Any UK bank which allows a Thai address and tax residency.

[Liverpool Lou]

19 hours ago, BangersBob said:

So maybe the OP just needs a UK address, but can tell his bank he's working in Thailand and no longer tax resident?

He needs to open a new account and he won't be able to do that in the UK without proving his UK-resident status: ID, utility bills and  being on the electoral roll.  Most banks, if not all, will require him to be there in person also.  It's not as simple as just pretending to have an address by using someone else's.

[KannikaP]

9 minutes ago, LivinLOS said:

Yeah I am 48 and its my younger brother.. 

Not every poster on here is the over 60s crowd.. Only most.. 

I do not mean from old age. there are many ways to die

 

 

 

[LivinLOS]

5 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

He needs to open a new account and he won't be able to do that in the UK without proving his UK-resident status: ID, utility bills and  being on the electoral roll.  Most banks, if not all, will require him to be there in person also.  It's not as simple as just pretending to have an address by using someone else's.

none of that is an issue.. And almost all of the UK banks open accounts fully online now.. Your impression is simply not how it really is. My wife managed to open a Monzo GBP bank account within 24h of getting off the plane, simply with a UK prepaid mobile SIM in her phone. 

I can only speak for my own experiences first going back to get established in 2016.. I have since then opened 5 plus accounts.. Including all the fintecs like Starling, Monzo, Atom, as well as Lloyds Santander etc with none of those things.. All the accounts are opened to a commercial property address my family owns with no residential attached to it. No utility bill, no electoral roll, etc. 


 

[Liverpool Lou]

5 minutes ago, LivinLOS said:

16 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said:

He needs to open a new account and he won't be able to do that in the UK without proving his UK-resident status: ID, utility bills and  being on the electoral roll.  Most banks, if not all, will require him to be there in person also.  It's not as simple as just pretending to have an address by using someone else's.

Expand  

none of that is an issue.. And almost all of the UK banks open accounts fully online now.. Your impression is simply not how it really is. My wife managed to open a Monzo GBP bank account within 24h of getting off the plane, simply with a UK prepaid mobile SIM in her phone. 

My "impression" is the result of experience of trying to open a UK account from here.  The OP is not in the UK.   

How long ago was your wife's account opened, was it opened without you there or without your assistance?  Did she have a credit record?   An income?   This is what Barclays, for example, require for a new account opened online currently...

Things you'll need

• Your addresses for the past 3 years – your current address will need to be in the UK
• Your income and employment details, including full company address
• If you’re resident for tax purposes outside the UK and/or a US citizen, you’ll need your foreign tax residency details and tax identification number(s)(TINs). It’s a regulatory requirement for all banks to ask these questions

 

That's just the first page.   Don't imagine the others will be much different.

[JAS21]

On 9/7/2022 at 6:59 PM, foreverlomsak said:

When my Thai wife came to live with me in England in 20 years ago, my UK High Street bank wouldn't allow me to open a joint account with her unless she could provide Utility Bills in her name and of course no bank account = no utility bill, catch 22.

So it's not something new.

Twenty years ago I didn’t have any problem making my current account with the Royal Bank of Scotland to be a joint one with MrsJ.

 

After we came to live here full time I wanted to do the same with another account, that did require quite a bit of verification and a complete pain….

[VocalNeal]

On 9/7/2022 at 4:56 PM, OneMoreFarang said:

International Banking Products & Solutions | Standard Bank

 

They will ask lots of questions about residency and where the funds originate. 

Apparently???? Thailand is high on the list of potential money laundering.

 

The process could not be called quick.

Edited September 8, 2022 by VocalNeal

[VocalNeal]

1 hour ago, LivinLOS said:

none of that is an issue.. And almost all of the UK banks open accounts fully online now.. Your impression is simply not how it really is. My wife managed to open a Monzo GBP bank account within 24h of getting off the plane, simply with a UK prepaid mobile SIM in her phone. 

I can only speak for my own experiences first going back to get established in 2016.. I have since then opened 5 plus accounts.. Including all the fintecs like Starling, Monzo, Atom, as well as Lloyds Santander etc with none of those things.. All the accounts are opened to a commercial property address my family owns with no residential attached to it. No utility bill, no electoral roll, etc. 


 

Sorry if this sounds dumb. But why are you asking for a friend if you have already done it so many times already????

[OneMoreFarang]

19 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

They will ask lots of questions about residency and where the funds originate. 

Apparently???? Thailand is high on the list of potential money laundering.

 

The process could not be called quick.

As far as I know they have to ask. Because if they don't ask, then they are in trouble if i.e. laundered money is in their bank.

When I opened an account some time ago they asked questions. And I answered the questions, and no problem.

And when I deposited a substantial amount of money they asked where it came from. And I told them, and no problem.

 

If someone has large amounts of cash and wants to open an account and deposit that cash, then (I guess) any diligent bank will ask where the money comes from. That's banking business in 2022. 

[NanLaew]

4 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

As far as I know they have to ask. Because if they don't ask, then they are in trouble if i.e. laundered money is in their bank.

When I opened an account some time ago they asked questions. And I answered the questions, and no problem.

And when I deposited a substantial amount of money they asked where it came from. And I told them, and no problem.

 

If someone has large amounts of cash and wants to open an account and deposit that cash, then (I guess) any diligent bank will ask where the money comes from. That's banking business in 2022. 

Just register a charity and open an account for it. Then you can accept great gobs of cash in suitcases and holdalls, just like our new British king did.

[Madgee]

On 9/7/2022 at 4:18 PM, Liverpool Lou said:

No UK bank will open a new account for non-residents.  Those you refer to will have retained a UK address on the bank's records and I doubt if any of them that need to keep the account open would dare tell the bank that they actually live in Thailand.

AFAIK, No UK bank will open a new account for non-residents, I totally agree. 

 

I've had a Nationwide account for over 40 years and have had no UK address for over 15 years. They have always had my current address on record in whatever country I have lived in, Spain, China and now Thailand. Debit cards have always been automatically sent to my current address and card readers on request. I am not on any electoral role in the UK. I think Nationwide B/S is an exception in that they are willing to keep an account open if the customer maintains a positive balance.  

 

Info:

I believe interest on accounts is now paid in full regardless of status, not deducted at source. It is up to the individual to declare it for tax purposes.

'Personal Savings Allowance
You may also get up to £1,000 of interest and not have to pay tax on it, depending on which Income Tax band you’re in. This is your Personal Savings Allowance.' 

[VocalNeal]

3 minutes ago, Madgee said:

AFAIK, No UK bank will open a new account for non-residents, I totally agree. 

But there are banks that can be considered UK based from a banking procedure point of view???? Say, in the IOM.

[actonion]

I have a UK Nationwide bank account..  which i had to have a UK address to open, having opened the account, i asked what happens if i  move to Thailand, they replied it would not be a problem, my replacement  Debit card can be sent to a Thai address.. 

[Robin]

I have just been in UK and looked into just this.  Both HSBC and Santander will allow a UK current account with a Thai address. But there are caveats:

1. To qualify for these accounts you must be a UK resident or taxpayer.

2 Mastercard will not send new card to Thailand.  To get a Mastercard it has to be sent to an address in UK, or other approved country.

 

Be careful about a joint account with your wife.  Does she qualify for a UK bank account?  i.e resident or taxpayer.

I had a joint a/c with wife, and when this was closed, I could not transfer this to anything except another joint a/c.  Sinc wife was not in UK at the time, not possible to have new joint a/c.

If you want your wife on joint a/c, you must have documentary evidence that she exists in the name on the account. e..g. Mrs. xxxx LIvinLOS.

if she has kept her Thai passport in her maiden name, then in UK banking eyes she does not exist as your wife.  As far as I know, Thai passport plus UK marriage certificate will not pass.

When I opened my joint a/c in UK, I was friend of the manager, and her simply approved the account, and no question asked.  Now he has retired, not so easy.

Steer clear of Nat West.  They have closed my joint a/c without giving any reason, and will only transfer balance to another joint a/c. which I cannot open.

I am not sure about your position as joint a/c holder if your wife died.  It could be complicated and you would find your a/c frozen.  i think at the least you wife would need to have made a will leaving he money in that a/c to you., and even then a/c could be frozen until you have probate.

In my in-expert opinion, best thing would be to have sole a/c in UK, or if you have joint a/c gat on-line banking so that you can transfer money from that a/c if anything happened to you wife.

Not such a problem in Thailand;  here we have a joint a/c at Kasikorn, in my name and her Thai name, but.... if you use this account for retirement visa, you need to have 1,600, 000 Baht not 800,000 Baht.

 

[OJAS]

3 hours ago, Robin said:

Steer clear of Nat West.  They have closed my joint a/c without giving any reason

Ditto TSB:

 

 

[The Fugitive]

4 hours ago, Robin said:

I have just been in UK and looked into just this.  Both HSBC and Santander will allow a UK current account with a Thai address. But there are caveats:

1. To qualify for these accounts you must be a UK resident or taxpayer.

2 Mastercard will not send new card to Thailand.  To get a Mastercard it has to be sent to an address in UK, or other approved country.

 

Be careful about a joint account with your wife.  Does she qualify for a UK bank account?  i.e resident or taxpayer.

I had a joint a/c with wife, and when this was closed, I could not transfer this to anything except another joint a/c.  Sinc wife was not in UK at the time, not possible to have new joint a/c.

If you want your wife on joint a/c, you must have documentary evidence that she exists in the name on the account. e..g. Mrs. xxxx LIvinLOS.

if she has kept her Thai passport in her maiden name, then in UK banking eyes she does not exist as your wife.  As far as I know, Thai passport plus UK marriage certificate will not pass.

When I opened my joint a/c in UK, I was friend of the manager, and her simply approved the account, and no question asked.  Now he has retired, not so easy.

Steer clear of Nat West.  They have closed my joint a/c without giving any reason, and will only transfer balance to another joint a/c. which I cannot open.

I am not sure about your position as joint a/c holder if your wife died.  It could be complicated and you would find your a/c frozen.  i think at the least you wife would need to have made a will leaving he money in that a/c to you., and even then a/c could be frozen until you have probate.

In my in-expert opinion, best thing would be to have sole a/c in UK, or if you have joint a/c gat on-line banking so that you can transfer money from that a/c if anything happened to you wife.

Not such a problem in Thailand;  here we have a joint a/c at Kasikorn, in my name and her Thai name, but.... if you use this account for retirement visa, you need to have 1,600, 000 Baht not 800,000 Baht.

 

Thanks very much for taking the time and trouble to post this valuable information. I have Mastercard credit cards with both Santander and Halifax Bank. Very recently (in the last week) I was told by Customer Services of both banks that there is no problem with having a Thailand address or of sending renewed/replacement cards to Thailand. Makes life more interesting I suppose!

[LivinLOS]

On 9/8/2022 at 1:17 PM, Liverpool Lou said:

My "impression" is the result of experience of trying to open a UK account from here.  The OP is not in the UK.   

How long ago was your wife's account opened, was it opened without you there or without your assistance?  Did she have a credit record?   An income?   This is what Barclays, for example, require for a new account opened online currently...

Things you'll need

• Your addresses for the past 3 years – your current address will need to be in the UK
• Your income and employment details, including full company address
• If you’re resident for tax purposes outside the UK and/or a US citizen, you’ll need your foreign tax residency details and tax identification number(s)(TINs). It’s a regulatory requirement for all banks to ask these questions

 

That's just the first page.   Don't imagine the others will be much different.

'The OP' is me and the person this was about is in the UK.. 

My wife literally got off the plane, I wanted her to have her own bank card for carrying funds so first day got a sim, added Monzo app, opened the bank account.. No job, no credit card, no work history, no anything.. 

People can keep repeating things they think to be facts but thats what happened when we actually tried it. I also have all kinds of EUR accounts with no EUR utility bill. Fintecs seem to open accounts based on posting the debit card to the address to verify address. 

 

[LivinLOS]

23 hours ago, VocalNeal said:

Sorry if this sounds dumb. But why are you asking for a friend if you have already done it so many times already????

because opening an account for a Thai in the UK has zero connection to which banks allow a UK person to have a Thai address once account is established. Apples and Oranges. 

[VocalNeal]

Just now, LivinLOS said:

because opening an account for a Thai in the UK has zero connection to which banks allow a UK person to have a Thai address once account is established. Apples and Oranges. 

So not related to the topic then????

[Robin]

I think that when opening a bank account in UK, an automatic check will be made to see if you are on the Electoral Roll at the address you give..

I believe that most UK banks now prefer you to open an account on line from their web-site.  Anyone wanting a UK bank account could try this and see if they ae rejected.  I believe that if you do this you will later have to present yourself and official ID, (Passport) at a branch.  Never a good idea to tell  lies to your banker, you might need his help later.

I have recently, this year, opened bank accounts with HSBC and Santander in UK, both wanted to see my passport as ID.  Both banks were aware that my principal address was in Thailand, but I also have a UK address and am on electoral roll there.  I also pay tax in UK on un-earned income.  I am not allowed to open a joint account with my Thai wife as she does not live in UK and all her ID documents are in her Thai name, as we have not registered our marriage in Thailand

[FridgeMagnet1]

On 9/7/2022 at 4:28 PM, phetphet said:

My bank did a recent check  on me and asked me if I was UK tax resident. I lied and said yes. Hope it doesn't come beck to bite me on the a***.

Have not lived there for almost seven years now. I do use a UK address for the account though.

 

I think you will find it very difficult to open a UK account nowadays without several documents proving you live there. e.g. Utility Bills, Council Tax bill, UK driving licence.

I did the same thing. Something popped up during online banking on Santander asking me if I was UK resident and I said yes (I haven’t been for 15 years) 

nothing ever came of it. This was like 2 years ago