UK bank account without UK address and living in Thailand

[jednakropka]

I noticed many people are from the UK here so maybe someone could help with her/his knowledge, experience.

I would really appreciate that.

     I lived, worked in the UK for some years (self-employed) and recently went back to Thailand.

I am not a British citizen but was granted settled status (5 years) in the UK.

I have no UK address anymore. In my HSBC UK bank I still have my old UK address and I know I have to update it asap.

I am not sure if I can have open bank account while not living in  the UK. Heard many diffrent stories.

In my bank account I see that it  is possible to update to the address abroad but I am not sure how the bank will react later.

I still have money in my account so obviously I will not be happy if they put my bank account on hold.

Anyone knows something about it or could advise what to do in this situation.

 

[petedk]

Not sure if this is any help.

 

I am British but I lived in Denmark for over 20 years, and then moved to Thailand and have been here for 20 years.

I was given a cheque in the Uk for nearly 100K GBP and when I was there 2 years ago, tried to open a bank account. It was impossible as I didn't have an address there.

 

Ok. I went to deposit the cheque in my Danish bank account. I found out that my account had been blocked and they refused to accept the cheque and told me to close my account as I no longer live in Denmark. I have 2 adult children there and visit them regularly and may even retire there. No way would they allow me to keep my "convenience account" as they called it.

 

I ended up transferring all my money to a Thai account.

[nglodnig]

It may depend on the bank but certainly with Barclays I changed it a European country (NOT in the EU) and then to Thailand - had to show bank statements and other bills to prove I was resident (I think) in that country but nothing more than I believe. I also changed several credit card addresses the same way (although Scumbag Barcalys cancelled my cards years ago due to non-residence ???? )

 

 

[nglodnig]

2 minutes ago, petedk said:

was given a cheque in the Uk for nearly 100K GBP and when I was there 2 years ago, tried to open a bank account. It was impossible as I didn't have an address there.

Hi - different case, AFAIK banks won't OPEN accounts for customers who are non-resident - but if you WERE a customer they are pretty willing to keep you on (usually)

[Kwasaki]

It was not a problem for me to have a bank a/c in UK and they have my Thai  address only as I have no UK address. 

 

My bank UK is First Direct on-line bank and every month money from my private pensions pay into it every month because they won't pay into a Thai bank.

 

They send me my debit card & credit card to me in Thailand. 

Seeing as you have a HSBC bank a/c I cannot see why you cannot get s FD a/c because FD is an HSBC member. 

 

If you need anyone to recommend you you can message me and have my details. 

[CharlieH]

Just get a UK address, change the HSBC bank details to it and job done Wheres the problem ?

[jednakropka]

Just now, CharlieH said:

Just get a UK address, change the bank details to it and job done ? Wheres the problem ?

How I can get that UK address? ????

All my friends moves from UK before me.

[CharlieH]

3 minutes ago, jednakropka said:

How I can get that UK address? ????

All my friends moves from UK before me.

There are MANY Uk Forwarding mail handling companies, use that address and when any mail or bank cards or whatever arrives they simply forward it to you wherever you want (for a fee). Mine costs £90 a year. 

[foreverlomsak]

59 minutes ago, jednakropka said:

I am not sure if I can have open bank account while not living in  the UK.

For a number of years now High Street banks are not supposed to maintain accounts for people that have no UK address.

I have an offshore account based in Jersey and Isle of Man, I believe you can still open one with a foreign address. Look at Transferwise, they can provide you with a borderless account that can provide you with full UK banking facilities and are a lot cheaper than high street to transfer money to Thailand.

 

[Moonlover]

3 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

Just get a UK address, change the bank details to it and job done ? Wheres the problem ?

Please tell us Charlie. How do you 'just get a UK address' when you don't even live there?

 

For the O/Ps benefit, I'm in the same situation as @Kwasakiabove. I've changed address thrice whilst living abroad and I simply change my address using on-line banking. It's never been a problem.

 

As @nglodnigsaid. It's not possible to open an account in the UK if you're not resident, but you can keep an active account open there when you leave the country. I done it many times.

[CharlieH]

Just now, Moonlover said:

Please tell us Charlie. How do you 'just get a UK address' when you don't even live there?

 

For the O/Ps benefit, I'm in the same situation as @Kwasakiabove. I've changed address thrice whilst living abroad and I simply change my address using on-line banking. It's never been a problem.

 

As @nglodnigsaid. It's not possible to open an account in the UK if you're not resident, but you can keep an active account open there when you leave the country. I done it many times.

Read my post its quite clear, and very easy to achieve.

[jednakropka]

2 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

There are MANY Uk Forwarding mail handling companies, use that address and when any mail or bank cards or whatever arrives they simply forward it to you wherever you want (for a fee). Mine costs £90 a year. 

 

But you think that they are not recognized by banks that those addresses are not real home addresses where people live?

 

" Mine costs £90 a year"

Since something works for you so well I would be happy to know their website or name if you do not mind.

 

[CharlieH]

Just now, jednakropka said:

 

But you think that they are not recognized by banks that those addresses are not real home addresses where people live?

 

" Mine costs £90 a year"

Since something works for you so well I would be happy to know their website or name if you do not mind.

 

Happy to help, send me a PM and I'll give youmine and suggest two others so you can make your own informed choice.

[2530Ubon]

26 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

There are MANY Uk Forwarding mail handling companies, use that address and when any mail or bank cards or whatever arrives they simply forward it to you wherever you want (for a fee). Mine costs £90 a year. 

That's really good info - thanks, I didn't know they existed!

 

To the OP, do a simple google search. I found these within 10 seconds:

https://www.ukpostbox.com/services/mail-and-post-forwarding

https://www.skypax.com/

https://yourvirtualofficelondon.co.uk/services/mail-forwarding-london/

https://www.reviano.com/blog/mail-forwarding-services-uk.html

Edited December 18, 2020 by 2530Ubon

[Moonlover]

Thanks Charlie, I saw your response just after I posted.

 

My bank, the Nationwide will not accept a forwarding service as my address as it is not 'my location' as required by their T & Cs. Neither will they send bank cards to a post box address.

 

But as they are quite happy to continue to meet my requirements I'm happy to be their customer.

 

What works for one doesn't always work for another.

 

 

[CharlieH]

1 hour ago, Moonlover said:

Thanks Charlie, I saw your response just after I posted.

 

My bank, the Nationwide will not accept a forwarding service as my address as it is not 'my location' as required by their T & Cs. Neither will they send bank cards to a post box address.

 

But as they are quite happy to continue to meet my requirements I'm happy to be their customer.

 

What works for one doesn't always work for another.

 

 

It is NOT a P.O.Box its a full correct bricks and Motar building with a valid street address with a valid post code. 

Some services will even give you a choice of city.

[Mavideol]

HSBC has expat accounts, maybe you could change/convert your current account to an expat account with an address outside the UK

[pagallim]

5 years ago I needed to return to the UK for a short time.   I hadn't had a UK bank account for quite a few years, but needed to open one.   This I eventually managed to do by using a relatives address to update my UK Driving Licence which was then used to open an account with HSBC.   After several months, and just before I returned to Thailand, I changed my address to my Thai one.

 

I have two pensions paid into my HSBC account, and use their on line facility to transfer when necessary to my Thai SCB account.   Works fine.   I opted to receive statements electronically so no paper mail involved.   What I would suggest is create an on line account if you don't already have one, and use the 'chat' facility to clarify your own situation.

[Yorkshire Tea]

15 minutes ago, Mavideol said:

HSBC has expat accounts, maybe you could change/convert your current account to an expat account with an address outside the UK

They closed mine as i didn't have 50,000 pounds in the current account, & wasn't prepared to pay 15 pounds a month charges, because of that.

[jednakropka]

36 minutes ago, 2530Ubon said:

That's really good info - thanks, I didn't know they existed!

 

To the OP, do a simple google search. I found these within 10 seconds:

https://www.ukpostbox.com/services/mail-and-post-forwarding

https://www.skypax.com/

https://yourvirtualofficelondon.co.uk/services/mail-forwarding-london/

https://www.reviano.com/blog/mail-forwarding-services-uk.html

Many those websites are very shady with bad reviews.

They give the same address to hundreds or maybe even thousand people.

Any bank who would even spend a minute would find out that very quickly.

You are better making address up s than using some of those sites.

[Kwasaki]

1 hour ago, CharlieH said:

There are MANY Uk Forwarding mail handling companies, use that address and when any mail or bank cards or whatever arrives they simply forward it to you wherever you want (for a fee). Mine costs £90 a year. 

Mine bank sends free I don't need a UK address with First Direct on-line banking.

Nationwide UK dump me. 

Barclay's UK dump me. 

OP has HSBC he should not have a problem if he applied to FD, there one of Asia's leading banks. 

[petedk]

1 hour ago, CharlieH said:

It is NOT a P.O.Box its a full correct and valid street address with valid post code. 

Some services will even give you a choice of city.

I tried that too, but the banks that I tried wanted to see utility bills for the past 6 months.

[scubascuba3]

Santander say you can use a foreign address but I don't trust changing it as they could then easily identify foreign accounts and close one day

[Tanoshi]

1 hour ago, foreverlomsak said:

For a number of years now High Street banks are not supposed to maintain accounts for people that have no UK address.

You have to be a permanent resident to open an account, but it can still be maintained if living in Thailand although many services associated with the account could be withdrawn.

( Overdrafts, Travel Insurance, postal service etc).

 

Most of the UK banks currently advising of closing accounts are due to nationals living in the EU.

It has become necessary in some cases due to Brexit and the fact that the UK will no longer be part of the European Economic Area (EEA) after 31 December.

Where UK banks had been able to use the same regulatory framework for all EEA companies under an arrangement known as ‘passporting’, this will no longer be possible after the Brexit transition period is over without a specific arrangement as part of a withdrawal deal.

This means UK banks have to make sure they operate within the various regulatory frameworks of each EU country in order to continue to serve any customers living there; being able to do so is very complicated, and depends on the types of products on offer, the bank’s business model and the regulator’s rules in each country.

 

1 hour ago, foreverlomsak said:

Look at Transferwise, they can provide you with a borderless account that can provide you with full UK banking facilities and are a lot cheaper than high street to transfer money to Thailand.

TransferWise offer options if you need to spend cash in multiple currencies – but, be aware, it’s not a bank, and therefore doesn’t offer services like overdrafts, and your money won’t be protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS).

[Muzzique]

Things are very tough when it comes to UK bank accounts. Even setting up with Transferwise and Revolut, utility bills in your name are required. Setting up an account is not as easy as it was before and will probably get worse once the Brexit trade deal closes.

 

Some banks are flexible, and provided you maintain property or some asset in the UK, they will support you: Others are not.

 

HSBC offer an expat account but the thresholds are high.

 

I would advice you check in with these guys. There  is some useful information on site.

 

https://www.expertsforexpats.com/expat-financial-advice/expat-banking-which-bank-accounts-do-you-need/

 

I'm with Nationwide and use a UK virtual address. However I had the account in place before I left the UK. I had to jump through hoops with Revolut for my new UK account but I managed to do it from overseas.

 

 

 

[CharlieH]

Some posts removed.

 

This topic is NOT about opening a Bank account, the OP already has one.

[foreverlomsak]

1 hour ago, Tanoshi said:

but it can still be maintained if living in Thailand

I was told by the Royal Bank of Scotland in 2005, when informing them of a change of address, that as I was moving to Thailand they were unable to maintain my banking facilities due Government regulations that account owners must have a permanent UK address. Maybe they lied or anticipated future changes to regulations.

[foreverlomsak]

1 hour ago, Muzzique said:

Even setting up with Transferwise and Revolut, utility bills in your name are required.

I opened an account this year with TransferWise they did not require utility bills as proof of address, which are in the wife's name and in Thai anyway. I only opened the transfer ability, maybe you went for a BorderLess account which might be more ownerous, I don't know.

[foreverlomsak]

1 hour ago, Muzzique said:

HSBC offer an expat account but the thresholds are high.

I looked at them years ago as they advertise themselves as the International Bank and said moving money around was easy. Maybe it would have been, but at 5,000 GBP deposit to open an account, 35 GBP to send money to HSBC Thailand from the UK and only having one branch in Thailand made them a no no.

[Moonlover]

55 minutes ago, foreverlomsak said:

2 hours ago, Muzzique said:

Even setting up with Transferwise and Revolut, utility bills in your name are required.

 

55 minutes ago, foreverlomsak said:

I opened an account this year with TransferWise they did not require utility bills as proof of address, which are in the wife's name and in Thai anyway. I only opened the transfer ability, maybe you went for a BorderLess account which might be more ownerous, I don't know.

Opening a TransferWise account is simple. All I had to do was send a copy of my passport and that includes a borderless account as well.

 

If the O/P cannot get any cooperation from HSBC, and this is possible as he is not a UK citizen. Then open a borderless account and transfer his money into it. Job done.