Id/address Verification

[Kinter]

Hi all,

I want to open an offshore account and I need to get copies of my passport and a utility bill verified by one of: bank manager, lawyer, policeman etc. Tried the local bank manager and he wasn't up for it. The local lawyers wants 1,500 per signature. I'm sure the local police will look at me as if I'm from mars if I try it with them (they already seem to look at me that way anyway!).

Any cheaper, better recomondations?

Cheers

[Jersey_UK]

Hi all,

I want to open an offshore account and I need to get copies of my passport and a utility bill verified by one of: bank manager, lawyer, policeman etc. Tried the local bank manager and he wasn't up for it. The local lawyers wants 1,500 per signature. I'm sure the local police will look at me as if I'm from mars if I try it with them (they already seem to look at me that way anyway!).

Any cheaper, better recomondations?

Cheers

1) Mail them the ORIGINAL of the Utility Bill(s)..........if needed you can ask for their return once they have taken a copy and certified it. (Make sure it has your name and residential address on (a PO box numner is only ok as long as you also have the actual street address on the Utility.........otherwise change the name of your house to PO BOX 123, make up a sign and take a photo of your house and explain to yer bank that the "PO BOX 123" is simply the name of your house )

2) If your offshore bank has a branch in Thailand, go and visit them - either off the street or arrange via your offshore bank (this should be the preffered option for the Offshore Bank, given Thailand is in the 3rd world, but they might not know this!).

3) if your offshore Bank does NOT have a branch in Thailand visit one that does and PRETEND you are opening an Account with their Offshore Branch

4) If the certification of the Passport only states a "True Copy" of the original and NOT also a "True Likeness" (of the photo) also put it in the mail (obviously a degree of risk with the mail).

[A_Traveller]

Not to derail the OP's request, but anyone know of offshores {either in Thailand or outside} which will accept {suitably certified} lease agreements as opposed to utility bills?

Regards

/edit PS I don't think 3k is too much considering it takes 10 minutes and all is done as opposed to taking a couple of days traipsing around//

[Maestro]

1) Mail them the ORIGINAL of the Utility Bill(s)...

This is, I believe, a British bank’s amusing way of verifying the identity of a person applying for a bank account. In other countries, banks seem to want to see a passport or a certified copy thereof. The OP did not say in what country his intended offshore bank is located.

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Maestro

[torrenova]

But pay Bt1500 today and they'll want Bt2000 tomorrow and then in no time you will not be able to afford it. Lets face it, your average local lawyer is unlikely to make Bt3000 per day nevermind per hour or per 30 seconds !

[Jersey_UK]

1) Mail them the ORIGINAL of the Utility Bill(s)...

This is, I believe, a British bank’s amusing way of verifying the identity of a person applying for a bank account. In other countries, banks seem to want to see a passport or a certified copy thereof. The OP did not say in what country his intended offshore bank is located.

--

Maestro

Amusing?.........I couldn't possibly comment

Maybe once all the UK Citizens are put on the Sex Offenders register and issued with ID cards to prove this things will get a bit easier, cos' hopefully by then the UK government will feel a bit more confident that it knows who it's citizens are so folk offshore can rely solely on Passports issued and not have to bother with Utilities - after all, no actual law to say that a Bank has to know where you live.

[blizzard]

pay lawyer. seems easiest solution to me if you really want the account.

[Maestro]

Kinter, you mention the fee quoted by your local lawyers but don’t say where “local” is. In Bangkok, I remember reading, Sunbelt has a lawyer qualified to give notarial services and charges less than 500 Baht for the certification of a passport copy. Can’t remember the actual fee that was mentioned, 300+ Baht, I believe.

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Maestro

[naka]

1) Mail them the ORIGINAL of the Utility Bill(s)...

This is, I believe, a British bank’s amusing way of verifying the identity of a person applying for a bank account. In other countries, banks seem to want to see a passport or a certified copy thereof. The OP did not say in what country his intended offshore bank is located.

--

Maestro

Utility bill is for proof of address, not identity, certified passport copy is still required for that.

Naka.

[Jersey_UK]

1) Mail them the ORIGINAL of the Utility Bill(s)...

This is, I believe, a British bank’s amusing way of verifying the identity of a person applying for a bank account. In other countries, banks seem to want to see a passport or a certified copy thereof. The OP did not say in what country his intended offshore bank is located.

--

Maestro

Utility bill is for proof of address, not identity, certified passport copy is still required for that.

Naka.

Proof of address is not required to prove where you live (ain't no laws to say a Bank has to know where a customer sleeps at night time - or with whom )...........although your bank may not fully understand this................it's just become accepted practice / "good enough" to collect these as a part of the proof of identity requirement to "Know Your Customer", simply because a Passport is not good enough (I blame the issuers!) which is kinda worrying given that when flying a Passport does seem to be accepted without the 2 utility bills - but that is another thread. Of course a "naughty person" (a technical offshore banking term ) may or may not have great difficulty in coming up with a fake of either..........or indeed genuine ones.

Not to derail the OP's request, but anyone know of offshores {either in Thailand or outside} which will accept {suitably certified} lease agreements as opposed to utility bills?

Not off hand. But..........depending on a magical combination of how much you are worth, the intelligence of the person you are dealing with and those who sign the bits of paper behind the scenes, a bit of luck, an R in the month AND what other bits of paperwork you can offer to prove your identity they can (and do) relent at least partially on the utility bills front. A certified copy lease agreement would not usually be acceptable on it's own (not to say they have not been or won't be).

[Kinter]

Thanks for all the input all, especially Jersey for some good tips, and torrenova who I agree with. It's not the 1,500bt per signature, but more the principle off being over charged when you know the sevice here should cost a fraction of that. Thanks also Maestro. I will check out Sunbelt (far more reasonable sounding price) for my passport verification, and send original utilities like Jersey suggested. I am in Bkk by the way, but not centrally located.

I've done a bit of research and reckon that the Isle of Man suits me best. The Bank I decided on wants, a) verified copy of passport and, original (I just checked) or verified copies of 2 utility bills/bank or credit card statements.

This is an internet sterling account offering 6.35% annual or 6.01 monthly. It seems to be the best deal for me I can find (I like the instant access part), but if anyone knows of a better deal I'd be interested to hear about it.

One other thing. Tomorrow, I'll give it a go and brave the police in more central part of the city, you never know they might even surprise me and do it for free! I'll let you know how it goes.

Cheers

[CRUNCHER]

Think you will find this is all to do with anti terrorism/money laudering. Banks and financial institutions the world over now want more information to open an account. Anyone tried opening a bank account in Thailand recently.

A shame, but it is a sign of the times and the kibd of world we live in.

[tangoll]

As an aside, I'll tell you how one Hong Kong bank (major UK bank) dealt with my request to have bank verify my ID and signature. A branch manager said there was no internal bank policy/procedure to do this, but this manager said he/she was willing to stamp the bank seal on whatever piece of paper I wanted to stamp but unsigned, and it was up to me to write whatever I wanted anywhere on that piece of paper.

So, bingo, the bank seal which said "For and on behalf of Bank Name Ltd, signed......." was stamped on my document, and I took care of the rest.

No charge for that service.

[JAS21]

Hi all,

I want to open an offshore account and I need to get copies of my passport and a utility bill verified by one of: bank manager, lawyer, policeman etc. Tried the local bank manager and he wasn't up for it. The local lawyers wants 1,500 per signature. I'm sure the local police will look at me as if I'm from mars if I try it with them (they already seem to look at me that way anyway!).

Any cheaper, better recomondations?

Cheers

I used Sunbelt in BK...efficient and value for money. I opened an offshore account with HSBC (Allience & Leicester) Isle of Mann 6.4% internet account. Just google A&L international.

Banks are not allowed to verify passports anymore.

[fletchsmile]

Utility bill in the UK is for proof of address. As the UK don't have the big brother ID cards required in much of the rest of the world, they ask for a utility bill or other document proving your address. A passport doesn't prove anything in terms of address or residency. eg I have a UK passport issued in Asia in a country different to the one I'm now in.

[Jersey_UK]

Banks are not allowed to verify passports anymore.

News to me. Not to say it isn't true of course

But, if you are using the same bank (just different branches / countries) their is no reason why they should not - and every reason why they should.........would suggest if having problems talking to the offshore end to make arrangements locally.........with a bit of luck will also save the cost of a stamp