emsr2d2

Can anyone shed any light on this one? I've been in Madrid 7 months and when I arrived, every bank offered the option of a non-residents account which was great to open when you first arrived and hadn't sorted out any of the formalities.

I have a new flatmate who is here with the British Council. The British Council have applied for her NIE on her behalf and she has no paperwork to confirm this.

She has been to practically every bank in Madrid and asked to open an account, just using her passport. With one exception, they have immediately asked for her NIE and when she tells them she doesn't have it, they have turned her away. Just one bank said that they would consider opening an account for her, if she could produce evidence that she has applied for the NIE and has an appointment to get it. She can't get this evidence.

She is due to be paid in the next couple of days, by cheque, and needs to have a Spanish bank account to pay it into so the money clears to pay her rent!!!

Is it really impossible to open a genuine non-resident's account these days? Has anyone opened one recently and if so, with which bank and using what documentation?

Thanks in advance.

Madridboy

I'm afraid I can't shed any light onto opening a new account but as a short term reflief why not let her pay it into your account and you pay her?

jojojojojojojojojojojojo

I guess theres several things, they tightened up on the whole non residency thing here a while ago, my OH had a non residency account that he opened when we were looking to move here - he has never officially moved here anyway cos he works more than 183 days in the UK, so has kept the account as non resident, but the bank and indeed the guardia civil have contacted him several times to check that!

Also it may have something to do with having a UK address??? and of course it may have someting to do with having money to open an account with???

Just guesses tho


Jo xxx

emsr2d2

Thanks but she has a permanent Spanish address, same as mine. I know the process for getting the NIE/residency changed this year, because I had to use the new procedure and wait 2 months for my appointment to get my NIE.

But this seems to be a new thing that banks are not even offering non-resident accounts. Though bizarrely, I just went on the La Caixa website and it says you can apply for a non-resident's account online. However, the first page of the online application form asks for your NIE. That is a nonsense, as if you have a NIE, these days you also have a residency certificate! How the hell does that make it a non-resident's account?! Baffling.

And Madridboy - I was told I couldn't pay it into my bank account because the cheque is specifically made out to her.

Thanks though.

jojojojojojojojojojojojo

Thats my point tho, has she got a UK or another address in another country so that she can prove she is a non resident????

Jo xxx

emsr2d2

Ah, I see what you mean! Oh yes, her driving licence etc all show her address in Glasgow. She is only her for one academic year, so will actually only technically be resident here til June 2010.

The only reason she wants a non-resident's account is so she can pay her first wage cheque in while she's waiting for the NIE.

The system used to be that you opened a non-resident's account which attracted slightly higher maintenance charges, then as soon as you got your NIE, you took it into the bank and they converted your account to a resident's account, with lower charges.

It just seems like a huge about turn. When I arrived 7 months ago, almost everyone I knew opened a non-resident's account immediately, with a whole variety of banks. She's pretty much run out of places to try, and it seems bizarre that every bank would stop opening accounts to people with no NIE.

Ah well, I'm sure she'll sort something out!! Any other bright ideas gratefully received, and thanks again.

jojojojojojojojojojojojo

Can she not get her money paid into her UK bank account for the first payment?? I know its probably not as straight forward as that, but most banks can do currency exchange and alot of them brag in their adverts that they have branches all over the world blah, blah..???

Jo xxx

jdr

We asked at Lloyds a few years ago now though, they gave us a phone number for Bancopopular in London and they opened a non res account for us here with just a passport number and a rough idea of the area we needed it in.

campolife

Yes try bancopopular

This is similar to a thread I started recently to open an account from the UK. Lots of the banks have taken the regulations regarding money laundering/terrorist acts etc to tighten up and so are not allowing application other than by appointment.

I am just in the process of opening one with Bancopopular and they are happy to accept passport.

missile

If she has a UK account, she might have more luck openning an account with one of their spanish branches, e.g. Barclays.es