ImmortalNinja

Dont know about business accounts, but when we moved HSBC were helpful in opening personal accounts before we got here.
As a bank though they are relatively new so there aren't that many branches

Personally I would consider the trip though if you can roll some other work stuff into the trip. Meeting workers/clients in person, seeing the lay of the land, knowing the area better that kinda thing.

KK

paddy-cal

thanks KK.

there is an HSBC branch in Garden Grove CA, not far from where i would live, which would do for now.

1. spoke to a Business relationship Manager at HSBC UK today, who said they can't help with the link to HSBC US, but their International Department (which isn't the same as HCBS International) can. called them - asnwerphone - sounded like a one-man department. no answer yet to my message.

2. Followed up Wells Fargo at Canary Wharf - similar - answerphone message left at what sounds like a one-man outpost. no call back yet.

3. Called Bank of America at Canary Wharf. Receptionist said it wasn't possible, put me onto their International Information Line which took me to the States. "You need to come to the States.. we need to verify you if you don't have an SSN, driving license or are not a US citizen living here". end of discussion.

i understand your point about a longer visit and getting to know the lie of the land - have already spent four weeks in So Cal this year doing that prior to committing to the visa process, so the visa is really the missing piece of the puzzle now (oh yes, and the bank account!).

i hope to hear back from Wells Fargo and HSBC soon. why is it that i feel that i won't?!

paddy-cal

thanks meauxna

paddy-cal

zonie, was yours a personal rather than business account?

the Wells Fargo at Canary Wharf are under the title of International Personal Banking - haven't been able to speak to them in person yet.

Zonie

Yes it was a personal account, but they may be able to help you in the business account area. Certainly worth a try.

https://www.wellsfargo.com/inatl/con..._banking.jhtml

Orangepants

I used to work for Wachovia in London and when I left in May 2009 - the Wells Fargo gang were moving into the Wachy offices on Fenchurch Street and leaving their Canary Wharf offices - if you call the main line 207 149 8100 - you'll get through to a "real person" (Mary or Bernie) and they should be able to get you through to another "real person".

emailrob

HSBC were very useful to me, so another bump for them. Via my relocation company, I was able to get a referral to open a personal Premier US account remotely. It was open before I moved to the US. It had a $100K minimum balance which they waived. It really helped with my credit score.

I've also opened a UK Premier account now on the back of the US one, and can do nearly immediate currency transfers at very good rates.

FYI, all the accounts are accessible in one "global view" account. Also, I had a First Direct account for years, but that didn't help at all in setting the US account up!

paddy-cal

thanks Orangepants i'll try tomorrow. not sure i know what a "real person" is any more. it's 10.30pm at night here and i've just tried your number, and it certainly is direct to a real voice, so there's hope then!

paddy-cal

that's helpful emailrob. my flat at canary wharf is selling in ten days in anticipation of the move (got to take risk on this kind of project, and i want the equity to fund the project and buy Stateside..) and i'm moving into rental. so maybe i will open a HSBC UK Premier account and put the equity in there for now. that might help swing it for KYC for the US.

i have been with First Direct for 20 years. in four applications they have never once offered me a mortgage (every one else will) because i tend to receive the bulk of my income from director dividends rather than take it in salary. their bank records for me show i have never missed a mortgage or rent payment in 20 years!

paddy-cal

will let you know zonie - they only need to pick up the phone now!

Ginblossom

I have dealt with the Wells F Canary Wharf guy, he is quite good, to a point.

Terry is his name. Basically London is a mailbox and everything gets routed thru San Francisco anyhow.

I hope he helps and I dont want to be the doomsayer here but dont hold your breath PaddyCal. Plus with Thanksgiving tomw, he wont be able to speak to SF anyways.

paddy-cal

thanks Ginblossom (of the "Follow You Down" variety..?! )

i'll keep trying to get hold of him

paddy-cal

Progress with Terry at Wells Fargo Personal Banking who was very helpful.

His area only do Personal Banking. He told me about G-FITS (Global Financial Institutions Trade Services) where foreign banks link to each other via partnerships, to provide corporate services in parts of the world where they themselves can’t reach. For example, Wells can’t provide UK banking but they can link to say Barclays or Lloyds to provide services for their US clients.

He says that my business bank here (Cater Allen) should be able to refer directly to Wells Fargo in the US. There will be a Financial Institutions (FI) person at Cater Allen who would speak to the FI person at Wells in US, and refer me for a business account. Apparently can be done directly by email.

He knows that setting up domestic US corporate services has been done before via G-FITS in this way.

He offered for his colleague who is away in the US at the moment to find out next week who the FI person is for Cater Allen and whether they are UK-based or in Spain. In the meantime I’ll try to follow this up myself.

This sounds more like what I expected from a sophisticated global banking system… but not taking anything for granted...

Wachovia are all out for Thanksgiving, and HSBC still only answerphone.

Madelina

thanks for the detail in your replies here paddy, its a helpful thread for all of us seeing to open any kind of US bank account whilst still in the UK.
kudos and karma to you!
Maddy
xx

CandD

Although our needs are not business related I thought we would only be able to open an account once out there but thanks to your thread I have been on to Terry at Wells Fargo, he has been really helpful and we should be able to get sorted with a lot less hassle than I was expecting!
Thanks for the info, much appreciated!