ruthwin Posted July 15, 2013 Share Posted July 15, 2013 Hi, Sorry, I have only just joined this forum, but being reading things for months now. I havn't seen anything that answers the question I have so I thought I would ask one myself. It's probably rude to ask before answering someone else's question...so hence my apology. But...my question is about how to go about opening up a bank account in the UK before leaving Australia. I have only ever opened an account once over there but as we have a house to sell and more money to move I wanted to sort something out as soon as we sold the house ( with the dollar fluctuations at the moment) Is it possible to open something online and transfer funds? Has anyone done this before? I don't have any dates in mind as we have more than a house to sell and it could take months but I like to be organised. Thanks any help is appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeeBoDee Posted July 15, 2013 Share Posted July 15, 2013 Hi ruthwin, welcome to the forum. I opened an account with NAB from the UK fairly recently which was very quick and easy to do. Here's the link I used: http://migrant.nabgroup.com/en Obviously I can't speak for other banks, but I imagine most make it as easy as NAB do. Hope this helps somewhat x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ Posted July 15, 2013 Share Posted July 15, 2013 Hi ruthwin, welcome to the forum. I opened an account with NAB from the UK fairly recently which was very quick and easy to do. Here's the link I used: http://migrant.nabgroup.com/en Obviously I can't speak for other banks, but I imagine most make it as easy as NAB do. Hope this helps somewhat x They want it the other way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeeBoDee Posted July 15, 2013 Share Posted July 15, 2013 They want it the other way! What an idiot I am! I can only blame it on being early Monday morning :nah: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 15, 2013 Share Posted July 15, 2013 I am not sure there are banks that do this now. I thought HSBC did but you'll have to trawl their website yourself as I don't have time to right now. Also look at NAB or any other Aus bank that has a UK division and enquire if they have UK branches etc then perhaps you could use one of those. Failing that, keep your Aus bank account open, arrive in UK, open UK account and transfer over what you want/need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diane Posted July 15, 2013 Share Posted July 15, 2013 Pretty sure they've tightened up all the rules and you can't do this any more. We tried to open accounts up for the kids in the UK and it ended up the only way we could do this was for them to physically go into the bank when they were on holiday there with us, and we had to give my parents' address there for them. It's to stop money laundering. I phoned up several banks that had branches in both Australia and UK but none of them would do it from here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoseBrown1972 Posted July 15, 2013 Share Posted July 15, 2013 Message fizzy bangs, shes just moved back and knows a lot about opening a bank account in uk from here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amibovered Posted July 15, 2013 Share Posted July 15, 2013 http://www.cbonline.co.uk/private/offshore-migrant-banking/migrant-banking-private/moving-to-the-uk/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thistle13 Posted July 15, 2013 Share Posted July 15, 2013 When I visited in 2011 to seal my decision to move. I trawled the different banks asking if I could open a bank account. None of me would let me if I didn't have a resident UK address. Im going back in March 14 and I'm thinking I'll do what Snifter suggests and leave Aus bank account with funds ready to transfer, but check out the transfer mobs, as some charge more than others. You can take upto $15000 in cash into UK as ready cash I case there's any delay. Also I thot about sending some via wire transfer and have my son pick it up for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sapphire Posted July 15, 2013 Share Posted July 15, 2013 (edited) NAB migrant banking Go onto the website and you can open an account from Aus, in the UK Its free and really easy to do Your account will be ready and waiting when you get back to the UK You can open an account with Yorkshire bank or Clydesdale(only Scotland) Just let them know which town you are returning to and they will set it up at the nearest branch to you The last time I enquired HSBC, would do it, but you had to have an account with them in Aus and then they would open an International account for you, in the UK, but it was either $200 or $300 to do it,,,,NAB migrant banking is definatly your best bet Edited July 15, 2013 by Sapphire Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruthwin Posted July 15, 2013 Author Share Posted July 15, 2013 thanks so much for your replies. I will look into the NAB one . Its a way off yet as we havn't even got the house ready for sale. But even if I get one opened and start transferring odd bits here and there that would be good. Just getting spooked by the dollar fluctuations abit as we were banking on having a great exchange rate. But anyway, that's not the important bit I suppose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jen85 Posted July 16, 2013 Share Posted July 16, 2013 thanks so much for your replies. I will look into the NAB one . Its a way off yet as we havn't even got the house ready for sale. But even if I get one opened and start transferring odd bits here and there that would be good. Just getting spooked by the dollar fluctuations abit as we were banking on having a great exchange rate. But anyway, that's not the important bit I suppose. I am doing the same as you next year however every bank I have spoken to have said no you can't because of money laundering laws. The Commonwealth Bank and NAB in London are only for migrants leaving UK to come to Aus they don't provide any other services. Let us know if you have any luck with a bank! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bev1410 Posted July 16, 2013 Share Posted July 16, 2013 Hi,Sorry, I have only just joined this forum, but being reading things for months now. I havn't seen anything that answers the question I have so I thought I would ask one myself. It's probably rude to ask before answering someone else's question...so hence my apology. But...my question is about how to go about opening up a bank account in the UK before leaving Australia. I have only ever opened an account once over there but as we have a house to sell and more money to move I wanted to sort something out as soon as we sold the house ( with the dollar fluctuations at the moment) Is it possible to open something online and transfer funds? Has anyone done this before? I don't have any dates in mind as we have more than a house to sell and it could take months but I like to be organised. Thanks any help is appreciated. Try the HSBC, at www.hsbc.co.uk I think you could open an online account from Australia? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patsmb Posted July 16, 2013 Share Posted July 16, 2013 When I visited in 2011 to seal my decision to move. I trawled the different banks asking if I could open a bank account. None of me would let me if I didn't have a resident UK address. Im going back in March 14 and I'm thinking I'll do what Snifter suggests and leave Aus bank account with funds ready to transfer, but check out the transfer mobs, as some charge more than others. You can take upto $15000 in cash into UK as ready cash I case there's any delay. Also I thot about sending some via wire transfer and have my son pick it up for me. Depending on who you bank with In Oz you can often set up your own internet transfers -we bank with Bank SA which is St Georges bank and it costs $20 a transaction I think going into the bank they charge $30 There is the fascilty to send up to $75,000 per day I would imagine that other banks do the same Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sapphire Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 thanks so much for your replies. I will look into the NAB one . Its a way off yet as we havn't even got the house ready for sale. But even if I get one opened and start transferring odd bits here and there that would be good. Just getting spooked by the dollar fluctuations abit as we were banking on having a great exchange rate. But anyway, that's not the important bit I suppose. You only get a year to activate the account,in the UK, so dont open it too early, or they will close it, and you will have to go through it all over again:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sapphire Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 (edited) I am doing the same as you next year however every bank I have spoken to have said no you can't because of money laundering laws. The Commonwealth Bank and NAB in London are only for migrants leaving UK to come to Aus they don't provide any other services. Let us know if you have any luck with a bank! If you go into NAB branch they are hopeless and dont know anything about it.They dont open an account with NAB in London, they open you an account with one of thier partner banks, either Clydesdale or Yorkshire in the UK. Go onto the NAB mIgrant banking website (www.migrant.nabgroup.com), and you will see half way down the page,on the right United Kingdom Click on the UK, and it takes you to the next page, where it says Set up a UK account It does work, as we have done it, and got our account opened in the UK, no problem Edited July 17, 2013 by Sapphire Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruthwin Posted July 17, 2013 Author Share Posted July 17, 2013 Thanks Sapphire. that link didn't work,b ut I found it at http://migrant.nabgroup.com/en when I click on the UK part it goes to a Clydesdale website http://www.cbonline.co.uk/private/offshore-migrant-banking/migrant-banking-private/moving-to-the-uk/ Is this the site you used when you opened your account. Obviously I am conscious of fake websites. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sapphire Posted July 17, 2013 Share Posted July 17, 2013 Thanks Sapphire. that link didn't work,b ut I found it at http://migrant.nabgroup.com/en when I click on the UK part it goes to a Clydesdale website http://www.cbonline.co.uk/private/offshore-migrant-banking/migrant-banking-private/moving-to-the-uk/Is this the site you used when you opened your account. Obviously I am conscious of fake websites. Hi Ruthwin Im rubbish at posting links, they never work,,sorry:) I just had a look at the link you posted and yes, Im pretty sure its the same one.I went to the application form and it seems the same. I asked for my account to be opened at Yorkshire bank, and chose one in my home town, so as its easy to activate on arrival. Clydesdale only now has branches in Scotland, so unless you are heading to Scotland, make sure you get a Yorkshire Bank account.Yorkshire bank is in nearly all main towns,just Google the address closest to where you are heading It is so easy to open the account,just remember you will only have 1 year to activate it,in the UK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruthwin Posted July 19, 2013 Author Share Posted July 19, 2013 Thanks again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loretta Farrell Posted July 19, 2013 Share Posted July 19, 2013 (edited) Whoops did not read which way your where moving Edited July 19, 2013 by Loretta Farrell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fizzybangs Posted July 19, 2013 Share Posted July 19, 2013 We were put on to Lloyds International but never ended up using them. We put our money into OzForex - you get a quote from them and if you don't like the rate you can wait and try another day when the exchange rate is higher. Once you accept the quote you are committed. When we had set up the account with them we got a phone call and from then on had this guy like a personal banker for advice. We did phone a couple of times and he replied promptly and was very clear with his instructions so it was very easy. When we arrived in the UK we walked into Lloyds bank and came out with check/debit card account all set up in 20 minutes. If you have one of the later British passports that is all you need for ID. We had to provide an adress of course so used a relatives. Then we transfered funds from Ozforex into the bank when the rate was high. Painless procedure throughout. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sydney Posted July 25, 2013 Share Posted July 25, 2013 Also found it difficult to open an account here in the UK. Had to get rates notice from family to say Iwas staying at their address and various IDs. Took me over a month. On the other hand my wife had no trouble at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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