Look here first--> Banking in the UK

bethlee77
CanuckAbroad Regular



Joined: 03 May 2007
Posts: 43
Location: Edinburgh

Posted: Fri Oct 12, 2007 11:49 am

 

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It's no problem but just make sure that you have a bill that you can show them with your Scottish address, valid passport and evidence that you are looking for or have found work in Scotland. That's all they need. Once that is shown, it's easy! It was just longer for me bc I didn't have a utility bill. I finally received my pin number for my bank account and now i'm waiting for a verification code for digital banking (online banking). Good luck!

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Nixxi
New Member



Joined: 26 Oct 2007
Posts: 5
Location: Kent

Posted: Sat Dec 29, 2007 12:44 am

 

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My experience was easy peasy.

When I applied at Barclays (Strood, Kent). I brought in my job offer letter, my TD Bank statement, Passport, my current Master Card,Ontario driver's licence and the manager did a credit check on the spot and voila I had an account.
I was told I'd have to wait a year for a UK credit card though. My Canadian credit card expired and they (Bank of Montreal) never warned me they wouldn't renew it.

Luckly, if I need to get somethings on credit my British husbnd does it for me and I just pay him the money insted. Come January 13th it will be a year am here so I will be able to apply for one shortly, wow where has the year gone

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maplefanta
New Member



Joined: 15 Jan 2008
Posts: 2
Location: London

Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008 12:01 pm

 

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My experience with UK banking was quite good as well, I am with Lloyds and it was troubleless to open the account and get a pretty good service at my branch.

Lloyds was easy because you didn't need a proof of UK address to open the account nor any specific documents other than the passport for Canadian.
Lloyds had an agreements that enable canadians (and a certain number of other nationalities) to open an account with only a passport.
Other banks (NatWest particularly) I had visited previously immediately turned me down requesting particular paper or a renting contract which I didn't have.

I got to create my account with my passport - driver license and employment letter. I did it at my local branch in Poole.

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Classroom Canada
Junior Member



Joined: 07 Feb 2008
Posts: 18
Location: Victoria, BC

Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2008 1:19 pm

 

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If you're a teacher, I can help you get a bank account from Canada, so you avoid this whole process. It's quite simple & can really make your life easier once you arrive in the UK. Just look for Classroom Canada on google and track me down through there - there's no charge to you either.

Cheers,
Victoria

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lynndyhop
Senior Member



Joined: 29 Jan 2008
Posts: 79
Location: Staffordshire

Posted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 3:37 pm

 

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Hi Everyone!

Another banking idea - HSBC has banks in Canada as well as the UK. While they can't do an automatic activation of a UK account, they do start processing your account activation here, and then when you arrive, you go to a branch, flash your passport and something confirming your current address (offer from an employer, UK driver's license, NIC, Gas/Elec bill or Phone bill, and it's all set up for you on the spot.

Since I'm planning on turning in my BC Drivers license for a uk one, I'm going to use that, plus my passport.

Hope that helps!
_________________
Lynndyhop.

I'm not an American! I am a Canadian. I come from a "nice", thoroughly unrealistic country.

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murtle_007
CanuckAbroad Regular



Joined: 03 Oct 2006
Posts: 41
Location: Scotland

Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 6:58 pm

 

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I was just googling looking for banking info, and came across http://www.google.tracked.traveltowork.co.uk/ and wondered if anyone else has seen and or heard of it. Apparently they say they can open a bank account for you in 5 days? I'm just curious, sounds almost to easy to be true, but then they do want a credit card number. Also, did anyone keep their canadian accounts, I have a high interest savings account and was hoping to keep some my money in it earning interest as a bit of a fallback. Or for special occasion. I'd want to transfer money every month or two to it, but that could probs get expansive to do. I shall have to ask my bank! Was hoping to do online transfers
_________________
I liek caek! (guinness caek!) And men in kilts, RAWR!

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lynndyhop
Senior Member



Joined: 29 Jan 2008
Posts: 79
Location: Staffordshire

Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2008 7:41 am

 

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I'd be very dubious of anyone wanting a credit card number up front.

I'm keeping my canadian accounts as I want to keep my Canadian credit rating - when you go to the UK, you lose all your credit rating - it will take awhile to even get a UK credit card, so I'm told by a friend who moved over in November.

There is a significant cost for transfering - depends on the bank and the amount, but it sounds like it'll be about 12 - 15 pounds each transfer - I have to do this as I have a mortgage I am paying off in Canada and will be transfering some of my hard-earned UK pounds to my Canadian account to pay the mortgage down!

Hope that helps!
_________________
Lynndyhop.

I'm not an American! I am a Canadian. I come from a "nice", thoroughly unrealistic country.

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murtle_007
CanuckAbroad Regular



Joined: 03 Oct 2006
Posts: 41
Location: Scotland

Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 5:56 pm

 

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ach, so I went to my bank today to ask a few questions, and before I could get them all out the teller had said something about writting a letter wiht my uk address, and before i knew it she ok? so i said.ok ty :|. I still have no idea what she really said! So I have gone to OHIP and they know im leaving, so now im left stressing about bank accounts. I am not looking for a job until June or July, I wont have any utility bills with my uk address, no drivers licence. This will teach me to leave things to last minute! And i like the HSBC idea but that will still cost me lots to deposit money to my rbc account once in a while!
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I liek caek! (guinness caek!) And men in kilts, RAWR!

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