Opening a UK bank account as a foreigner

[Cloven]

What kind of "proof of living at that address" did they accept?

If I remember correctly, they wanted sight of a utility bill. I just download one as our utility bills are all available on line. Otherwise I would have had to wait until I had been back to the UK. Point I was trying to make is that the account is linked to my home address (UK) which is not the country that the account is based - France.

 

[Normanby]

If I remember correctly, they wanted sight of a utility bill. I just download one as our utility bills are all available on line. Otherwise I would have had to wait until I had been back to the UK. Point I was trying to make is that the account is linked to my home address (UK) which is not the country that the account is based - France.

I see. Thanks anyway.

 

[hartcjhart]

from metro site

2.
NON UK, EEA OR SWISS NATIONAL:
Proof of identity x 1
Valid passport
Proof of right to reside x 1
Your current Visa (with at least six months left on it).
Proof of address x 2
In case we’re unable to verify your name and address electronically, it would be useful to have
two types of address verification
handy

worth a telephone call to them to ask their opinion

 

[pyrojames]

Tried an Isle of Man account? Mum, lives in Sydney opened one there with natwest I think. She does have a UK Passport though.

I went through a similar problem when I moved to the UK. No account, no lease, no address, no account, etc, even though I had a full time academic job....

 

[JumbleDuck]

Might be worth trying Handelsbank, who claim to pride themselves on a more human-based approach and a less computer-based one.

 

[macd]

Tried an Isle of Man account? Mum, lives in Sydney opened one there with natwest I think. She does have a UK Passport though.

I went through a similar problem when I moved to the UK. No account, no lease, no address, no account, etc, even though I had a full time academic job....

Worth a try if it were somewhat nearer the West Country, but the hoops are much the same on the Island as they are 'Across'.

 

[Normanby]

Might be worth trying Handelsbank, who claim to pride themselves on a more human-based approach and a less computer-based one.

According to their website, they have no branches in the UK.

 

[Normanby]

from metro site

2.
NON UK, EEA OR SWISS NATIONAL:
Proof of identity x 1
Valid passport
Proof of right to reside x 1
Your current Visa (with at least six months left on it).
Proof of address x 2
In case we’re unable to verify your name and address electronically, it would be useful to have
two types of address verification
handy

worth a telephone call to them to ask their opinion

Done, and got the same answer - no proof of a UK address? No account.

 

[vyv_cox]

Their website lists onerous ID requirements:
https://www.abnamro.nl/en/personal/payments/open-an-account/documentation.html
Did you need a "Dutch social security ('Burgerservicenummer') number"?

I was working there, so I may have been able to produce one. It was almost 20 years ago when I opened the account and it seems that things have tightened up a lot everywhere since then, as you have been finding.

 

[JumbleDuck]

According to their website, they have no branches in the UK.

Sorry, spelling mistake on my part. I meant Handelsbanken, which is Swedish and has loads of UK branches, not Handelsbank which is German and hasn't.

 

[JumbleDuck]

I know the thread as been dormant for a while but ...

I was on the Isle of Man recently and notice that the Standard Bank (it's African) in Douglas advertises accounts in sterling, euros and Australian dollars. I gather the OP is (or maybe was) Australian, in which case it might be worth investigating that possibility.