Look here first -> Banking in the UK

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!

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!

There are a number of services which will help you organize a bank account for a small fee. Whether you need them or not is up to you.

If you are new to the country you'll probably be paying bank charges for the first 6 months at which point provided you've been a solid customer you can ask them to remove these fees. At least this was my experience with Natwest.

HSBC UK has a passport Bank account which you can start if you like:

http://www.hsbc.co.uk/1/2/personal/curr ... :12ntf1n0a

I've heard from various people that setting something up at HSBC in one country doesn't always make it easier to get your account to another

Another thing that I've been given to understand is that in general the banks quite willing to help you set up an account provided you have proof of address(something official like a bill with your name and address on it.), and an offer of employment, along with your visa.

I set up my account through the swap program so it was really just me making an appointment and walking down to the bank and telling them the program I was with and that I wanted an account and that was about it.

I applied for my visa with SWAP, and when attending my orientation at teh BUNAC office in Edinburgh, I found out they have an agreement with RBS at teh corner of North Bridge and the Royal Mile. They type out a letter for you, and with your passport and a letter of referance from your canadian bank, will get you an account. I havent gone in to open mine yet, will let you know how it goes when it do! So if going Edinburgh, I suggest using BUNAC for help once you get there!

I imagine you would have to cancel your canadian credit cards once you arrive and get one's from Britain correct? Does your credit rating transfer country to country?

Unfortunately, no - it does not transfer - you start from scratch. For that reason, I'm keeping my card until I qualify for a UK one.

so then you probably keep a canadian bank account open to repay your canadian credit cards online if they are used right? or can you pay your canadian credit cards bills with a british account if they are used until you get a british credit card?

I'm keeping my account, but also getting a British account. You will find that there are costs with transfering money to your canadian account, though.

I finally went to open my account and it was a breeze so far, i just said i have a referance from BUNAC and the teller whipped out the forms, and photocopied my passport details. So forms are filled, go in few days to get my account info

Credit is very important and something that gets quite confusing when you move to England. I lived in London for three years, cancelled my Canadian credit cards bc I was having problems getting money from my Natwest account into my RBC account, so was always late with payments. This was also affecting my student loan payments.

I finally sorted it all out through a company called tranzfers, where I could pay them 7 pounds to transfer money from my UK acct into my CNDN acct in 6 days or less, which meant that I could pay my OSAP student loans on time. The banks took 30 days, charged 17 pounds AND screwed up every time. So Tranzfers really saved me big time.

Now that I am back in Canada, I have had to really work on my Canadian credit. I recommend keeping your CNDN stuff up to date as well as the UK banking. I'd like to purchase an apartment in a few years and know it;s going to be a struggle.

I don't think I can post links here, but if you google UK Tranzfers you'll find them. I still use them to get paid from the UK and they haven't screwed up once (sadly I can't say the same thing for Natwest).
Cheers
Victoria