Stelly

Yeah, err anyone know how to get an online bank with no physical branches to stamp bank statements sufficient to satisfy the Home Office, please? I'm in an 85 min queue for bank online chat to answer this, lol. But I thought the folks here might be faster and better informed.

Thanks.

christmasoompa

Does it not give you the option when you download statements? I’m with Starling (also online only) and when I download a statement with them it gives me the option of a ‘Standard’ or ‘Certified’ statement. So yours should be able to do the same, it doesn’t have to be a physical stamp.

Stelly

No, our US online bank just has one type of statement for download, a regular one. Nothing certified.

christmasoompa

But yours should be able to give you certified copies as well, what did they say when you asked?

Stelly

I couldn't ask yet - I waited 80 mins for online chat to answer last night but got nowhere. I'll have to try again today.

christmasoompa

Oh what a pain! Hope you get it sorted, they must have some way of doing it.

When you're back in the UK, I highly recommend Starling as an online bank, their app is amazing (and instant customer service chat too!).

Stelly

Thanks. We moved to our current bank from TD as the customer service evaporated. But it seems the new one is victim of their own success as the prior 5 min wait times have gone too. Grrr.

tdrinker

Another pain - physical UK banks want you to download statements rather than have paper ones (fair enough), but won't accept them as proof of address. So you have to order a "real" paper statement or visit a branch (if you can find one they haven't closed) to have one printed and stamped. My bank doesn't download certified statements, and I wonder how widely accepted they are.

DernierVirage

For my wife's ILR application last year, we just used statements uploaded from her online banking platform (HSBC). They seem indistinguishable from paper statements and were accepted.

BritInParis

The guidance still specifies original, stamped or accompanied by a covering letter but in practice the PDFs you download from your online banking service can just be uploaded as is and you are unlikely to have any issues.

Brightongirl

I came here today for clarification on the subject of documentation too. In a year, I will be applying for a visa for my spouse and going the savings route.
1/ I just discovered from my partner that we've only received a couple of UK HSBC statements and have received no US HSBC statements which is where our savings sit. Is it simply a matter of printing the online statements, taking them to a branch and asking them to stamp them? How can I get UK statements stamped while in the US?
2/ Is there a checklist for documentation such as utility bills and bank statements etc. that will be required to support our application? We only have bank statements (2) that are in joint names. I only have 2 bills in my name and my partner has the majority in her name. How many documents are needed and for how many months?
I can open up more accounts or change things into my name if this will be needed. Thanks