The Ross Family

Hi all, I know you guys are the font of all knowledge on this forum and have answered several of my questions already.

Next one is can you open a Canadian bank account from the UK? We are currently with HSBC and I do remember someone stating that you could open one from the UK so that it is up and ready for when you arrive. Did look at the HSBC International website but they state that you have to have a minimum of $10,000. Until stuff is sold we don't have that kinda cash hanging around!

Thanks

mandymoochops

Hi there yes you can, most of the biggies to it, either RBC, Scotia, Bmo, CIBC or TD.


Each bank has slightly different criteria although with the ones listed above they do not do credit checks and there is no minimum deposit required.The general rule of thumb would be

Go to their website
Download non resident account application
fill it in
send it off with required docs
they will open the account remotely

Job done!!!!!!!

Hth
Moo chops x

PaulandNikki

We opened an account with RBC from here, had to fill in a couple of forms and then go to RBC in London to get certified copies of passport, driving license and for a witness to signatures. They then sent it all back to Canada and the account was opened about a week later.

Nicola N-A

We set up a bank account through HSBC in the UK, didn't need a minimum although I sent £1000 to keep a round figure!

Have to say its the worst experience I have ever had with any bank in my 20 years of banking, would never use them again (UK branch was fine). The IBC (International Banking Centre) were absolutely useless from start to finish. Have since closed my Canadian account as they were pretty cr*p too.

tonyrleach

Cant seem to find the link on Scotia bank website for non resident account.

Sure one there lol

moondevil

For RBC try this -- http://www.rbc.com/canada/financial/accounts/open.html

Very easy

Canada2006

Would recommend RBC - good service here in Canada. We opened our account on arrival, made a transfer with Custom House and had funds available pretty quickly.

RBC give you a temporary cash card (INTERAC) when you open the account so you're ready to go.

Would, and do, recommend.

RN1

If you get Premier Customer status with your HSBC in the UK it's a total breeze. I know people here have moaned about them but we've had great service & transfering money is so simple over the Internet & costs nothing. You get cheque books, credit cards (with cash back) & debit cards straight away, with the same limits that you had in the UK.

It's been great for us.

deeb81

hey

contact [email protected] to open a non-resident account.

i did and he emailed me with instructions on how to open the account. Sent all the stuff to him last week so now waiting for him to send me the account details.

he is really helpful and knows his stuff. he is senior accounts manager in the non-resident accounts dept so he should do!

screene

We tried to open an HSBC account to link to our existing one in the UK when we were in Canada this summer. We booked an appointment to attend the HSBC office in Halifax because we were told we would need to produce ID and sign forms in order to open the account.

We arranged our holiday in so as to be in able to meet the appointment, but when we got there the lady told us that it was pointless to open an account because it would be automatically closed after a period of time if there were no transactions (we're not coming back to Canada until next summer).

We subsequently opened an account with Scotiabank who couldn't have been more helpful.