Bank accounts
Jun 17th 2011, 9:18 am
#1
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2011
Location: Perth WA
Posts: 20
Bank accounts
I thought I would just let you guys know the latest info if you want to open a Uk bank account while living overseas.
Lloyds will open a UK bank account over the counter as long as you have a your current British passport and a UK address you can use ... parents, siblings etc. You do not need a deposit, but you obviously do need to be there in person. They have also recently added international net banking to their services so you can access any money in your UK account and transfer it to your Australian account.
Barclays will also open an account but it is not as straightforward as Lloyds; you need a deposit ... 20 quid will do .... and they don't do net banking yet, so if you want to transfer funds overseas you also have to have an offshore account. Don't know what other banks offer ... I stopped when I got to Lloyds.
Lloyds will open a UK bank account over the counter as long as you have a your current British passport and a UK address you can use ... parents, siblings etc. You do not need a deposit, but you obviously do need to be there in person. They have also recently added international net banking to their services so you can access any money in your UK account and transfer it to your Australian account.
Barclays will also open an account but it is not as straightforward as Lloyds; you need a deposit ... 20 quid will do .... and they don't do net banking yet, so if you want to transfer funds overseas you also have to have an offshore account. Don't know what other banks offer ... I stopped when I got to Lloyds.
Jun 17th 2011, 11:39 pm
#2
Forum Regular
Joined: Jun 2010
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 132
Re: Bank accounts
Hi,
To tag to this, the HSBC seem to be really good with international banking. I have an account with the Natwest and they are pretty useless to be honest.
To tag to this, the HSBC seem to be really good with international banking. I have an account with the Natwest and they are pretty useless to be honest.
Jun 18th 2011, 10:43 am
#3
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 9,397
Re: Bank accounts
We have had HSBC online accounts since we arrived, plus a HSBC credit card, but are in the process of divesting ourselves of them. Too many different hassles and trying to communicate with the 110% Chinese staff, pleasant though most of them are, has just become too much.
Jun 18th 2011, 1:06 pm
#4
BE Forum Addict
Joined: May 2007
Location: Perth
Posts: 1,179
Re: Bank accounts
I don't find the staff a problem in that respect as I rarely need to go into a branch. Even cheques issued to me get posted to their branch. Whatever you may think they truely are an international bank. I opened my Australian account from overseas and transferred funds to it before arriving. And since living here I had got so miffed with Nationwide's arrogant attitudes that I opened up an HSBC account in the UK to replace them and again did all that by email and a form. And ofcourse I can see all accounts from any one.
