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Thanks for this! The bank account saga is an item on my to do list I am dreading, so it's nice to know there's at least one reasonable bank in the UKSY wrote:http://blog.myspace.com/yerra
Yes, HSBC has an account type called a Passport Account, which can actually be opened online before you even arrive in the UK. It's a savings account and looks to be geared toward immigrants.mayana wrote:Try HSBC, this bank has a saving account for first timers in the U.K, its easy and straight forward, just visit any of the high street branch with ur passport(stamped with your permit,visa, etc except visitors' visa.
Be wise
Mayana
It's been convenient for me because:wanna_bee wrote:Just curious , why is it convenient to have a UK bank account when not in UK ? what are the advantages ?
I arrive on the 10th and my plan is to try all the other banks first and then if all else fails, give HSBC their 60 GBP.ssvgopal wrote:Hi Everyone,
I have also heard about the HSBC passport account. Is it justified to pay the 60GBP fee, or any other alternative exists?
I am coming to UK on 25th Aug, and need search for a job. So, any advice resulting in some savings for me is really really appreciated.
Thanks,
Sai
UKbound wrote:I opened my Barclays account in the US before I moved to the UK. They have an international programme that allows you do have the current account before you get to the UK, based upon your info at home. I had to send proof of my address (non-UK), and a copy of my passport as well as a bank statement from my existing bank. It wasn't all that complicated and it was good to have it out of the way.
Now that I'm in the UK and earning pounds, it's also important to me to be able to move funds back to the US.. Barclays is very expensive for this, so I'm switching to Citibank. They have options to have accounts in pounds, but also to have an account in several other foreign currencies as well, dollars, yen, euros, etc. It's helpful if you need to write cheques or have funds in your home currency too.
avjones wrote:Hi jagacharaja - just a couple of points you might find handy. We have "cheques" here (rather than "checks", which means making sure of something, confirming it is correct, etc). And we have current accounts, which I think are the same as checking accounts in the US.
UKbound wrote:I opened my Barclays account as part of their International Premier program. It's opened in Knightsbridge, but I did it from the US.
The website is http://www.barclays.com/internationalpersonal/
Unfortunately, it looks like the minimum to open now is 10k GBP. If you're bringing that much with you, then it's not a big deal, but it's quite steep.
It includes a Visa debit card, cheques, etc. And I have used it since I got here, although as I mentioned I'm in the process of switching to Citibank because of the multiple currency options.
Hope that helps. :-/
jagacharaja wrote:yeap i read this option on their website. 10k gbp is a bit much. seems like their (free) cash card account is the way to go as opposed to hsbc (60gbp) passport account as of now...
UKbound wrote:I opened my Barclays account as part of their International Premier program. It's opened in Knightsbridge, but I did it from the US.
The website is http://www.barclays.com/internationalpersonal/
Unfortunately, it looks like the minimum to open now is 10k GBP. If you're bringing that much with you, then it's not a big deal, but it's quite steep.
It includes a Visa debit card, cheques, etc. And I have used it since I got here, although as I mentioned I'm in the process of switching to Citibank because of the multiple currency options.
Hope that helps. :-/