I do the same but it's always a worry that the ATM might just "eat" my card and render me penniless.

Right, a bit of an update...........Halifax wont let us transfer our ISA account to Spain, they are not compatible I'm told, so we are left with the damn HSBC one, something I am not happy with.


I have looked on the Sol Bank site and looked into opening an account but it asks for my Passport number or NIE, so does that mean I have to be in Spain?


Where is Fred when you need him?

No I opened mine with them a year or so before I moved here.
You'll have your NIE from last time around
I believe they initially use your passport number as your log in name

Last time round?

I think not mate!


I am a bit worried about offering up info like my passport number online!

Ahhhhh ..... suggest you apply for an NIE number asap then, you'll struggle a bit to open a bank account without one.
Passport number is only input to log you on to the bank system, its not something that people can see and its obviously a secure site

so that goes back to a query I had a while back, I can apply for my NIE from here without an address in Spain yeah?

I believe so, but if the worst comes to the worst there are plenty of people here who will give you a temporary address to use

what? With my reputation??

When you apply for an NIE you have to give a reason for needing it, ie work or whatever so they expect a Spanish address nearby to the police station you apply at, but it may be diff doing it from UK.

Oh OK, so is it worth giving the consulate a call tomorrow and seeing if its OK to apply without an addy?

Sure is ... I thought there was something in free beer on this

You may be right. I will take a look and stop asking stupid questions.

I set up my account with Bancaja with just passport and no address, I just said I was on holiday and needed one and she used my UK address

I asked this to the Halifax. I asked the following:

"Can I open a Spanish Bank Account without being a resident or without having a Spanish address?

"Yes, we open it as a non resident account and then you can switch it over when you become a resident"

So, I'm guessing some kind of address goes on an NIE?

Yes it does but I still have a non residents account, even after living here. The bank won't give a residents account until I have made a tax return. I don't know if that is a general thing