# Halifax Bank account and Barclaycard



## tammy123 (Mar 27, 2008)

A bit of advice. We are moving over to Valencia area permanently at beginning of September so will no longer have a permanent address in the UK. I have a Halifax current account and Barclaycard credit card. Which I wish to keep open. Will they accept an address change to Spanish address or will I need a UK address, I could use my sons address.


----------



## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

I have both and both accept my Spanish address


----------



## Stevesolar (Dec 21, 2012)

Hi,
Barclaycard recently told me that they don’t accept overseas addresses any more unless you provide them with a valid UK contact address (for which they require evidence that it is actually your proper address)
Cheers
Steve


----------



## Allie-P (Feb 11, 2013)

We have Halifax accounts and were told, prior to arriving in Spain 5 years ago, that an U.K. address is needed and that our accounts would be closed if we moved abroad. 

We use a relative’s address. 

Other members seem to have had different experiences - but ‘the above’ was what we were told at our Crawley branch.


----------



## tammy123 (Mar 27, 2008)

Many thanks I’ll let them know change of address this weekend


----------



## Williams2 (Sep 15, 2013)

Stevesolar said:


> Hi,
> Barclaycard recently told me that they don’t accept overseas addresses any more unless you provide them with a valid UK contact address (for which they require evidence that it is actually your proper address)
> Cheers
> Steve


Well I'm a Barclaycard holder with a Spanish address although I've held my Barclaycard since before
moving to Spain.
So far Barclaycard have no issues with my Spanish address and I had my new Barclaycard sent to
Spain this year, no problem at all.
I've certainly had no letters from Barclaycard about any rule change as described above by Steve.
Although we have to be careful that were asking these UK banks an credit card the right question,
namely the continuation of our existing accounts BEFORE moving abroad and not opening a UK 
Bank account or applying for a UK credit card AFTER moving abroad.

Whether rules change or are changing this year - I cannot say, as I exchanged the same sort
information regarding Halifax not accepting non UK addresses ( as I was told by their 
Tamworth branch ) with snikpoh in another thread.


----------



## Williams2 (Sep 15, 2013)

Allie-P said:


> We have Halifax accounts and were told, prior to arriving in Spain 5 years ago, that an U.K. address is needed and that our accounts would be closed if we moved abroad.
> 
> We use a relative’s address.
> 
> Other members seem to have had different experiences - but ‘the above’ was what we were told at our Crawley branch.


Yes that dovetails with what I was told by Halifax's Tamworth branch, that they would gladly
accept a UK relatives address ( as a C/O care of address ) for the continuation of an existing
Halifax account, before moving abroad but not a Non UK address as your new home address
on the account.


----------



## ss-suffolk (Apr 3, 2017)

I have a Halifax and Santander A/c in UK.
Both were happy to change to my new permanent Spain address. All done over the phone. I regularly get correspondence, including replacement cards.

I have a Barclaycard, but have to use a UK address. I use our Letting Agency for the UK address and they are happy to forward any correponence. Seems to work OK. Barclaycard website only accepts UK numbers (beginning with 01, 02, 07). We also a VoIP phone to retain a UK number, using a UK provider. Again, it works well for any comms with UK, over our Spanish internet provider's service.

Hope this helps


----------



## Williams2 (Sep 15, 2013)

ss-suffolk said:


> I have a Halifax and Santander A/c in UK.
> Both were happy to change to my new permanent Spain address. All done over the phone. I regularly get correspondence, including replacement cards.
> 
> I have a Barclaycard, but have to use a UK address. I use our Letting Agency for the UK address and they are happy to forward any correponence. Seems to work OK. Barclaycard website only accepts UK numbers (beginning with 01, 02, 07). We also a VoIP phone to retain a UK number, using a UK provider. Again, it works well for any comms with UK, over our Spanish internet provider's service.
> ...


Speaking to Barclaycard customer services the other day - their issue with Non UK addresses is more
to do with the fact that, as part of the customer verification questions - they prefer you to give 
them a British postal code rather than a Non UK postal code - with me they always ask for my
former UK address postal code.
So I assume their customer Service computers cannot handle anything that's not in British postal code
format.
Therefore job done - Barclaycard have no issues with my Spanish address for correspondence
and card statements.


----------



## tammy123 (Mar 27, 2008)

Many thanks for your replies. I changed my address to the Spanish address with no problem at Halifax and will do the same with my Barclaycard.


----------



## thrax (Nov 13, 2008)

I think the law regarding overseas addresses and UK bank accounts changed last year in that you are now able to open a bank account without a UK address.


----------



## ss-suffolk (Apr 3, 2017)

Barclaycard website needs UK telephone numbers and clearly says "Must be UK residential address".

I don't know if you must prove you live there. So sorry, my comments on the Barclaycard may not stack up with others. But I confirm that the Halifax & Santander accept my permamnent address here in Spain. I have no idea what will be the case after Brexit!


----------



## Williams2 (Sep 15, 2013)

ss-suffolk said:


> Barclaycard website needs UK telephone numbers and clearly says "Must be UK residential address".
> 
> I don't know if you must prove you live there. So sorry, my comments on the Barclaycard may not stack up with others. But I confirm that the Halifax & Santander accept my permamnent address here in Spain. I have no idea what will be the case after Brexit!


Re - Barclaycard website needs UK telephone numbers and clearly says "Must be UK residential address".
Are you sure the above statement is not directed at non resident EU Citizens in the UK, opening up a
new Barclaycard account or British Expats endevouring to open up a new Barclaycard account from 
abroad ??

Anyway whether Expats have been able to use their Halifax or Barclaycard account with an address in
Spain or not. 
This could all become academic, in light of UK Government guidelines in the event of a Hard Brexit ( if it
should happen ) on 29th March, next year.


----------



## DonMarco (Nov 20, 2016)

tammy123 said:


> A bit of advice. We are moving over to Valencia area permanently at beginning of September so will no longer have a permanent address in the UK. I have a Halifax current account and Barclaycard credit card. Which I wish to keep open. Will they accept an address change to Spanish address or will I need a UK address, I could use my sons address.


I have a current account and credit card with Halifax/Bank of Scotland which I opened whilst living in the UK. All my correspondence (including replacement cards) are sent to my Swiss address. My Swiss phone numbers are used to confirm my current account on-line payment instructions. The only anomality is when I make Credit card on-line payments I have to enter the original address in the UK from 10 years ago, the swiss one won't work.

Note: I live in Switzerland (Non-EU), so theoretically nothing should change after Brexit.


----------



## Williams2 (Sep 15, 2013)

DonMarco said:


> I have a current account and credit card with Halifax/Bank of Scotland which I opened whilst living in the UK. All my correspondence (including replacement cards) are sent to my Swiss address. My Swiss phone numbers are used to confirm my current account on-line payment instructions. The only anomality is when I make Credit card on-line payments I have to enter the original address in the UK from 10 years ago, the swiss one won't work.
> 
> Note: I live in Switzerland (Non-EU), so theoretically nothing should change after Brexit.


*You make an interesting point there Don*. So how do British Expats in Switzerland cope with retaining
their old UK Bank accounts, credit cards, access to Pensions, healthcare, etc while resident in their Alpine
getaway.
Being a non EU country and all that, etc, etc, etc.

RSVP on a Brexit thread to Spain Expats Forum, please.


----------



## Stevesolar (Dec 21, 2012)

Hi,
I recently gave Barclaycard my UAE address and they asked me for a UK one.
I told them I don’t have a UK address - so they are closing my account!
Cheers
Steve


----------



## ss-suffolk (Apr 3, 2017)

Thanks Steve. Like I understood, a residential address.


----------



## Williams2 (Sep 15, 2013)

Stevesolar said:


> Hi,
> I recently gave Barclaycard my UAE address and they asked me for a UK one.
> I told them I don’t have a UK address - so they are closing my account!
> Cheers
> Steve


Or could be that the UAE is not a member of the EU ? - maybe this is the shape of things to come
upon a Hard Brexit, when the UK officially becomes Non EU with no Withdrawal agreement 
proviso's in place !!

Suffice to say all my online Barclaycard statements over the months and years are emblazoned
with my Spanish address - but how can this be ?? 
Maybe there's a - what was your Credit Rating when you left the UK in play here ? who
knows ?

With Brexit day only 7 months away now; I'm thinking of having my Barclaycard statements framed,
as they would look great in the living room and will no doubt be a talking point with other
Expats at my apartment terrace barbecue.


----------



## Williams2 (Sep 15, 2013)

*More UK Banks and Credit card companies moving to multi factor authentication*

By multi factor authentication were talking about being cleared for access using your online password
and an SMS message, sent to your Mobile phone; to authenticate you before giving you full access
to Online banking for actions such as money transfers, change of address, etc.

Be aware that HSBC has already said, they will only accept UK Mobile phone numbers for certain
multi factor authentication actions.

Another one is Capital One Credit cards are also moving over to multi factor authentication although
I've yet to determine whether they will accept a Spanish mobile number, instead of a UK mobile
number.

From the Spanish end - Bank Sabadell seem to have no problems with any customers who choose
a UK mobile number instead of a Spanish one for hosting their mobile banking App and SMS messages.
Bank Sabadell have been using multi factor authentication for some years now.


----------



## Isobella (Oct 16, 2014)

Bank accounts all over the world are open to non residents, you just have to shop around. We have had a Bank of America account since the 80s. Businesses open accounts all over the world. I also have a Nationwide flex account and there is a 5% savings account for UK residents only but generally most banks admit foreigners.


----------

