# Bank account



## gemmac7 (Jun 13, 2019)

Hello everyone, 

I've recently been offered a job so I need to open a Spanish bank account. I don't have an NIE yet, but I do have my job offer letter and an apartment - I'll be signing the rental contract on Monday. My NIE appointment is at the end of August.

Somebody has recommended Sabadell. Does anyone have any experience with these or have any other recommendations? 

Cheers


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

These threads have some info
https://www.expatforum.com/expats/s...pain/1405698-bank-account-annual-charges.html
https://www.expatforum.com/expats/spain-expat-forum-expats-living-spain/1215121-free-bank-spain.html
https://www.expatforum.com/expats/spain-expat-forum-expats-living-spain/1478782-bank-account-2.html


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## Juan C (Sep 4, 2017)

Gem As you will be working here you need to apply for EU Citizens Registration. As you do not have an NIE that will be issued as the number on your certificate on Green paper . 

Your official job offer will be sufficient to prove medical cover and income when you make the application


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

gemmac7 said:


> Hello everyone,
> 
> I've recently been offered a job so I need to open a Spanish bank account. I don't have an NIE yet, but I do have my job offer letter and an apartment - I'll be signing the rental contract on Monday. My NIE appointment is at the end of August.
> 
> ...


You don't just need an NIE but you need residency (which will give you an NIE as well)

Sabadell, IMHO, is excellent but it all depends on the branch in question.


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## Juan C (Sep 4, 2017)

Gem. I should have added: Do not expect banking rules, fees etc to be the same as say in U.K. 

You need to ask what charges will be applied to your account. Some charge to deposit and/or withdraw funds from the account and even just to maintain it even if there are no movements. 

It’s best to make a list of all services which you may need and ask what the charges are. And shop around there are big differences.


An example. With Sol Bank I was charged £800 to transfer a sterling savings account to another bank. Knowing there was likely to be a problem I tried to negotiate. They refused and charged the full 0.5% on the whole sum!!!


As I said, and later confirmed in another subsequent post, you will need to register 

This may help: 



TO MAKE AN m WITH THE POLICE FOR NIE, E.U. Citizen registration, etc.

As you go through you will find links to the application forms and the payment, at any bank, form 

.• GO TO https://sede.administracionespublicas.gob.es/icpplus/ 

• PROVINCES AVAILABLE: CHOOSE the province where your are living/ staying 

• SECTIONS AVAILABLE IN PROVINCE: OPEN PAGE AND SELECT SECTION REQUIRED

e.g. “policía certificado de residente o no residente” (that includes NIE application) 


• ENTER THE DETAILS OF APPLICANT. if you have an NIE show that, if not then show your passport number 

• CHOOSE NATIONAL POLICE STATION FOR APPOINTMENT: The one that covers the area where you are living - staying 

• CHOOSE APPOINTMENT, AND THEN CONFIRM

• You must PRINT A COPY OF THE APPOINTMENT, And take it with you to the police station

You can find info here in english about completing the EX15 which is similar to an EX 18

http://www.exteriores.gob.es/Consul...E 2018 - TRANSLATED NIE FORM 2018 - GUIDE.pdf
🇨🇮 🇬🇧


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## gemmac7 (Jun 13, 2019)

Juan C said:


> Gem As you will be working here you need to apply for EU Citizens Registration. As you do not have an NIE that will be issued as the number on your certificate on Green paper .
> 
> Your official job offer will be sufficient to prove medical cover and income when you make the application



Yes I believe I have booked the correct appointment for that, on the website I selected "POLICIA-CERTIFICADOS Y ASIGNACION
NIE" which I have to complete an EX-15 form for, so I believe that will cover EU Citizen registration as well?
The only national police station it gave me an option for is 55 miles from where I'm living, but still in the same province, so I hope that won't be too much of an issue? There wasn't any options for a closer station.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

gemmac7 said:


> Yes I believe I have booked the correct appointment for that, on the website I selected "POLICIA-CERTIFICADOS Y ASIGNACION
> NIE" which I have to complete an EX-15 form for, so I believe that will cover EU Citizen registration as well?
> The only national police station it gave me an option for is 55 miles from where I'm living, but still in the same province, so I hope that won't be too much of an issue? There wasn't any options for a closer station.


EX-15 is ONLY for an NIE

For 'residency', you use from EX-18

You need to make an appointment online first


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## Juan C (Sep 4, 2017)

Gem. I really do not want to appear rude or pedantic etc. but i did say;-

“Gem As you will be working here you need to apply for EU Citizens Registration. As you do not have an NIE that will be issued as the number on your certificate on Green paper”

Thus you need an appointment using an EX18.

Just read your post again. You must go to the police station which covers the area where you are living. Of it does not come up it means there are no dates available at that moment so you need to keep checking until it comes up. If you go to the wrong one they will refuse to let you apply


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## tebo53 (Sep 18, 2014)

I have had a residents bank account at Sabadell for some years. If you deposit at least 700€ per month everything is free and you get a percentage back if you pay your bill by direct debit. The account is called an Expansion account. 

Steve


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## Williams2 (Sep 15, 2013)

snikpoh said:


> You don't just need an NIE but you need residency (which will give you an NIE as well)
> 
> Sabadell, IMHO, is excellent but it all depends on the branch in question.


Yes Bank Sabadell's Expansion account would be the best, if your going to receive a regular monthly
income from your new job in Spain. They used to pay you 1 per cent interest on all utility bills and phone bills
that you set up as direct debits on your Bank Sabadell account but not anymore as from 1st July 2019.
Nevertheless the proviso that they see at least 700 Euro's a month coming into your bank each month
as your salary or even a money transfer, still remains the same to qualify for free banking.

Another good starter is the Corte Ingles Credit card which will give you 4 per cent cashback on food and
fuel bought at Repsol & Petronor petrol stations, that you will receive as a discount voucher, every
quarter to use in Supercor, Hipercor supermarkets and other qualifying stores.
Note discount vouchers are immune from tax whereas the 1 per cent interest cash back at BS is taxed
at source.


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## Simply Simon (Jan 18, 2019)

Very happy with Sabadell. Spanish banks are very different from English ones, we have a contact we can phone and talk to and have visited the branch more times in 6 months than we have in 20 years in the UK. The online banking is very good, the only weird thing is the monthly limit on debit cards, we were spending a lot of money when we moved in and kept having to phone 'our guy' at the bank because transactions were rejected even though we had plenty money in the bank, he sorted it out every time so no worries. 

Carrefour loyalty card is good, you get 8% credit on fuel purchases, we have signed up for every card (not credit cards, just loyalty cards) and get 'cheques' to spend at Carrefour, Leroy Merlin, Bricorama, Mas Y Mas sand even 'won' 50c on our Lidl Plus app! One of the first things suggested to us by the extremely friendly locals here was to get on the Iberdola Night Rate so by setting our pool pump, dishwasher, washing machine etc. to fire up between 23.00 and 13:00 we save quite a bit.


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## Williams2 (Sep 15, 2013)

Simply Simon said:


> Very happy with Sabadell. Spanish banks are very different from English ones, we have a contact we can phone and talk to and have visited the branch more times in 6 months than we have in 20 years in the UK. The online banking is very good, the only weird thing is the monthly limit on debit cards, we were spending a lot of money when we moved in and kept having to phone 'our guy' at the bank because transactions were rejected even though we had plenty money in the bank, he sorted it out every time so no worries.
> 
> Carrefour loyalty card is good, you get 8% credit on fuel purchases, we have signed up for every card (not credit cards, just loyalty cards) and get 'cheques' to spend at Carrefour, Leroy Merlin, Bricorama, Mas Y Mas sand even 'won' 50c on our Lidl Plus app! One of the first things suggested to us by the extremely friendly locals here was to get on the Iberdola Night Rate so by setting our pool pump, dishwasher, washing machine etc. to fire up between 23.00 and 13:00 we save quite a bit.


Yes - if you play your cards right in Spain, you can enjoy the same benefits from loyalty
cards here, as you no doubt have in the UK from the likes of Sainbury's cards, Tesco cards, etc, etc.


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

Williams2 said:


> They used to pay you 1 per cent interest on all utility bills and phone bills
> that you set up as direct debits on your Bank Sabadell account but not anymore as from 1st July 2019.
> 
> 
> ...



We've not been notified of this change - I will have to enquire.

Sabadell also issue the repsol card giving this discount


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## Williams2 (Sep 15, 2013)

snikpoh said:


> We've not been notified of this change - I will have to enquire.
> 
> Sabadell also issue the repsol card giving this discount


Yes it was news to me and I only found out by checking my bank account that
the interest payments were still taking place each month ( usually around the
3rd of the month ) only to find that there was nothing for June or July, with the last
payment coming in May.
A phone call to the English speaking Operator on their all hours Service Desk
number, confirmed that this had been withdrawn last month and when I
asked why wasn't I informed, she said the emails were sent out to our
Internet Banking mailbox saying it would be withdrawn in June.

You will find it under the heading of Communications - Legal Notices.
Apparently the changes took place as from the 1st June 2019 when they
eliminated the monthly payment of 1 per cent paid on bills settled by
direct debit.

Finally as I have a Corte Ingles Card for the 4 per cent cashback on
petrol from Repsol & Petronor petrol stations ( as vouchers ) I didn't see
the need for a Sabadell issued Repsol card as well.


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## Isobella (Oct 16, 2014)

I had an email from Repsol this weekend. Said switch over to their gas/electric supply and receive 100 euro and 8% discount off petrol.


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

Williams2 said:


> Finally as I have a Corte Ingles Card for the 4 per cent cashback on
> petrol from Repsol & Petronor petrol stations ( as vouchers ) I didn't see
> the need for a Sabadell issued Repsol card as well.


But what if you don't want to pay CI's prices?


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## Williams2 (Sep 15, 2013)

Isobella said:


> I had an email from Repsol this weekend. Said switch over to their gas/electric supply and receive 100 euro and 8% discount off petrol.


Yes Spain seems to be going through what we had in the UK between 15 and 20 years ago - with many
companies encouraging you to switch your Utility Electricity & Gas supplier away from the established
Energy companies - no doubt the big Stores & Supermarkets will be in on the act next.

Maybe will also see - ElComparethemarket.es with Spanish Meerkats on the TV adverts.


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