Open UK Bank account from Thailand

[Gabe H Coud]

Looking for feedback from forum members as to what they think the best UK bank account is to use whilst here in Thailand on a long term basis. 

 

However I would need to able to open it from here in Thailand. 

 

I've been  with Santander for about 8 years now  and I am absolutely sick to death of them, they're the absolute worst! Even when you simply just go on their mobile app and ask a question it will lock  you out not only of the mobile app but on the PC as well. 

Which means that you have no choice but to phone them up from Thailand which takes at least an hour and cost a lot of money and a lot of stress  and anger. 

If you simply move money from one account to another the security gets triggered and again you get thrown out of the account. They're an absolute nightmare, I've had enough of them I'm looking to change to another

Recommendations please?? 

 

TIA

[Kwasaki]

I think you need to be a resident of UK and have a UK address.

 

I have an online UK bank but I was a long term customer and they let me keep the account in my Thai address.

 

 

[anchadian]

No problem opening offshore bank accounts namely, Lloyds Int'l, Standard bank (SA), HSBC, Barclays and others.

[Jackbenimble]

You need to have a UK address and telephone number - and they need to believe that you live there. Monzo is an online bank and it's easy to open with both of the above. 

[hansombeast]

Not straight forward as it once was, without their criteria almost impossible with the high street banks. UK address and phone number are amongst some of the criteria asked for

[Liverpool Lou]

39 minutes ago, Gabe H Coud said:

However I would need to able to open it from here in Thailand. 

No UK bank will open new accounts remotely, particularly for residents of Thailand, don't waste your time trying to find one that does.

 

UK accounts are only available for UK residents

[Liverpool Lou]

16 minutes ago, anchadian said:

No problem opening offshore bank accounts namely, Lloyds Int'l, Standard bank (SA), HSBC, Barclays and others.

The problem for the OP may be that they're not UK banks.   Lloyds won't entertain new accounts for Thailand residents.

[Gabe H Coud]

Thanks for the replies

 

I have a fully legit address in UK (my house) and telephone number 

 

I believe that entitles me to claim UK residency(I might be wrong on that???) 

 

I also submit tax returns 

 

However would I still be able to open account from here? 

[Kwasaki]

26 minutes ago, Gabe H Coud said:

Thanks for the replies

 

I have a fully legit address in UK (my house) and telephone number 

 

I believe that entitles me to claim UK residency(I might be wrong on that???) 

 

I also submit tax returns 

 

However would I still be able to open account from here? 

OK try my bank it's an online bank First Direct .

Go online first and then you will have to probably telephone them as well maybe for them to arrange an account.

[Captain Monday]

Enroll with Coutts private banking.

[phetphet]

Just some suggestions:

 

Are you doing your phone banking from a Thai phone number? That might be your problem.

 

Same if you are doing online  banking. It might be worth trying with a VPN set to UK.

 

I keep a phone with a UK number which is registered with my bank and I use that for receiving OTP's or phone banking.

 

Almost impossible to open a new  UK bank account without a registered UK address nowadays. They often want proof of address such as a current UK driving licence or Council Tax bill.

If you can hide the fact that you are not in the UK, and also provide required documents, you might  get away with it.

[OJAS]

1 hour ago, Gabe H Coud said:

 

I have a fully legit address in UK (my house) and telephone number 

That might still be problematical with any new debit and/or credit cards which you might wish to link to a new onshore UK bank account, though. Sure the bank could send these to your UK address, but would whoever is now living there be willing to go to the trouble and expense of forwarding them on to you in Thailand in a sufficiently secure manner (i.e. through a courier service such as DHL, I would suggest)?

 

In any event, if you are renting out your UK property through a managing agent, you may well have had to sign a landlord's agreement with the agent which includes a provision forbidding you to get mail addressed to you sent to your property - just as I had to do when I rented out mine.

 

[Gabe H Coud]

36 minutes ago, phetphet said:

Just some suggestions:

 

Are you doing your phone banking from a Thai phone number? That might be your problem.

 

Same if you are doing online  banking. It might be worth trying with a VPN set to UK.

 

I keep a phone with a UK number which is registered with my bank and I use that for receiving OTP's or phone banking.

 

Almost impossible to open a new  UK bank account without a registered UK address nowadays. They often want proof of address such as a current UK driving licence or Council Tax bill.

If you can hide the fact that you are not in the UK, and also provide required documents, you might  get away with it.

1. Thai number - Santander have repeatedly assured me they are OK with Thai number and that that's OK for OTP. But in reality you may have a huge point here and I'm going to challenge them on this when I eventually get the little swines on the phone! 

 

2. As re UK address I can prove everything re my house council tax you name it. 

 

But it gets back to my previous question. What is the precise definition of a UK resident versus a non resident? I'm just on a long vacation. 

 

At what point do the UK government say eg "now you've been out of the country for 3 years, you no longer qualify to be a resident"??? 

 

[Gabe H Coud]

9 minutes ago, OJAS said:

That might still be problematical with any new debit and/or credit cards which you might wish to link to a new onshore UK bank account, though. Sure the bank could send these to your UK address, but would whoever is now living there be willing to go to the trouble and expense of forwarding them on to you in Thailand in a sufficiently secure manner (i.e. through a courier service such as DHL, I would suggest)?

 

In any event, if you are renting out your UK property through a managing agent, you may well have had to sign a landlord's agreement with the agent which includes a provision forbidding you to get mail addressed to you sent to your property - just as I had to do when I rented out mine.

 

Not rented out for clarification. Cards are forwarded by my son who checks property bi monthly thanks 

[Gabe H Coud]

I just need to find a way of paying off my Halifax Clarity credit card as that's what I use to live on here ie to get cash. 

 

I then transfer from Santander to pay off the cash advance to nullify any interest charges 

 

I have some savings accounts linked to Santander but going forward I could link them to another UK bank whose systems didn't lob me out every time I used them! 

 

Hence me asking on here how others get on with other UK banks 

 

[RichardColeman]

Thus showing the benefits of owning your own UK residence (and renting it out) and travelling back once a year or so. I travel back once a year for an NHS consultant and check on my house, and pop into the bank and withdraw a few hundred quid, just to show my face at the bank and show in the UK. Only issue I ever had was the UK phone number, and them wanted to see me in the bank to update the number

[topt]

17 minutes ago, Gabe H Coud said:

But it gets back to my previous question. What is the precise definition of a UK resident versus a non resident? I'm just on a long vacation. 

There is what HMRC call the residency test - here is part of it

https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/residence-domicile-and-remittance-basis/rdrm11040

 

However if you have not told them you have left and that you want to be considered as non resident, are still paying taxes that you would not have to pay as a non-resident, have a UK address and are paying council tax as you say then you should be able to get hold of a UK bank account - not sure if they ask for utility bill in your name however? 

 

First Direct (as mentioned by Kwasaki) always get's good reviews as an online bank. I use Lloyds and have had no issues with using onlne banking but I always go via a vpn to the UK. 

[Mac Mickmanus]

2 hours ago, Gabe H Coud said:

Thanks for the replies

 

I have a fully legit address in UK (my house) and telephone number 

 

I believe that entitles me to claim UK residency(I might be wrong on that???) 

 

I also submit tax returns 

 

However would I still be able to open account from here? 

Have you tried to open a UK bank account from Thailand ?

Rather than asking advice, it may be an idea to actually try and do it , that way you get first hand information 

[Kwasaki]

45 minutes ago, OJAS said:

That might still be problematical with any new debit and/or credit cards which you might wish to link to a new onshore UK bank account, though. Sure the bank could send these to your UK address, but would whoever is now living there be willing to go to the trouble and expense of forwarding them on to you in Thailand in a sufficiently secure manner (i.e. through a courier service such as DHL, I would suggest)?

 

In any event, if you are renting out your UK property through a managing agent, you may well have had to sign a landlord's agreement with the agent which includes a provision forbidding you to get mail addressed to you sent to your property - just as I had to do when I rented out mine.

 

My UK bank will send cards to my Thai address.

[topt]

29 minutes ago, Gabe H Coud said:

Not rented out for clarification. Cards are forwarded by my son who checks property bi monthly thanks 

Order a PAYG UK sim from Giff Gaff or Asda or whoever. I think Giff Gaff deliver to Thailand or just get your son to post. Put £5/10 on it should last forever as SMS are free to receive. Just normally need to make na chargeable event every 6 months.

Use that no. to open a new UK account. Most phones these days have slots for 2 sims or use a cheap phone purely for that.

 

Otherwise you may struggle with a Thai no. for a new UK account.

[Gabe H Coud]

1 hour ago, Mac Mickmanus said:

Have you tried to open a UK bank account from Thailand ?

Rather than asking advice, it may be an idea to actually try and do it , that way you get first hand information 

Perfectly fair point but my question was "which one was best?" 

 

Based on answers I'll then happily try to do it 

 

Thanks 

 

Ps I used to watch you on the telly on Sat afternoons when I was a kid! ????????

[Gabe H Coud]

1 hour ago, topt said:

Order a PAYG UK sim from Giff Gaff or Asda or whoever. I think Giff Gaff deliver to Thailand or just get your son to post. Put £5/10 on it should last forever as SMS are free to receive. Just normally need to make na chargeable event every 6 months.

Use that no. to open a new UK account. Most phones these days have slots for 2 sims or use a cheap phone purely for that.

 

Otherwise you may struggle with a Thai no. for a new UK account.

I already have a UK phone number as mentioned above thanks 

[Gabe H Coud]

1 hour ago, Kwasaki said:

My UK bank will send cards to my Thai address.

Which bank please? 

[Kwasaki]

1 minute ago, Gabe H Coud said:

I already have a UK phone number as mentioned above thanks 

The UK phone number is not important people have mobiles my UK bank has my mobile number it is a UK address that's what's important. 

[Gabe H Coud]

1 hour ago, topt said:

There is what HMRC call the residency test - here is part of it

https://www.gov.uk/hmrc-internal-manuals/residence-domicile-and-remittance-basis/rdrm11040

 

However if you have not told them you have left and that you want to be considered as non resident, are still paying taxes that you would not have to pay as a non-resident, have a UK address and are paying council tax as you say then you should be able to get hold of a UK bank account - not sure if they ask for utility bill in your name however? 

 

First Direct (as mentioned by Kwasaki) always get's good reviews as an online bank. I use Lloyds and have had no issues with using onlne banking but I always go via a vpn to the UK. 

I will be looking into First Direct thanks but wanted to get feedback on other UK banks used by expats in Thailand eg issues with mobile apps transfers etc 

 

Thanks 

[PPGuy]

1 hour ago, Gabe H Coud said:

I just need to find a way of paying off my Halifax Clarity credit card as that's what I use to live on here ie to get cash. 

 

I then transfer from Santander to pay off the cash advance to nullify any interest charges 

 

I have some savings accounts linked to Santander but going forward I could link them to another UK bank whose systems didn't lob me out every time I used them! 

 

Hence me asking on here how others get on with other UK banks 

 

If you have a Halifax CC can you not open a bank account with Halifax? Would that not solve your problem? 

[Kwasaki]

1 minute ago, Gabe H Coud said:

Which bank please? 

I have posted already First Direct a member of the HSBC group.

[Gabe H Coud]

1 minute ago, Kwasaki said:

The UK phone number is not important people have mobiles my UK bank has my mobile number it is a UK address that's what's important. 

I have that too as mentioned above, thanks 

[Gabe H Coud]

Just now, Kwasaki said:

I have posted already First Direct a member of the HSBC group.

Ah my bad 

[Gabe H Coud]

1 minute ago, PPGuy said:

If you have a Halifax CC can you not open a bank account with Halifax? Would that not solve your problem? 

Er, probably yes I'll look into it. I had the card from when still in UK. Hopefully now I'm not they will still treat with me for a current account