Opening a bank account in the UK

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deiseboys

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My son is going to study in the UK..is there anyway he can open a UK bank account before he leaves. I was looking up the internet and it seems you have to be in the UK and can take up to 3 weeks to sort out. Does anyone know if there is a way around this..ty
 
Try calling the bank and see if it can be done through the post...what would be required would be certified copies of photo ID and proof of address along with the application. I know this can be done here as long as there is a valid reason for the account being opened which obviously in this case there is.

Definitely a possibility.
 
deiseboys said:
My son is going to study in the UK..is there anyway he can open a UK bank account before he leaves. I was looking up the internet and it seems you have to be in the UK and can take up to 3 weeks to sort out. Does anyone know if there is a way around this..ty
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HSBC is offering an account you can open from outside the UK with proof of foreign address. Once in the UK you tell them the UK address (no proof needed) and they than send you the visa card and an account statement that you than can use as proof of your UK address.

However there is a 8£ fee a month.

More info [broken link removed].
 
Your son might be able to open up an account prior to heading to the UK if his branch in ireland has a relationship with a UK branch where he is studying. Otherwise, the college/uni will provide a letter of accommodation address and that confirming he is enrolled as a student and this will be used to open an account. I have 2 kids at university in the UK and they have opened accounts using this process - I dont think it took weeks. Your child would have to have enough money for books, expenses to cover a few weeks just in case.
 
My son moved to UK last month and before he went he opened an account with Ulster Bank in Newry. It's a standard current a/c, no charges, has internet banking and he got a Visa Debit Card and a cheque book. He used his Dublin address to open it. No problems getting UK salary paid into it and for setting up Direct Debits, etc., over there.
 
Thanks guys...have checked out internet again and Barclays international you can forward on information to them by post so will give it a go. ty
 
€8 a month sounds like an none resident offshore account. I wanted to star transferring my UK pension to a UK bank 3 years ago, I was unable to find a bank that would open a UK current account without a UK address, I had to use my daughter address and telephone number to do this. Their online banking will not take my Irish telephone numbers or address without a postcode.
 
firstdirect.com are a telephone and online division of HSBC. Always get to speak to a real person on the phone!
They are great, and will open an account by post. Very efficient and I had my account open within 3 days and had my card within 5.
You need a UK address and somewhere for them to call you on a land line (work/home?),

Unsure if they can sort stuff before he gets to the UK. Give them a call, they are really very helpful
 
Before my daughter went to Belfast to study, we went through hoops to open an account in NI for her. At last I gave up but she got one opened in her first week during Freshers week and it took no time.
 
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