Bank Accounts
 

hi Everyone

Can any one give me advice on bank accounts? Can we open an account with a new Zealand bank from the UK?

How did you transfer money?

Any advice appreciated?

thanks alot

Kind Regards

Donna

Re: Bank Accounts
 

Hi Donna,
Yes several of the banks can be opened from the UK.
We opened a ASB account, they have a London office which you send application form and ID to, took about 7-10 days. We then transferred money into that London account and they would either transfer to NZ straight away or wait til you wanted it transferred.
Once you arrive in NZ you go to the local branch with ID to activate the account here.
Was very simple and convenient. Some of the banks restrict how much money you can transfer in total and each time if its under £15k there are usually charges.
Judy

Re: Bank Accounts
 

Yes you can open a bank account from the UK. We did. Just needed to go in and show passports as proof of id when we got here.

You can't transfer money direct from a UK bank account to your NZ account though like internet banking. You have to either pay to transfer with your UK bank or transfer it via OzForex or HiFx or similar.

Seem to recall we set up bank account over internet and initially faxed over copies of id etc. (we also set up a PO Box for mail to be forwarded over the internet and with faxed id).

Hope this helps.

Re: Bank Accounts
 

Yup you can,

Be aware that ANZ only offer a visa if you take a credit card, not like visa debit/switch like in the uk. Still good bank, just annoying if u want to pay for things in the on internet on internet or over phone. Think Westpac offer visa debit

If u dont mind about visa debit, anz are fine.

Cheers

ScottishN

Re: Bank Accounts
 

Kiwibank do it and don't care what your migration status is!

Re: Bank Accounts
 

On the banks' websites they have a section uinder "migrant banking, or life events, or moviong to new zealand" dealing with opening bank accounts from overseas before you move to teh UK.

We did it with National Bank New Zealand. Westpac and ASB offer it as well i believe.

Look on the websites and see which bank you prefer. They open a bank account for you and you transfer money into it electronically, you can use your UK bank to do this or presumably something like HiFX.

Pretty easy really, once you arrive in NZ you have to show your passports at the bank in person, and then you get your ATM card there and then.

Re: Bank Accounts
 

thanks guys that is really useful i will start looking into it:):thumbup: