Hi All,

Hopefully this will be the final stupid question before we're off to Bangkok for the VFS appointment!

OK, so my question is regarding photocopies of my bank statements - will it matter if I blank out the account number on the statements? I just don't feel particularly comfortable handing over an abundance of identity information along with savings account numbers... who knows how many hands the information will pass through? Perhaps I'm being too paranoid...

Thanks again, and hopefully the next time you'll hear from me is after a successful application

I've done it every time, at least I redact part of the number on the original statement.

I've never had my actions queried.

To be honest I wouldn't tamper with them. I believe that the statements are supposed to be originals with the bank's official stamp on it. However, it is clear from recent topics that these rules have been relaxed somewhat especially since the popularity of internet banking. Copies without bank's stamps are generally being accepted but I personally would not give them an excuse to strictly enforce the rules by erasing any of the details.

At the end of the day your bank account number is not a state secret. Although I can understand your wish for privacy everytime you write a cheque your name, account number and sortcode goes all the way through the banking system with goodness knows how many people having access to it.