keithBT

Thanks for the info on N26, I will investigate further. I'm surprised Jon BXL from Brussels has not caught on to this one. I recall him being unhappy with the bank fees a while back. Cheers.. Keith

jackteet

Hi Keith, you are most welcome. There are a few accounts very similar to N26 but I think it comes out top. With Transferwise and N26 accounts you can do everything you want. Jack

Jon-Bxl

Hi Keith.

N26 is new for me + worth a look. But I tried to change bank accounts a couple of years back to Sabadell, from Bankia in Huelva, but the information they wanted was too much. I have nothing 'strange' to hide, but an account that is there just to pay CE bills, with no overdraft facility dont need to know all the personal info they wanted to have, much of it needing me to get all sorts of papers from home to share on my return. All to go on their marketing database.

I decided to stick with Bankia. Which I am ready to close as soon as I have a workable option. Poor customer service + charges being the problem.

Funnily enough I have a diary note to go to Huelva with the paperwork they need for expat customers every 2 years. This keeps the account open and satisfies money laundering checks.

Of course I can't go due to CV19.... And already Priinet have just sent me a mail to say the account is blocked! So I suppose all my bills will go the same way. Another set of problems coming up!

What a drag!!

​​​​​Living in the EU means that we have no guarantee of being vaccinated this YEAR .. so we are dreading the fact that it will be months at least before we can return

Jon

watkins1

Hi Jon
I also bank with Bankia, and agree, charges have become silly the last 12 months. My account was also frozen without notice in December when I had the same communication from Priinet. After eventually getting hold of someone in Bankia they informed me that I had to sign paperwork that is required every 2 years for UK residents. They accepted the documents as pdf via email, bless them.
Steve

jackteet

Hi, Might I suggest having a look at BBVA and OpenBank Trust pilot and comparing them to N26 trust pilot. The application takes only a few minutes to complete and verification is a pic of ones passport and a selfie to compare. The account comes with a spanish IBAN and a free visa card arrives in about 2 weeks. Direct debits are easy to set up and my only regret is that I didnt sign up with N26 ages ago.

shirley and anthony hide

a

So just to be clear.
As a non Spanish or EU resident . If I have a property in Spain and an NIE number can I still open this account ?
If so, only problem would be to be in Spain when the visa card arrives.
On another matter have people been charged by Sabadel when transferring funds to their account?
I was not When I transferred using Transferwise late last year .
But obviously we have left the EU since , so has this made a difference .
​

​

Uncle Buck

This N26 option looks like it ticks all the boxes for a bank account to pay our bills from. I just opened a standard “free” account and did a quick and easy funds “top up” to kick things off. You get a virtual card to use with your smartphone or you can pay 10€ to have a plastic (physical) one sent to your address of residence. They also do a free account switching service, which includes moving all your direct debits to the N26 account. Has anyone used the account switching service yet, and did it go nice and smooth?

jackteet

Hi, The N26 app form asks for your NIE number, nationality and place of birth. Sabadell charge €18.00 when funds are transferred from the uk. This fee will not be charged where the transfer is internal and not international. N26 spain account is internal.

Uncle Buck

When I set up my account it asked for my Spanish address (residence) and NIE number. It validated me using my UK passport as I live in the UK. The top up of monies was done with a UK debit card and there were no charges applied. All looks good so far.

keithBT

UNCLE BUCK : Have you managed to set up direct debits / standing orders etc for the usual utilities/ taxes on your new account without problems ? Was there a switching service from your local spanish bank account.? Cheers... Keith (bt)

Uncle Buck

No haven’t done that bit yet, but they have sent me the instructions for doing it. N26 provide the switching service themselves. You use there switching web page to connect to your existing bank online (the bit I am dubious about), they then produce a list of DDs for you to select to transfer. They notify everyone of your new account details and it takes about 7 days. I guess they also close your old account and transfer the balance over as well. I was hoping someone else had done it before and could comment on it.

shirley and anthony hide

Now this would be a game changer!
I know in UK the account switching service closes the old account automatically .
If this service does the same, then you don't even have to be there to close down your old account .
I used to bank with Bankia ,and had to drive to Huelva to close that one when they quit Ayamonte , and then set up with Sabadell . Bit of a pain to say the least.

Uncle Buck

As a quick update on the N26 bank transfer service, in short it didn’t work very well. It found my DD’s but wasn’t able to work out where to send the letters or what my accounts numbers were. I guess I’ll have to do it manually, good job I only have about 5 to do. My only concern is that the N26 IBAN number is a German number and I am not sure if the water, lecky and council tax would be happy collecting from a non Spanish account?

maccro

I transferred a small amount to activate the N26 account and Ulster Bank sent me a confirmation quoting an N26 address in Madrid (4 calle de manzanares) and an IBAN for N26 beginning ES. which indicates an N26 bank account in Span.

Joppa

If your registered address is in Spain, your N26 account will have a Spanish IBAN beginning ES.