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.

[driver52]

34 minutes ago, kingkenny said:

I am a Thailand resident

what even is a 'resident' nowadays??? seriously, what's the Thai government definition?

i carry a UK passport but I've spent many years living in frogland.....in fact I wish I had a frog passport, certainly easier to travel to cuntries that don't hate the brits and yankees so much.......and with good reason eh ????

[kingkenny]

18 minutes ago, driver52 said:

what even is a 'resident' nowadays??? seriously, what's the Thai government definition?

i carry a UK passport but I've spent many years living in frogland.....in fact I wish I had a frog passport, certainly easier to travel to cuntries that don't hate the brits and yankees so much.......and with good reason eh ????

I live here, 19 years, I reside here. not rocket science mate.

[driver52]

2 minutes ago, kingkenny said:

I live here, 19 years, I reside here. not rocket science mate.

ok cool, 19, good innings ????.......just remember we'll all die eventually and then you'll become 'space dust' again....

until then, have fun sir!! blimey, 19 year in this heat, that deserves a medal ????

[The Fugitive]

14 hours ago, kingkenny said:

I live here, 19 years, I reside here. not rocket science mate.

You don't maintain as much as a library borrowing card from your home country? Seriously, some of us remain registered with general practitioners, dentists, opticians etc. on the basis that if we weren't in Thailand that's where we would be. 

[kingkenny]

1 hour ago, The Fugitive said:

You don't maintain as much as a library borrowing card from your home country? Seriously, some of us remain registered with general practitioners, dentists, opticians etc. on the basis that if we weren't in Thailand that's where we would be. 

It does not matter what I have in this context, the fact is the bank, Monzo, did not ask for any of this when I applied online for the account, they simply wanted an address to send the card to, which arrived the following day. The ID required in this instance was a picture of me, holding my passport open at the ID page, nothing else was needed for the standard bank account.

 

If I want a CC or overdraft etc then they would require more documents, I just wanted a simple saving account, with app access and a debit/ATM card.

[The Fugitive]

14 hours ago, kingkenny said:

It does not matter what I have in this context, the fact is the bank, Monzo, did not ask for any of this when I applied online for the account, they simply wanted an address to send the card to, which arrived the following day. The ID required in this instance was a picture of me, holding my passport open at the ID page, nothing else was needed for the standard bank account.

 

If I want a CC or overdraft etc then they would require more documents, I just wanted a simple saving account, with app access and a debit/ATM card.

Thanks for this! It appears to be the simple solution and proves very useful to know for anyone who has been 'closed out'. 

[kingkenny]

1 minute ago, The Fugitive said:

Thanks for this! It appears to be the simple solution and proves very useful to know for anyone who has been 'closed out'. 

Just to be clear, a UK address.

[The Fugitive]

21 hours ago, simon43 said:

AS per KingKenny's post, I was able to open an account with Halifax when I was back in the UK for a couple of months earlier this year.  I used my hotel address, showed my passport at the local branch and received a debit card through the post, plus access to my account online.  (I don't actually need such a bank account, but it made sense to open the account since it was easily available).

Many thanks Simon! Good to know that you don't need to be on the UK electoral roll and lived at a UK address for a certain length of time. I understand Halifax permit you to have a permanent address abroad although they won't send renewed/replacement cards to Thailand. At least that is what their customer services told me approx 12 months ago. 

[IvorBiggun2]

7 minutes ago, The Fugitive said:

I understand Halifax permit you to have a permanent address abroad although they won't send renewed/replacement cards to Thailand.

Smile Bank does.

[sandyf]

On 5/22/2023 at 9:21 AM, Mike Teavee said:

www.ukpostbox.com
 

I did ask the guy who recommended it what proof of address he needed for his bank to change to this address & he was able to do it all online with no proof necessary… 

 

That is the company that I use, and yes you can change your address on an HSBC account without any proof.

I had been doing it for about 18 months when the bank somehow detected that the address I had been using from "ukpostbox", their prime street address service, was in fact a PO Box in disguise.

[sandyf]

On 5/22/2023 at 9:35 AM, Chivas said:

Why attempt to troll subsequently............

Obviously constructive coments are not a strong point.

[Photoguy21]

On 5/22/2023 at 1:28 PM, Liverpool Lou said:

Every UK bank agrees on one rule, new account applicants must be UK-resident.  There are no exceptions.

I still have my account and I have been in Thailand for almost 40 years

[Liverpool Lou]

27 minutes ago, Photoguy21 said:

On 5/22/2023 at 1:28 PM, Liverpool Lou said:

Every UK bank agrees on one rule, new account applicants must be UK-resident.  There are no exceptions.

I still have my account and I have been in Thailand for almost 40 years

You and many others, that's why I referred to new accounts, not existing accounts (which could be closed by the bank at any time they choose).    Tell them that you're no longer UK resident, it'd be interesting to know their reaction.   

[GroveHillWanderer]

1 hour ago, Photoguy21 said:

I still have my account and I have been in Thailand for almost 40 years

I also have a UK account despite living abroad for over 40 years. However the post you were replying to wasn't about people who have existing accounts (like us) it was about non-UK residents opening new accounts now.

[hotandsticky]

7 minutes ago, GroveHillWanderer said:

I also have a UK account despite living abroad for over 40 years. However the post you were replying to wasn't about people who have existing accounts (like us) it was about non-UK residents opening new accounts now.

That is 100% but, as I have cautioned previously, it is not a huge step to next focus on existing non-resident account. If they don’t want non-resident accounts then that principle surely applies to new and existing.

 

Just have a plan B is my advice.

[dayo202]

2 hours ago, Photoguy21 said:

I still have my account and I have been in Thailand for almost 40 years

Which bank ?

[Jenkins9039]

On 4/28/2023 at 11:12 AM, NextG said:

parently 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.

Glad i'm not the only one - started apparently in November, I deposited a small amount into the bank to transfer to someone in the UK and it was 'frozen'.

 

I've since written it off - they were asking too many intrusive questions about me financially as a non resident it's not their business and certainly not the UK Gov's.

[Pumpuynarak]

14 hours ago, hotandsticky said:

That is 100% but, as I have cautioned previously, it is not a huge step to next focus on existing non-resident account. If they don’t want non-resident accounts then that principle surely applies to new and existing.

 

Just have a plan B is my advice.

and what would that be ?

[dayo202]

1 hour ago, Pumpuynarak said:

and what would that be ?

Good question ⁉️

[hotandsticky]

7 hours ago, Pumpuynarak said:

and what would that be ?

You will probably prefer to do your own research but WISE would certainly be on my list as a backup.

[Pumpuynarak]

16 hours ago, hotandsticky said:

You will probably prefer to do your own research but WISE would certainly be on my list as a backup.

But Wise is not a bank ehh ? Now with my UK HSBC online account i can and do transfer GBP to recipients in the UK, would i be able to do that with Wise ?

 

I do have a Wise account for monthly income transfers to my BB account in Thailand.

[hotandsticky]

4 hours ago, Pumpuynarak said:

But Wise is not a bank ehh ? Now with my UK HSBC online account i can and do transfer GBP to recipients in the UK, would i be able to do that with Wise ?

 

 

Yes, I do it every month 

 

HSBC is my main account (I have 4 others) but I use WISE for any currency transfers......I just paid for car hire in Spain via WISE.

 

 

[Pumpuynarak]

23 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

Yes, I do it every month 

 

HSBC is my main account (I have 4 others) but I use WISE for any currency transfers......I just paid for car hire in Spain via WISE.

 

 

Thanks, but this is not a currency transfer, i am transferring GBP from my HSBC bank account to UK residents UK bank accounts.

[hotandsticky]

2 minutes ago, Pumpuynarak said:

Thanks, but this is not a currency transfer, i am transferring GBP from my HSBC bank account to UK residents UK bank accounts.

Yes ..I told you that I do the same every month with WISE. Same currency transactions do not attract a charge.

[Pumpuynarak]

42 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

Yes ..I told you that I do the same every month with WISE. Same currency transactions do not attract a charge.

Apologies for my ignorance mate, i will have to investigate Wise, i've only had the account for approx 3 years and use it every month lol Now that would deffo be a Plan B if HSBC ever close my account.

So how do they make any money if they don't make a charge ?

[Pumpuynarak]

6 minutes ago, Pumpuynarak said:

Apologies for my ignorance mate, i will have to investigate Wise, i've only had the account for approx 3 years and use it every month lol Now that would deffo be a Plan B if HSBC ever close my account.

So how do they make any money if they don't make a charge ?

Would they accept my monthly pension transfers into my account as HSBC do ?

[hotandsticky]

20 minutes ago, Pumpuynarak said:

Would they accept my monthly pension transfers into my account as HSBC do ?

Yes. Several friends, who burned their bridges by closing UK bank accounts, have private and state pensions paid to WISE.

[hotandsticky]

30 minutes ago, Pumpuynarak said:

Apologies for my ignorance mate, i will have to investigate Wise, i've only had the account for approx 3 years and use it every month lol Now that would deffo be a Plan B if HSBC ever close my account.

So how do they make any money if they don't make a charge ?

No apology required, we only know what we know.

 

It is personal choice which account to use, but considering WISE as the Plan B is a smart move IMO. 

 

WISE don’t make money on Sterling to Sterling transfers (neither do HSBC)……. WISE do charge on currency transfers but their exchange rates are always much better than, say, HSBC, that makes them the best choice for moving Baht to Thailand. WISE transfers are often immediate and can also be made at a weekend.

[treetops]

1 hour ago, Pumpuynarak said:

Would they accept my monthly pension transfers into my account as HSBC do ?

If you're talking about a UK private pension, it depends on your pension company.  There's a poster on here whose pension company won't pay to Wise as they're not a "real" bank.

[Pumpuynarak]

15 hours ago, treetops said:

If you're talking about a UK private pension, it depends on your pension company.  There's a poster on here whose pension company won't pay to Wise as they're not a "real" bank.

I have 2 UK private pensions and the UK state pension, i'll check with my private pension company if they will transfer to Wise, thanks for the heads up.