emsr2d2

I currently use online banking with my UK bank. I noticed the other day that at the bottom of my logon screen it says something like "This site is intended for use by UK residents only".
I'm coming to Spain probably only for a year and I plan to keep my UK current account active as all my direct debits etc go out of it, though my Spanish salary won't be going into it. However, obviously I'm going to need to access it fairly regularly to check balances, move money between accounts etc.
While reading the BBC i-Player thread, I spotted mention of having to hide the Spanish IP address. Is this going to have an effect on my using my UK bank website, does anyone know?
As far as my bank is concerned, they don't need to know I'm "moving" anywhere - I could just be on a very long holiday (!) but I'm now concerned that I might have trouble logging on. I've managed to get onto the site before from a public computer in Spain when on holiday, but I plan to have mobile broadband on a UK-bought laptop - I have no idea what that means my IP address would be!

Anyone found problems when trying to access UK online banking?

Thanks!

crispy

Hi emsr I have internet banking with my UK bank and I have never had any trouble using it, I check my account at least once amonth and use if for buying stuff from the internet. Hope that helps, oh and by the way welcome.

emsr2d2

Thanks Crispy, good to know! And thanks for the welcome.

crispy

Your welcome, where do you plan to be when you are here and what job do you have lined up?

Dxf

Hi
I have online banking to two banks in England, one in the Isle Of Man, and one in Spain. All executed through a 3G mobile signal (British bought laptop using Telefonica 3G)

Davexf

jdr

I thought the idea of it was to be able to use the facility from any where, ie internet banking. lol
We use it in other countries and never had any problems. ;-)

snikpoh

Some banks don't allow 'foreign residents' to hold accounts - they insist on a UK address. Alliance & Leicester is one of these that springs to mind.

Also be aware that having a UK bank account is one of the determining factors as to where you are domiciled. This ultimately will affect whether you pay UK IHT or not.

mikelincs

Never had any problems, and even added transfers, standing orders, made payments direct from my account and never had a problem. I also was told that aall I would be ale to do from Spain was to check my balance.

Fred James

That would depend on your reasons for having a UK account.

If you have a UK company pension then it is not always possible to get the money paid into your Spanish account.

If you wish to hold a UK credit card to be able to purchase in Sterling from UK suppliers that would be a sensible reason for having a UK account.

I think you will find than many non doms have UK accounts and that does not affect their status.

Retaining your membership of a UK golf club will have a far more adverse effect!

scampicat

I have several UK accounts and a credit card and have never had any problem either with registering the Spanish address (apart from with West Bromwich Building Society, but we just kept our UK address for that), nor with using internet banking.

Hope this helps.

emsr2d2

OK, thanks for lots of info!

Basically, I'm only taking a 12 month career break from my job over here to come to Madrid and teach English. I do already have a job lined up and I already know that they will only pay my salary into a Spanish current account, which I plan to open on arrival.

I've got a couple of UK credit cards that I only plan to use in emergencies and I don't want a Spanish credit card anyway.

I am keeping my flat in the UK (leaving my boyfriend and cat in it!) to return to so I am not planning to advise anyone official at all of a change of address, apart from the Council Tax people so that my boyfriend gets the single person discount.

So I won't have a salary continuing to go into my UK current account, but all my direct debits etc related to my flat go out of that account and I need them to continue to do so.

Basically, I plan to keep the UK side and the Spanish side financially completely separate. I will get my salary paid into a Spanish current account, and I will pay my rent and all living expenses out of that account. My UK account will just run on without me over here!

I have tried to read up on the whole tax thing but am still baffled. I know I have to pay my own social security/tax in Spain (the job I'm taking will treat me as autonomo) and I don't have any income in the UK that would attract tax - at least, I don't think I do!

On a previous thread, I discussed whether or not I needed to keep making voluntary NI contributions (I'm 40, and have worked constantly since the age of 18) but I think I've discounted that!

But back to the bank front - as long as I can access my internet banking with no problems, I should be fine as I can move money around to where I need it at any given time.

Thanks everyone!

Mitzyboy

I think someone said the autonomo payment had gone up to around €260 a month.

Helpful-Bob

We access Uk and other foreign banks from Portugal with no problem.

mikelincs

Being here for a year, and having a salary paid into a Spanish account will mean that you will become a Spanish tax resident, and HAVE to get residencia etc.

emsr2d2

I readily admit I have no idea what that means, in practical terms. I'll be getting an NIE as soon as I can after arrival, plus whatever kind of resident's papers I need. I have no intention of doing anything illegally!

It's just people in the UK that I don't plan to tell that I'm living in Spain! Officialdom in Spain will know!