How to open a UK bank account in England or in the rest of the UK, how to set up a savings account before leaving home to make the most of your travel money, and tips and advice on using internet banking abroad
Opening a bank account in the UK – open UK bank account for non-residents
If you plan to stay in the UK for longer than three-months, then your best option is to open a new bank account in UK. A local bank account will enable you to receive local wages, money transfers, tax credits and it will make it easier and cheaper to pay local bills.
To open a UK bank account can be a lot harder than you think even if you are British!
From personal experience we suggest you should look into organising a ‘UK bank account set-up package’ with a travel assistance company before you leave home to avoid any hassles. This is a very popular method of opening a bank account in the UK and we recommend this option based on first-hand experience. For a small fee (approximately AUD $75) your UK bank account will be organised for you, helping you to avoid all the usual red-tape you will encounter if you attempt to open a new bank account in UK on your own.
Some ‘UK bank account set-up packages’ also offer incentives such as a free UK mobile SIM cards, free mobile phone credit, free calling credit with an international phone card and a other potentially useful/useless things.
Overall, it is a very appealing package and your only commitment to open a bank account in UK is generally to turn up to a orientation meeting or a meeting with bank representatives. You will generally need to bring with you: proof of residency from your country of origin, personal identification, your passport (including your visa information) and original copies of previous bank statements.
It is also possible to DIY before leaving home just make sure you have packed the following documents to assist with opening a bank account in the UK or your UK ‘bank account set-up package’:
- A reference letter from the bank of your country of origin stating your banking history and your status as a customer of their institution.
- At least three-month’s worth of recent, original bank, savings and credit card statements.
- Any work references or contact details of referees.
Banks may need some or all of these to assist with your application.
To learn more about how to open UK bank account for non-residents from your home country, how to purchase a UK ‘bank account set-up package’ from a travel assistance company before you leave home or how to set up a bank account once you arrive in the UK, visit the WORKgateways ‘Opening a UK bank account’ page [http://www.workgateways.com/working-uk-banking.html]. At WORKgateways you can open bank accounts online - apply online for the Visa First [http://www.workgateways.com/working-uk-banking_visafirst.html] or 1st Contact [http://www.workgateways.com/working-uk-banking_1st-contact.html] UK bank account set-up packages.