UK bank account for expats
 

Dear all,
I'll start to work with EZY soon and need to open a bank account in the UK in order to get paid. Could anybody share any infos about what to do? I know how to open a bank account :} but I'm looking for infos regarding the best deal for expats. I will remain a NON-UK resident so please take that into account. I would like to be able to use my money outside the UK and be able to transfer some money into a european bank account with minimum charges. I had a look at the "Passport account" at HSBC but I understood that the fee to transfer money is around 15 pounds for each transfer and 2 pounds everytime you take cash money which is quite expensive. Any FR (UK-based) or EZY pilot willing to give some infos?
Thanks a lot for your help.
Best regards

I had major problems when starting for a UK Airline last year.
Being Belgian, I assumed that EU rules applied also to the UK, but alas...

I was not able to get any bank account by any of the Scottish/ British Banks unless I had an adress in the UK (being resident), and could show a bill to them from BT or British/Scottish Gas.
But I couldn't become a customer to any of these companies without a UK bank-account. It was an impossible solution.
Then, The "Royal" Bank of Scotland refused to accept my Belgian Identity card, the only official proof of ID in my country, as, and I quote: " one can buy this little card for 5 pounds on the internet".
After 2 months, I did manage to get a "junior" account, where I couldn't have overdrafts, where it took more than one week for any transfer to appear on my account, and where they charged 39£ penalty if a direct debit was taken with unsufficient funds on the account to pay for it.
I have lived in almost all EU countries over the last years, the UK is by FAR the worst country to have a bank account.

I have never seen such xenophobic, unflexible and in general incompetent people then in the UK banks.
I'd rather fly in Irak then having to deal with these idiots again.I'm almost glad that I'm resigning from my current employer. (for urgent family reasons, not for living in a nanny-state)

If you use your account abroad lots then I would suggest Nationwide Building Society; they have low charges for most things and also have no charge for using your debit card from any cash machine in the world.

Gee that sound just like our experience of Brussels :}

Citibank is the way to go. Excellent exchange rates, great online banking, presence back in mainland Europe.

Have you tried one of the banks in the Channel Islands? When I was overseas I had one in Jersey and it worked quite well. Maybe your current bank has an office there.

Cleared ILS approach, If you are non UK resident why do you want an account in the UK?

Look offshore at Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle of Man. You will be able to manage your affairs in sterling as if it was the UK.

Cleared, why don't you open an account with a bank, in your home country (chips and mussels, love 'em :ok: ), that has a branch in the UK?

P.S.
let us know of your solution as there are more folks in the same situation as yours, cheers!

I understood it is more to do with the U.K rabid enactment of money laundering laws than individual banks being obtuse. Meanwhile, over here in Spain, my mother in law opened my bank account for me with a photocopy of my UK passport. Nice to see that international law is being interpreted equally everywhere.

I can second despegue´s story. The UK is a 3rd world country when it comes to banks! :mad:

Opening an account is indeed a nightmare as it´s a chicken or the egg story as despegue described.
You don´t have an apartment yet, because you´re new in the UK and you haven´t gotten paid yet (because you don´t have a bank account, duh!) so you don´t have a ´fraudproof´ utility bill to show the banks who you are! Instead of accepting a European ID card (or as in my case a European member state passport) as proof of identity, all UK banks want to see that famous utility bill (which any teenager can easily fake!) as "proof of identity." All this because of ´the war on terror´ and fears of money laundering! Hahahaha! Laughable and totally pathetic! :ugh:

Once you have your bank account sorted out, expect high fees and 3rd world service! Sending some money to Europe (the real Europe, i.e. the mainland!) takes ages, is impossible to set up over the internet (unless Citibank UK--> Citibank EU) and is very expensive! IBAN and SWIFT numbers are not recognised as banking standards, instead UK banks operate with an outdated system of ´sort codes´ which is incompatible with the rest of the world.

Caractacus, IOM or Jerey accounts generally require a minimum balance of ₤10.000,- and are not suitable for us underpaid pilots. The same ridiculous restrictions apply for opening an account in the first place, you need a utility bill!

Scottie, Citibank is not too bad, but you can only send money online from your UK Citibank to a European Citibank. Besides, you get ripped off with the exchange rates, so it´s not free!

F4F, that doesn´t work. You need to open an account in the UK, plain and simple. For example, Citibank Belgium will not/can not open an account for you with Citibank UK. Same for HSBC France and HSBC UK etc...

To end my post on a more constructive/positive note: try to obtain a letter of employment/reference from your employer and see if a local branch accepts this. In my case the HSBC in Luton was able (after about 4 different visits and dealings back and forth) to open an account for me. PM me for more info!

Welcome to the UK! :8

Opening Bank accounts in uk is peice of pi** Unless of course you are from outside uk living in a country where there is an ID card and believe we in uk should bend over backwards to accomodate you cos you are from EU.
get a passport,driving license from your country,go to the nearest post office pay a fee and get an UK driving license and approach any high street bank
and Voila you can open an bank account, subject to credit score you will get an overdraft or credit card
But since the folks who come from eu can't do these simple things they blame us for third world banking industry
Enough of my rant I am off to my local for a nice pint

Great idea sikeano! Or perhaps an even easier solution would be to apply for British citizenship (change my current passport for a UK passport) and get my bank account sorted out that way... :rolleyes:

You´re obviously British and therefore have no idea about the nightmare foreigners have to go through to open a UK bank account. All in the name of ´fighting crime and terrorism.´ As if Osama-the-terrorist can´t fake a BT phone bill before building a complex explosive device! :hmm:

Third world? Yes! Have a look on the European mainland and Switzerland! Internet banking is still in it´s infancy in the UK, same goes for international transfers and standardization. Desperately clinging to an outdated system and charging hefty fees for the privilege!

Cheers! ;)

p.s. There´s no longer a need to change a EU drivers license to a UK one. Just like you don´t need to change a EU JAR license for a UK JAR license anymore. (except if you work for EZY! :{ )

Sikeano, just walk into any high street bank and see if you can open a bank account without a utility bill!

Give it a try on your way to the pub!

I quote from the easyJet Quick Reference Checklist for new employees: "Non-UK based crew who need to open a UK bank account please bring with you a copy of the signature page of your passport and also a current bank statement with your overseas address".
Hope this helps.

I used to be in the same boat but have to say Lloyds did a great job to get me started. I found them very helpfull in setting up an account, when it turned out it could nt provide them with a utility bill they just set up and offshore account in the Isle of Man. This account works exaclty as any other UK bank account and I don`t pay any fees for transferring money etc either. Their online banking system is also pretty good because it also shows your credit card bills. Having said that, transferring money to the "Real Europe" does cost 9 pounds at a time, but if you just wire something across every 3 months instead of every month you earn the same amount in interest :)

All in all, give them a try! :D

as others have mentioned Nationwide is very good for drawing money overseas as there is no charge for using a debit card and their exchange rates are very competitive with no commission.



If your only problem is ID though, have a look at this



http://www.investorrelations.lloydst...0.06polish.pdf



I know it refers to Poland but they must offer similar facilities for Belgian and other EU nationals.

Totally agree Bokkenrijder. It is a real hassle to get an account in the UK. And what an outdated system :ugh:
I even got issued with a check book. Last time I saw one of those was with my grandad in the end of the 1970'
I have HSBC and I can't even transfer money to anyone's account. Let's say I owe £10 to a friend that has another bank. I can't just tap in his account and voila, he's got the money in his account in less than 10 seconds.:confused:
Try to change all your spare coins here in the UK. In the rest of the world you go in to the bank and pour them in to a machine and it goes directly to your account. Here you have to sort them and put them in plastic bags. Take them to the bank and they weigh them. You could go to a supermarket which have a machine. But they charge a fee.:{

Indeed welcome to the 3rd world country that is offering you a job. The country that is sooo bad it's providing you with employment, cos let's face it you're here cos you don't like living in your own country......the fact that you can't get a job in your own country is neither here nor there...... :=
I have a suggestion, poke off back to your own country in Europe and leave us be as this is just the way we like it. Hopefully we'll find someone who isn't a malcontent to fill you shoes.... :ok:
Mostly said tongue-in-cheek ;)

Constructive critisism is always good. If you can't deal with that there will never be a change for the better.:)

Well said scottie
And to that person who suggested to me
quote:Sikeano, just walk into any high street bank and see if you can open a bank account without a utility bill!
Please read my rant again I know it is in english which is not your first language My applogies
To open a bank account you need one ID (passport if you are an non uk national ) One copy of address verifcation
Now, A driving license works as an proof of address as long as it is UK Driving License .
There fore my suggestion was to convert your Non UK driving license to an UK one and you got what you need to open an bank account
You Try to be helpfull but all you get is a bucket load of mouth from these europeans :D
It could be they know better than us After all they work here and pay taxes ;)

Nuf said! ;)