ruddmace

Hello everyone,

We are looking at moving over to NewZealand early next year and our visa process is well underway.

I need to start looking at opening and setting up a bank account in NZ. Does anyone know of a NZ bank that operates in the UK? Or has anyone used an agent in the UK that works for a NZ bank that could give me some advise.

Westpac look the better option for us, they do have a branch in the UK but they only deal with Auz accounts.

Any advise or links would be great.

Thanks

Craig and Wendy

LukeandJo

I would be inclined to open an NZ bank account, while still in the UK. You will probably hit a few hurdles as you don't have a NZ address.

No reason on the day of arrival you can't open an account, which is what we did in the first week of arriving.

S_and_T

Westpac do deal with NZ accounts. We opened an account with Westpac before we arrived here. It was really painless. Since getting here, I have found them excellent (although no doubt some here will disagree).

International & Migrant - Westpac NZ

mrsmcgoo

When we came 14 years ago we opened HSBC as that's who we used in UK. However, over here HSBC is very different with only a few branches and added a lot of conditions when we had a mortgage etc. We then went with ASB for about 8 years, then ANZ until recently who were both not keen to keep our custom and compare rates etc even as excellent customers. In fact i have heard many people including our Lawyer slate ANZ of late for terrible customer service, which we also experienced. We changed to TSB and cannot fault them. They only have a few branches but you can use Kiwi bank which is widely available and they have an excellent online dashboard etc and their customer service is outstanding. Hope this helps.

mrsmcgoo

Oh and to add we still have our UK HSBC account and it's still active as my mum likes to put money for the kids into it rather than posting etc. Also useful for trips back home.

ruddmace

Thanks all for you advise, all very varied as we like it!

Craig & Wendy

Tom H

You can set up international accounts that'll use the migrant banking branches for most banks

ASB, ANZ and Westpac all do it. I think BNZ do as well. I think you can set up on line (but you'll need your visa or job offer to do so). All we had to do with ASB was forward them my job offer letter and jobs a good un.

scrubbedexpat094

We set up with Westpac Immigrant banking back in 2005. Never had any problems with Westpac.

Best of luck with your visa application and move.

Sparkleydiva

We set up a BNZ account before we arrived with a UK address very easily. Transferred our money and just turned up to the Queen street branch when arrived to collect our cards. Think NZ banks used to this with so much migration here

chocolate cake

I set also set up with BNZ from the UK prior to arriving and found it easy to do, and transferring some initial money via Hifx. I wouldn't particularly recommend BNZ though (the sponsor every rugby club under the sun for start!) and I've since moved on to ANZ and again Westpac chasing better service & mortgage rates.
Their websites probably not as easy as the others, but I'd recommend Westpac of the 3 I have experienced to date.

MrsFychan

we set up an ANZ formally National Bank (2011) account in the UK but things have changed since we got here and I believe now to get the account active over here you need proof of postal address here before they give out the ATM cards (?)

ruddmace

Good morning all,

Thanks so much for all your advice. MrsFychan you are correct, the process now is setting up the account from the UK, you can transfer money into the account, but if the account is not signed for in a branch within 12 months it gets closed down and your money returned to its original origin. Once you have signed in branch you are issued with cards and set up on Internet banking etc. some don't require a NZ address as long as you have proof wher you set the account up I.e the UK.p, you do however require an IRD number.

Thanks again all

462

Try TSB Bank - they get some of the highest user ratings of all NZ banks, with mostly free banking. We were going to open ANZ accounts, but they were very slow to respond. From the time we replied to a TSB email reply to our queries, to the time accounts have been opened, was less than one week! They will phone you in the UK and talk you through everything if you so require!

Here is the survey:

» Banking Awards: Ratings by New Zealand customers

(Forgot to add that we are still in the UK)

newkiwi

The big 4 banks are ASB, ANZ, Westpac and BNZ. (National Bank of New Zealand is now owned by ANZ)

I think they all allow you to open accounts while still in the UK, transfer money into the accounts, and then complete the activation of the accounts when you arrive in NZ.

There may be some small differences between them, but that is often more a case of the branch manager you end up dealing with than big institutional differences.

Have a look on their websites and then you can decide which one works best for what you need.

There are smaller banks and international banks with a smallish local presence, but I recommend going with one of the big banks when you come over; they have the extended coverage and are generally set up to provide a range of products to newbies.

LauraNotts

I have found Westpac very easy to deal with and have never had any problems.

Their online banking is very easy and quick to use and very flexible.

They were willing to lend me $22000 to clear my UK Student Loan because they listened to my reasons and didn't just dismiss it out of hand (didn't do it in the end because of interest rates). They gave me a credit card (with a small limit) when they had no reason to and had upped my limit within days when I got my residency visa. They offer a good employee package for me via my employer so generally yay Westpac.