Re: Banks!
 

The work around, for a lot of places to show residence is a local library card.

You can send a postcard to yourself, or change of address form sent to yourself from the postoffice and that's proof of address that is usually acceptable for most libraries to get a library card, that's a couple of days.

Bit of a hassle...but that and your passport should be enough for most banks.

Then a local bank account and them notarising your ID should be enough to sort the forex situation.

That said, you're right, much better to sort out before leaving the UK.

Re: Banks!
 

That's always the best advice when it is possible, because once you arrive you have so much else to do, but there is almost nothing that it applies to, unfortunately. :( If you're an HSBC customer headed to NY, you might be able to get a US account opened, and of course you can get a car through IA, and get an xe.com account set up, but there isn't much else. :unsure:

Re: Banks!
 

I have no idea whether the OP will be keeping a house in the UK or have other reasons to want to move funds back and forth. Of course, you can use your UK and US bank to do that conversion, but I find the banks charge way to much for that service, typically 3% of the value (buried in the spread over interbank rates). You can get away with charges more like 0.5%-1% with an FX specialist. If you move say £10,000, that's a saving of maybe £200. That's worth it for me. But each to his own.

Re: Banks!
 

He was asking "Why set it up ahead of time?", not "Why set it up (at all)?" :nod:

Re: Banks!
 

Ah! Cool. Well, that's been answered now by others I think. The whole mania today about proving your identity is more pronounced in the UK than in the USA. Pretty sure I've read articles that the worst country for enforcing the anti-money laundering (AML) rules is the USA! So indeed, it may be possible as some suggested to open a bank account in the USA on the strength of a postcard you mailed to yourself! Pretty sure that wouldn't wash with the Barclays AML compliance dept...

Re: Banks!
 

It might look that way, but there is a very significant difference between the US and the UK when it comes to proving your identity. The US uses SSNs as de facto ID numbers, so in the US if you give your name, SSN, DoB, address, and show a photo ID the banks can, within a few SECONDS, prove that you are who you say you are. Without access to databases indexed off a unique personal identification number the process of proving who you are is a LOT more convoluted and time consuming.

Re: Banks!
 

I was referring more to the currency exchange service that you mentioned above.

Re: Banks!
 

If you read what I wrote properly. The postcard to yourself is done as proof of residence in location, to get a library card, which is often acceptable proof of residence at an address. It's acceptable because the mail is Federal and messing around with the mail has severe, Federal penalties.

You use that combined with your passport as ID of who you are to open the bank account.

You do that, because it can be a month before you get a utility bill or anything else that has your name and address on it, whilst this can be done in a couple of days.

Re: Banks!
 

Sorry I misunderstood you. Thanks for clarifying.

Re: Banks!
 

Comments on another thread make me ask, Are you going to change the address at Barclays to your new address in the States? If so, do you know if that will make you an unwanted "US Person" in the FATCA regime?

You may not need to change your UK address because you have alternatives, but I wonder if account closures are happening to Brits moving to the USA? What's the current wisdom on this?

Re: Banks!
 

My Barclays account is registered to my US address. Doesn't remotely affect me and Barclays don't care.

Re: Banks!
 

That's good to know. Thanks for the experience. Do let us know if Barclays try and kick you out. Perhaps as JAJ is always saying, scaremongering vs reality.

Re: Banks!
 

Barclays (Barclaycard) cancelled my UK credit card 7? years ago on the grounds I was not UK resident, or was US resident. Can't remember which.

Capital One and Lloyds/TSB are still happily sending me renewal cards and statements in US, although I hardly ever use them. I don't have bank accounts with any of the above, just credit cards.

Re: Banks!
 

Ha, No! That was supposed to be an illustration of "antiquated", their default position.:lol:

Re: Banks!
 

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