Ever more difficult for foreigners to open bank accounts and savings accounts!

mebu60

clairec666 said:

MyRealNameToo said:

Unfortunately your post comes out more of a rant than actually dealing with what the issues are beyond the simple not being able to open accounts? You mention long names so are you running out of characters on forms? Whilst she had the typical dual surname both of hers were short so it wasnt a problem and she followed the British tradition when we got married of taking just my surname (though that causes other issues with HMPO) 

I think it was the same person who posted a while back, and I recall the problem was due to their long name not fitting in the boxes yet problems arising if they tried to abbreviate or Anglicise it.

Ranting against GB Bank I seem to recall.
Complaints against the GB Bank!!!! — MoneySavingExpert Forum

masonic

You really need to replace the word "foreigners" with "people with really long names" in your thread title. Brits can get tripped up by this sort of thing too. Especially if they've opened accounts under different variations of their name. If you feel hard done by as a foreigner, consider yourself lucky you're not a citizen of the USA (for more than one reason )

ColdIron

Miosotis said:

would welcome your views on this and your experiences! 

I don't think we need a different thread on this. It seems to be a repetition of your last one, which I much preferred due to its liberal use of paragraphs

However, my view is that your case is not advanced by switching the blame onto AI. Perhaps you could provide some evidence to support your claim?

friolento

Spare a thought for Miosotis' British husband, everyone.

Kim_13

masonic said:

You really need to replace the word "foreigners" with "people with really long names" in your thread title. Brits can get tripped up by this sort of thing too. Especially if they've opened accounts under different variations of their name. If you feel hard done by as a foreigner, consider yourself lucky you're not a citizen of the USA (for more than one reason )

This. There was a poster who, though an existing customer of Monmouthshire Building Society, was unable to register for the app as it would not accept a hyphen. Their solution was for them to remove it, which might well create issues with future applications as they could then claim that the name provided doesn’t match the supplied ID (presumably ID would be asked for as the hyphenated version would be the one on the electoral roll and the electronic ID check would fail because of it.)

Providers are not good with anyone who doesn’t have straightforward circumstances, it seems. If I had a really long name and regularly had issues, I’d probably change it by deed poll to a shortened version so that once the headache of not being on the electoral roll and being asked for ID/having to update my existing providers was out of the way, things should go much more smoothly.

Bostonerimus1

I'm a UK/US dual citizen and I fully expect to run into a lot of bother opening bank accounts in the UK when I move back because of my US citizenship and also total lack of any UK credit or financial history. UK ISAs and GIAs are out of the question because of the way US tax rules work and I will be limited to bank current and saving accounts. 

gt94sss2

Bostonerimus1 said:

I'm a UK/US dual citizen and I fully expect to run into a lot of bother opening bank accounts in the UK when I move back because of my US citizenship and also total lack of any UK credit or financial history. UK ISAs and GIAs are out of the question because of the way US tax rules work and I will be limited to bank current and saving accounts. 

You can apply for a bank account with HSBC in the UK, including while still living in the USA.

https://www.hsbc.co.uk/international/apply-for-a-uk-account/

HSBC can also use your US credit record to issue you with a UK credit card 

https://www.hsbc.co.uk/international/credit-cards/ 

If you have an Amex in the US, you can get one in the UK. See https://www.americanexpress.com/us/customer-service/global-card-relationship/

There are some investment firms who will provide accounts to US citizens in the UK but yes, due to the cost of complying with US tax rules many won't want to as a customer.

chiang_mai

I'm at a loss to understand the reasons why the OP has experienced what they have, if the OP has the necessary permissions and proof, there shouldn't be an issue. This topic interests me because, as I posted in a different thread yesterday, I was having difficulties initially, trying to sell my UK shares. Despite being a UK citizen by birth, my ability to sell the shares was constrained by my overseas residency. I eventually challenged the Registrar to explain why it wasn't possible but each of their reasons was easily overcome, until they finally agreed to the sale. It appeared to me that they had never really thought about the subject before, instead they simply parroted the standard company line, "cannot, because you're not resident", as indeed some forum members also said. So, for somebody who is physically resident and who has all the relevant permissions, to be denied, it strikes me that many of the institutions they have contacted, haven't really thought things through. My suggestion would be to get in their face and challenge them and not take no for an answer.

masonic

chiang_mai said:

I'm at a loss to understand the reasons why the OP has experienced what they have, if the OP has the necessary permissions and proof, there shouldn't be an issue. This topic interests me because, as I posted in a different thread yesterday, I was having difficulties initially, trying to sell my UK shares. Despite being a UK citizen by birth, my ability to sell the shares was constrained by my overseas residency. I eventually challenged the Registrar to explain why it wasn't possible but each of their reasons was easily overcome, until they finally agreed to the sale. It appeared to me that they had never really thought about the subject before, instead they simply parroted the standard company line, "cannot, because you're not resident", as indeed some forum members also said. So, for somebody who is physically resident and who has all the relevant permissions, to be denied, it strikes me that many of the institutions they have contacted, haven't really thought things through. My suggestion would be to get in their face and challenge them and not take no for an answer.

The reasons seem clear enough. The OP's full name was too long to fit into the box on the application form so she abbreviated it. This led to variations that did not match her credit file and/or identity documents she possessed. She apparently now has accounts in different names other than her legal name and is unable to prove her pseudonym.

The example given was GB Bank, who initially appears to have accepted an application under a pseudonym, but was unwilling to register the OP's choice of nominated account because it was in a different name. To overcome this they asked for proof of identity and a bank statement showing the OP's actual name and full name on the bank account chosen as the nominated account. Which it appears was accepted. But having reviewed the non-UK passport, GB Bank also wanted proof of residency, which the OP refused to supply, citing unfair discrimination, whereas in reality this is likely the bank just trying to comply with its legal obligation to ensure it is not providing financial services to an EU resident.

Section62

chiang_mai said:

I'm at a loss to understand the reasons why the OP has experienced what they have, if the OP has the necessary permissions and proof, there shouldn't be an issue. This topic interests me because, as I posted in a different thread yesterday, I was having difficulties initially, trying to sell my UK shares. Despite being a UK citizen by birth, my ability to sell the shares was constrained by my overseas residency. I eventually challenged the Registrar to explain why it wasn't possible but each of their reasons was easily overcome, until they finally agreed to the sale. It appeared to me that they had never really thought about the subject before, instead they simply parroted the standard company line, "cannot, because you're not resident", as indeed some forum members also said. So, for somebody who is physically resident and who has all the relevant permissions, to be denied, it strikes me that many of the institutions they have contacted, haven't really thought things through. My suggestion would be to get in their face and challenge them and not take no for an answer.

Although polite and respectful challenge can sometimes work with banks, there is a line, and if someone were to 'get in their face' in a way the bank doesn't like then it won't make them more likely to accept you as a new customer, and may make them want to get rid of you as an existing customer.

Someone wanting to become a customer stands little chance if they adopt an aggressive or offensive approach in response to the bank saying 'no' - and ultimately most times the bank is entitled to say 'no' and the prospective customer just has to accept it.