So which UK banks allow non resident British citizens to have accounts in the UK, i'm thinking those of us who are permanently in Thailand.

[Dionigi]

4 hours ago, Pumpuynarak said:

I have a UK address (my son's) that HSBC have but i live permanently here in Thailand, their terms and conditions for having the account is that i must be a UK resident. I was wondering if there was a UK bank who permitted you to have an account with them despite not being resident in the UK.

My Thai wife and I have a joint bank account with HSBC and have had it for 18 years My address with the bank is Thailand. The only problem I have is that some sites will not allow use of my debit card with a Thai address.

[brianthainess]

I have a Nationwide account, and used my Thai address, but I have changed my address to my daughters in the UK simply because of my postman not delivering 2 new card readers here, they are not sent recorded mail. So got her to send it to my wife's shop where the postman delivers to only 4min away ! 

[Purdey]

While I have had a Halifax account for about 35 years, they have not tried to close it and send statements to Thailand. 

When I tried to open an account with other banks while on holiday there all of them said they wouldn't open a new account for an expat. Better to open offshore in Jersey. 

[Surasak]

5 hours ago, bradiston said:

Revolut doesn't operate in Thailand. Try Wise.

My Revolut A/C and card operate in Thailand. Wise will not issue a card to foreigners living in Thailand

[NoshowJones]

4 hours ago, CFCol said:

Royal Bank of Scotland. No problems.

Clydesdale Bank, now Virgin Money also no problem. though I think in both cases it may be wise to open an account using a UK address, then after you come to Thailand tell them.

 

[IvorBiggun2]

4 hours ago, NorfolkBoy said:

originally had accounts weth Lloyds and Co-op Banks. when these were closed because of my Thai residency I opened an account with WISE and have been very happy with them

I was in the Co-op Bank for years but in 2005 I notified them I was going to live in Thailand to which they opened a 'Smile' internet account to help me. Never closed and still operating to this day.

[foreverlomsak]

7 hours ago, Photoguy21 said:

I am with Lloyds

Lloyds what, High Street or International, (which is based in Jersey & Isle of Man).

 

[bradiston]

1 hour ago, Surasak said:

My Revolut A/C and card operate in Thailand. Wise will not issue a card to foreigners living in Thailand

Yes, but you no doubt opened your Revolut account using UK credentials. Can't do it using Thai ones. And once you're settled out here, it's no problem to open a Thai bank account and get a card. Not sure why the OP needs a UK bank account as nobody bothered to ask. I get my 2 UK pensions paid into my Wise account. From there it can go to my Philippines bank, or into my $ account.

 

However, I've discovered there is a catch with Wise. Try paying into certain bank accounts for goods or services provided outside Thailand and you might find Wise will block the transaction and start doing a full KYC on you. I've asked for a full explanation considering I've transferred a lot of £s from the UK into my Wise account, with no questions asked. I've asked the UK financial ombudsman to seek a fuller explanation. So far, their response has been disheartening, along the lines of "they're under no legal obligation to tell you a blxxdy thing!".

Edited April 27, 2023 by bradiston

[foreverlomsak]

7 hours ago, Pumpuynarak said:

and do they know and permit you to maintain the account whilst not resident in the UK ?

Depends which Lloyds high street or International

[driver52]

3 minutes ago, bradiston said:

And once your settled out here, it's no problem to open a Thai bank account and get a card

bit of a catch 22 that cos to settle in the first place you need a bank account ie to get a non-O retirement visa.......and folks keep telling me I can't easily open one anymore as a 'dodgy foreigner' ????

[foreverlomsak]

5 hours ago, CFCol said:

Royal Bank of Scotland. No problems.

2005, when considering moving here, I approached my local branch about registering a Thai correspondence address and was told not possible.

[SussexExpat]

I'm with Santander. They know I'm here and it doesn't seem to be a problem.

However, since the New Year I've had problems providing info for their 'know your customer' team. Yesterday I was on the phone to them for 45 minutes answering their questions. I still have to provide proof of address despite previously sending my P60 with my Thai address on it.

Apparently the Government has told all banks to update their customers info. Apparently Santander are the only bank doing this at the moment but all UK banks will be implementing it in the future.

[brewsterbudgen]

I'm with Lloyds (and have been since 1978) and they have no issue with the fact that I've lived in Thailand since 2005.

[KhaoNiaw]

1 hour ago, bradiston said:

Yes, but you no doubt opened your Revolut account using UK credentials. Can't do it using Thai ones. 

True that you need a UK address. But that will work in combination with a Thai phone number.

[bradiston]

1 hour ago, driver52 said:

bit of a catch 22 that cos to settle in the first place you need a bank account ie to get a non-O retirement visa.......and folks keep telling me I can't easily open one anymore as a 'dodgy foreigner' ????

See an agent.

[bradiston]

30 minutes ago, KhaoNiaw said:

True that you need a UK address. But that will work in combination with a Thai phone number.

I don't get it. Every time this topic comes around - roughly once a month I guess - people come up with endless variations on a theme. Who needs a UK bank account if they're moving to Thailand in any case? Why does the OP need one? Does he need one? Why? Sheeeesh.

[it is what it is]

8 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

If you have a son in the UK your worries are over, just use his address and move on

or another family member, or a friend, it's not difficult

[driver52]

1 hour ago, bradiston said:

See an agent.

yeah probs the solution......Mr independent though me lol AND never liked those middlemen/women/middleasexual/middlealphabet people ????

[Captain Monday]

13 hours ago, Pumpuynarak said:

How much money do you need to have a Coutts bank account?

 

 

We specialise in helping international clients to invest or borrow. You need at least £3m to become a client, depending on where in the world you live.

 

 

I thought it was 10 mil GBP. 

[Andycoops]

Nationwide currently but if they ever decide that they are going to close non resident accounts, I have already opened an account with Wise that I will transfer my pension payments into instead.

 

I believe that if you are not already an account holder when you become an expat, then you won't be able to open an account after you have upped sticks with the main stream banks.

[brianthainess]

10 hours ago, bradiston said:

I don't get it. Every time this topic comes around - roughly once a month I guess - people come up with endless variations on a theme. Who needs a UK bank account if they're moving to Thailand in any case? Why does the OP need one? Does he need one? Why? Sheeeesh.

Some receiving a UK government pension, are very naughty, and having it paid into a Thai bank account, would mean no cost of living increases on your pension. 

[nigelforbes]

7 hours ago, Captain Monday said:

I thought it was 10 mil GBP. 

I had an account there when I was 18, anyone who worked for IPC Group was allowed one. All the statements were hand written, all the tellers and staff were men and wore frock coats. The first time I went overdrawn by a couple of shillings (the day before payday) they closed my account and sent the subsequent balance to me in cash in a brown envelope with a handwritten letter telling me I had contravened the bank rules.

 

I believe they are owned by NatWest now.

[Lucky Bones]

20 hours ago, Captain Monday said:

Simply enroll with Coutts private bankers

You won't have any problems. 

Shop around.

Each bank, branch, cute girl will tell  a different story.????????

[GroveHillWanderer]

12 hours ago, SussexExpat said:

I'm with Santander. They know I'm here and it doesn't seem to be a problem.

However, since the New Year I've had problems providing info for their 'know your customer' team. Yesterday I was on the phone to them for 45 minutes answering their questions. I still have to provide proof of address despite previously sending my P60 with my Thai address on it.

Apparently the Government has told all banks to update their customers info. Apparently Santander are the only bank doing this at the moment but all UK banks will be implementing it in the future.

Santander is not the only bank doing this. I'm currently going through the same process with NatWest International. They've only sent me emails so far but there's been a series of them and I'm currently waiting for one that they said will require me to prove my identity using an app called Hooyu.

 

I'm slightly dreading this as the vast majority of the online reviews (mostly from NatWest customers) say this software fails to work about 90% of the time, refusing to recognise items people are trying to scan, refusing to accept people's names, etc.

[foreverlomsak]

13 hours ago, SussexExpat said:

I'm with Santander. They know I'm here and it doesn't seem to be a problem.

However, since the New Year I've had problems providing info for their 'know your customer' team. Yesterday I was on the phone to them for 45 minutes answering their questions. I still have to provide proof of address despite previously sending my P60 with my Thai address on it.

Apparently the Government has told all banks to update their customers info. Apparently Santander are the only bank doing this at the moment but all UK banks will be implementing it in the future.

Lloyds International have a section on their monthly statements requesting confirmation of Quote "where you are a resident for tax purposes along with your tax identification number".

According to the Thai Revenue Dept I am a tax resident of Thailand, as I live in Thailand for more than 180 days per tax year. Irrespective of where I am a tax resident my UK pensions will be subjected to UK tax.

I do not have a Thai Tax ID, nor do I wish to have one, as it has the potential to open me to double taxation.

[foreverlomsak]

2 hours ago, brianthainess said:

Who needs a UK bank account if they're moving to Thailand in any case?

Me, for one.

Neither of my company pensions will pay into a Thai Bank account now unless I can provide proof of address in the form of a Council Tax Invoice. Have suggested to them to pay into my Wise account, reply "cannot as Wise is not a bank.

[hotandsticky]

13 hours ago, bradiston said:

I don't get it. Every time this topic comes around - roughly once a month I guess - people come up with endless variations on a theme. Who needs a UK bank account if they're moving to Thailand in any case? Why does the OP need one? Does he need one? Why? Sheeeesh.

 

I have lived in Thailand for 16 years. Of course I need a UK bank account so I can control when I choose to remit money to Thailand. Government investments and private dividends are better paid into a UK account.

 

I have accounts with 4 different UK banks + WISE. I also have credit cards with available credit of £80k - that is a useful back up.

 

If you have any income, or particularly assets, in the UK then it is sensible to retain at least one bank account. Preferably with a UK address.

[bradiston]

Just now, foreverlomsak said:

Me, for one.

Neither of my company pensions will pay into a Thai Bank account now unless I can provide proof of address in the form of a Council Tax Invoice. Have suggested to them to pay into my Wise account, reply "cannot as Wise is not a bank.

I think that last is nonsense. The DWP and Royal Mail have both accepted Wise as a bank for paying my pensions into. It has a sort code and an address in the City. Just as much as my previous bank, Virgin One, had. No high street presence. Just online. Used it for the last 8 years for my state pension.

 

And what is a bank, in any case, according to them?

[bradiston]

2 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

 

I have lived in Thailand for 16 years. Of course I need a UK bank account so I can control when I choose to remit money to Thailand. Government investments and private dividends are better paid into a UK account.

 

I have accounts with 4 different UK banks + WISE. I also have credit cards with available credit of £80k - that is a useful back up.

 

If you have any income, or particularly assets, in the UK then it is sensible to retain at least one bank account. Preferably with a UK address.

Yes, but you're talking retaining an account, not opening one. A Wise account gives you an account number, a UK sort code, a BIC, an IBAN, and a SWIFT code, and a City address, so what's the difference? I also use it to decide when to buy foreign currency. $, THB, PHP. Good rates, fairly good commission. Free $ transfers to $ accounts in the EU. And do any of your UK banks pay any inflation beating interest, or any at all, come to that? I guess not. Nor does Wise, but I know a few banks that do within the EU.

[hotandsticky]

5 minutes ago, bradiston said:

Yes, but you're talking retaining an account, not opening one. A Wise account gives you an account number, a UK sort code, a BIC, an IBAN, and a SWIFT code, and a City address, so what's the difference? I also use it to decide when to buy foreign currency. $, THB, PHP. Good rates, fairly good commission. Free $ transfers to $ accounts in the EU. And do any of your UK banks pay any inflation beating interest, or any at all, come to that? I guess not. Nor does Wise, but I know a few banks that do within the EU.

 

WISE is a UK based foreign exchange and financial technology company - and very good they are too. They are not a bank. I use them for currency transfers but I don't leave deposits with them. Interest rates don't really interest me.

 

Be warned 'retaining' a UK bank account is becoming very similar to 'opening one' with some banks. The perceived additional regulatory requirements are cited as the reason for not opening accounts for non-residents........it is only a small step to take that approach to existing accounts where the account holder is non-resident.