guest user
3/13/2001 21:04 EST
" Hello, I recently moved to London from the US for an employment transfer. I had hoped to use my first paycheck to open a bank (checking) account, but am having trouble doing so. My company banks with Lloyd''s, who will not give an account to a non-resident, and we have tried several other banks as well (including US based Citibank). Any advice or suggestions? Thanks, Elizabeth "
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guest user
3/13/2001 21:06 EST
" Don’t let Lloyd’s fool you. It has nothing to do with being a resident. Legally, all you need is a U.K. address. I am from the U.S. and bank with Lloyd’s. It just so happens that my Lloyd’s bank is directly across the street from the letting agent who leased me my house. She called the Branch Mgr., set up an appointment for me, and 24 hrs. later I had an account (before I had officially even moved here). It’s about who you know, not what you have. The other bank that is Ex-pat friendly is NatWest. They have an Ex-pat department. By the way, if you are expecting the customer service / on-line banking experience of the U.S., forget about it! You’ll just have to live with the level of customer non-service provided by high-street banks in the U.K. Good Luck, "
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guest user
3/13/2001 21:06 EST
royal bank of scotland definitely seemed to be the easiest. they didn''t need to make an initial deposit and just proof of address. i went with them & am pretty happy. their online banking is ok but not great. I also tried natwest who needed a letter of introduction from my bank in NYC.
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guest user
3/13/2001 21:07 EST
" I bank with HSBC here and have found the level of service to be very high. To open an account, all I had to produce was something indicating a local address, my passport, and various pieces of paper that indicated solvency (paystubs, bank statements from my account in the U.S., etc.) They were able to set up an account immediately with overdraft protection, a debit card, check book, and no initial deposit was required. Granted, its not as simple as in the U.S., just takes a bit more time and paper - I just needed to make an appointment in advance and it was very straight forward. Have since set up telephone banking, and standing orders for my rent and mobile phone - all the mod cons. Wire transfers from the U.S. have also been simple. HSBC has online banking as well, though I haven''t used it. "
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guest user
3/13/2001 21:08 EST
" Thanks, I''ll give them a try. I''ve been turned down by Lloyds, Barclays, and Halifax despite finally receiving proof of residency. Someone will want my money! "
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guest user
3/13/2001 21:08 EST
You might also want to try HSBC. When I opened a full chequing etc account 2 years ago they required: --Proof of UK residence (utility bill in your name etc) --Copies of the 3 most recent months of banking statements from a bank in the US --Passport Having those US statements in hand may help... susan
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guest user
6/26/2001 08:33 EST
Sounds like it was just bad luck with the branch that you visited. I recently moved (3 weeks in country now) and was able to get an account setup (with Barclays) with a passport and a letter from my employer stating that I was a full time permanent employee.
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