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Banking Options for Foreigners in the UK

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When immigrating to the UK, there are several banking options available for foreigners. Here are some of the popular banks and the requirements to open an account:

Requirements to Open a Bank Account

To open a bank account in the UK, you typically need the following documents:

  1. Proof of Identity: Specifically, your passport, national ID card/BRP, or UK driving license. These work
  2. Proof of Address: Utility bill, tenancy agreement, or a letter from your employer.
  3. Proof of Employment or Study: A letter from your employer or educational institution.

Types of Accounts

  1. Current Account: For daily transactions and managing your finances.
  2. Savings Account: For saving money and earning interest.
  3. Student Account: Special accounts for students with benefits like interest-free overdrafts.

Notes

  1. All basically done in an app now.
  2. They might validate your address by sending a document with a OTP to prove you live where you say you live.
  3. To get an appointment at a branch might take weeks and you might get asked to make an appointment online at the bank branch so try to avoid the actual branch unless they ask you to go.
  4. Some South African banks like the one with the Zebra logo… allow you to open an account and then add a UK based account which gives you a UK based bank card even before you are in the UK. This helped me a lot.
  5. Try however to get a proper, retail account like with one of ht ebigger banks mentioned above. SOme online only bankcs that can give you a debit vard will also work, but personally I prefer to get my account, and all my other banking requirements like credit cards from the same company but this is a personal preference.

By following these steps and providing the necessary documentation, you can successfully open a bank account in the UK as a foreigner.