Personal bank account for non-resident in UK

Question

I have just received a job offer in the UK (for a UK company) and i want to open a personal account with a UK bank to receive my salary and avoid international fees. I've read around the web about UK banks refusing non residents. Being a EU citizen make the banks more likely to accept the request? Do you know which banks are client friendly with non-resident UK citizens of EU?

Here is an extract from the the requirements document i found for an HSBC Advance Account.

If you’re a non-UK resident, we need to see
your passport or national identity card (EEA
or Swiss only).
> Current full passport.
Temporary passports are not acceptable.
> EEA or Swiss national identity card.
> Travel documents issued by the UK
Home Office.
> Current UK driving licence: photocard
(full or provisional), or old-style paper
licence (full only).
> Disabled parking document that includes
your photograph, signature and date of
birth (blue or orange).
> HM Revenue & Customs tax notification,
dated within the last four months.
P45s and P60s are not acceptable.
> Letter confirming your right to benefits
from the Department for Works &
Pensions, Jobcentre Plus, a benefits
agency or a veterans agency, dated
within the last four months.
> Current Northern Ireland voter’s card.

I can provide a passport, EU National identity card and a national driving license. Will that be enough?

Also i have read on th expat exchange that some people have used the work contract as proof of address. Is that common with people new in UK?

Answer 1

One way that worked for me in the past is to open a bank account in a bank in your country that that also operate in the UK. Check with them before you sign that they will assist you in opening an account in the UK or Jersey.

That way you can comply with all the Know Your Customer regulation in your country (where you have all the proof of address, salary and so on) and transfer that to UK.

Without making any recommendation you can check

• HSBC
• Citi Bank

If that solution is not available to you then

• Make sure that you have a proper lease (avoid sub letting if you can) to help have a proof of address
• Try to change your registered address with your local bank to your UK address (so you have a bank statement with a UK address on it when you try to open the bank account)

Good luck