Hino

Is it possible to open a U.K. Bank account without a U.K. address ?

My present residence is in Australia, but I'd like to open a U.K account with a view to moving back to U.K.

dunroving

From the many previous threads on the topic, it is very difficult to open a UK bank account if you are not resident in the UK - for that reason, people thinking of emigrating from the UK are usually advised on here to not close their bank accounts. It's weird, banks don't seem to mind you living overseas and holding a pre-existing account, but don't like you opening a new account (especially current accounts). I had two accounts with Smile bank for years (a cash ISA and a savings account), but when I tried to open a current account with them when I was living in the US, they were having none of it.

I think some people have found ways around this, and it might be easier if you have kept a UK address for other purposes. Hopefully someone who has managed it will come along soon, but in the meantime you could try using the Advanced Search facility to search for previous threads with keywords like "UK bank account" ...

Hino

Many thanks Dunroving.

J.J

If it is a Sterling account you need then they are available from off-shore (Isle of Man, Jersey) branches of UK high street banks.
I have not seen postings of anyone initiating a UK High Street bank account without declaring a UK address

workhouse

If you have the time, patience and a few bucks to deposit, HSBC offers a couple of solutions in their Advance and Premier accounts. You'll need to open a local account first and they'll assist from there.

Hino

Hi JJ, Thanks for your reply. "dunroving" was kind enough to introduce me to the forum's 'search facility' and the information that gave me was a great help. It seems that I can open a UK HSBC account, once I have opened a HSBC account, even though I do not have a current UK address.

I'm waiting for the emailed 'paperwork' to arrive and with luck I sould be on the way to a UK account in the near future. I'm advised that the cost of opening both accounts would be $200 and that the whole process should take no more than 20 working days.

Thanks for your input and I'll certainly check-out the IOM and Jersey banks. As one of my concerns is to get these funds out of the reach of the Australian judicial system. I'm surprised that I didn't think of 'offshore' banks myself, as I used to work offshore oil rigs and have my salery paid into a Jersey account

Thanks for your help.

Hino

Thanks workhouse.

penguinsix

Does anyone know if the UK HSBC account that is opened via the process of having an overseas HSBC Premier account a 'real' UK, high street bank account, or simply an Isle of Mann Pound Sterling account? I have a US and HK HSBC Premier account but would love to have a UK one, though I am not currently resident.

workhouse

Definitely "real" as you term it. Just pick your home branch when you open, though to get the benefit (!) of an account relationship manager, you'll need to choose a larger branch i.e. Exeter for anywhere in East Devon

I understand their World Currency & International accounts are both offshore (Channel Isles) and are completely independent from HSBC UK.

Pauljarv

Be warned, HSBC were terrible for me every time I had to do any sort of transfer between accounts. Anything slightly out of the ordinary and the screwed it up.

Since then they screwed up my wife opening a UK account, my address, my wife's bank card got lost, we were called by the bank manager saying "ignore the letter about how I lost your change of address form as I've found it now" then it turned out they still had my old address on file. I didn't get a cheque book for an age then got three at once. They wouldn't accept dollar bills of $50 or higher when exchanging currency and took ages when you finally got to the front of the queue.

Otherwise they're great!

robin1234

Another option would be to open an account at an Isle of Man bank such as Lloyds TSB, which would give you a sterling bank account to use now and when you first arrive in the UK. Then, at your leisure, when you have a UK permanent address and the paperwork to prove it, go into the local branch and they would transfer the account to the UK.

ldyinlv

Apparently HSBC has an account called a passport account for people coming to the UK and all you need is an Id from the country you are coming from with a picture and your address there, a passport ...gonna check it out tomorrow as im already here, and have no account yet.
jackie

killerhales

I've had a Nat West international sterling account in the Isle Of Man since leaving the UK in 1995. Acts as a full UK account with cheque book, direct debits, and so on.

I've never had a problem with them, you can get phone help and of course internet banking.

So I'd definitely recommend them.

johnh009

This is one way but remember, banks in the Isle of Man are not covered by the UK deposit protection scheme (now 85,000 Euros or equivalent) and it is questionable if their own scheme has enough funds to cover all accounts after the crash last year. I suppose it depends on the amount you are going to deposit.

aasmith1957

hi we opened a savings account at bank of scotland when we were over in uk on holiday in 2008.moving back to scotland in 2009.all funds were sent to savings account when home was sold.when i arrived i just opened an current account and transferred the money into it.