Opening a UK Bank Account

Using personally-directed or commercially-used accounts in foreign banking establishments gives possibilities to preserve and increase savings and to freely carry out settlements with foreign clients and suppliers. It gives access to globally-functioning financial establishments not available in some other market-spaces and helps to bypass currency restrictions based on residence. One of trustworthy and appealing jurisdictions offering auspicious terms of cooperation is UK. In event it’s decided to open a bank account in the UK, you’ll become a part of a streamly-developing market-space ready for global progressive movements. 

Regardless of the selection of English or EU banks, with professional assistance of our company’s experts, your plans will be implemented as soon as possible. Our team has been assisting entrepreneurs in getting accounts in different banking branches for plenty of years. Managers are ready to grant expert advice on all issues; we’re aware of all normative points and rules obligatory for banking accounts in Armenia, Germany, any Asian space and US states.

Banking system of England

History of the UK banking-system goes back 300+ years. Since the 17th, English banking establishments have been known for trustworthiness, confidentiality and highly-set level of service. These privileges are complemented by prestige, a widely-expanded spectrum of services, modern financially-related tools and numerous branches worldwide. This’s why wealthy foreigners tend to place their material assеts in British banking units. Nevertheless, accounts in English branches are needed not only by foreign businessmen. In the UK, most payments, incl. utility bills are carried out without cash. Therefore, students or specialists who come on a long-term work visa need to enter into agreements with locally-established banking units.

Opening a bank account in the UK for non-residents: categories of UK-located establishments

1. Retail category: high-scale establishments providing a widely-covering diapason of services to corporately-used and privately-directed clients. Most of UK’s oldest banking establishments – Royal Scotland Bank, Lloyds and Barclays – are retail ones. It might be complicated for foreigner persons to independently start cooperation with them.
2. Private: they focus mainly on individuals and are less demanding of clients. They’re convenient for daily payment transactions. Nevertheless anyone may get commercial accounts in private establishments; it may be a paid service. One of the oldest private ones is Coutts, launched in 1692.

In frames of online bank account opening in the UK, it needs to be mentioned that costs of servicing is often low, and sometimes non-existent for some period. Private clients are granted with free-of-charge checkbooks and plastic cards; they can be sent by mail to specific addresses. People may control their expenses via SMS-alerts, virtual banking or a smartphone app. Wealthy foreigners place their funds in British banking units for plenty of reasons, but not for highly-received income. Interest on deposits usually doesn’t exceed 2%; on this profit account-holders should pay taxes.

How to evade refusal opening a business bank account in the UK

For immigrants, opening a company bank account in the UK might be a horrendous task, specifically if they’ve no longer come. There aren’t governmental bans on banking-related services for foreigners, if you apply on your own refusal probability can reach 98%. Those who successfully pass due-diligence tests may face inquiries from a banking establishment about the origin of large cash receipts. These rigorous rules are due to the authorities’ desire to combat fraud and illegal monetary means circulation.

Procedure 

Opening a bank account in the UK as a foreigner demandes completing next-mentioned phases.

1. Come to a personally-arranged meeting with managers.
2. Be proficient in English at a level sufficient to orally cooperate with employees.
3. Documentation of legally-approved funds origin.
4. Demonstrate confirmation of UK-registered address.

To own all such tools, one should demonstrate identity confirmation as well.

According to requirements for opening a bank account in the UK, commonly-required documentation consists of:

• ID: residency-confirming card or passport with UK-visa;
• confirmation of locally-registered residence;
• proof of permanent immigration status (needed by most banks).

Confirming your residential address may be difficult for newly arrived foreigners who have not yet rented a home. It’s usually done evolving utilities payments. Next-mentioned can serve as proof:

• account recordings or statements from any English banking facility;
• rental agreement with owner name on the letterhead of a British real estate agency;
• letter from the state employment unit with social security number;
• for opening a student bank account in the UK it’s a certificate from college and school containing student’s registered location confirmation.

All establishments may request resume and income reference. Exact documents list depends on norms and rules of unit chosen.

How to open a bank account in the UK from abroad? To get a corporate UK account, you’re required to possess a wider documentation package, including data about the organization, its activities and income.

1. Firm name and registration reference: banking authority verifies data on Companies House website.
2. In-details-formed plan of company’s business-activities: types of proposed transactions, currencies evolved and countries with which cooperation is/will be conducted.
3. Copies of invoices or agreements with UK-partners.
4. Personal data of each director and shareholder with a share of more than 10-25%.

To enter into an agreement with a British bank, you’ll need a business-address – actual location of the company’s office or production based locally.

Best banks in the UK for non-residents are Royal Scotland Bank, Barclays, Coutts, Lloyds, Metro and EFG. Latter is especially strict towards foreign investors, and most applications are rejected at the preliminary review stage.

Our team grants interested clients a variant of getting offshore banking account with fully-covering support, and an extensive list of plenty of services.

1. Individual selection of banking units: clients’ needs and goals are bear in mind for optimal selection of appropriate services.
2. Minimizing refusal risks: expert approach helps reduce likelihood of refusal.
3. Quick opening: it’s possible within 24 hours.
4. Corporate accounts getting in 2 weeks: effective time controlling and distribution for business-goals.
5. Assistance in collecting and preparing documentation: clients are granted with assistance at all stages.
6. Providing a business-address: to get a firm account, corresponding address is provided.
7. Legal support: qualified advice and support at all stages.
8. Remote cooperation: possibility of a process without necessity for client’s personal presence.
9. Professional translation: accurate and high-quality translation of mandatory documentation is provided.
10. Complete confidentiality: the confidentiality of clients’ data is guaranteed.

Our company’s specialists possess widely-expanded expertise cooperating with banking establishments in the UK/EU. We’ll help you collect and submit obligatory documents, pass verification and successfully get accounts in GB banking units.