Not concluded yet. Feel saddened and traumatised by lack of "Customer Care" and not enthused by news of recent large fine (£57M) imposed on HSBC by Bank of England.

eskbanker

BrittanyBoy said:

Feel saddened and traumatised by lack of "Customer Care"

I can understand irritation and frustration, but traumatised - really?!

xylophone

but traumatised - really?!

When your bank account is about to be closed and a number of other contacts with nother organisations are dependent on your bank account and you feel helpless in the face of bureaucratic incompetence/inertia, perhaps "traumatised" is not too strong a word, particularly where such an event occurs at the same time or on top of other difficulties...

gt94sss2

BrittanyBoy said:

After countless telephone calls and emails resulting in numerous different references for Customer Identification, Account Opening Applications and Complaints Cases from various "siloed" parts of an organaisation that is so restricted by its own internal protocols and processes that are unable to communicate with each other seem to have finally being cut through by contacting the UK CEO directly.

I'm glad that things finally seem to going in the right direction for your application.

I imagine HSBC being one of the only UK banks still willing to entertain new customers opening free UK bank accounts means they have got very busy - for what are likely to be loss making accounts - especially with other banks including Barclays closing the accounts of their account holders based overseas.

PS: I wouldn't use the words "Basic Bank Account" to a UK bank as that is a specific product they offer for those who can't open a normal/standard bank account.