# Clients in the USA



## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

Anyone know much about the USA? 

I have picked up a couple of punters in the states and I am curious about if i can jsut bill them through my spanish system or if I have to be doing any kind of registrations in the states. Also, does anyone know of a USA bank that I can open an account with from Spain for my punters to pay me into?

Just thought we get a few americans on here so maybe someone will know!

Thanks folkies!


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## Maddalena (Feb 6, 2010)

Hi Steve: First question...what exactly IS a "punter"? What are you selling to the punters? When I lived in Canada, I could have a US Dollar account at my Canadian Bank. Don't know if you can do the same at your Spanish bank? As far as I know, you have to show up in person at a US bank to establish an account. When we lived in Canada, we had to drive down to the US to open an account in a US bank. That said, there may be branches of some US banks in Spain? Also, one can pay through Paypal in any currency from anywhere. Maybe this will give you a start...


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Maddalena said:


> Hi Steve: First question...what exactly IS a "punter"? What are you selling to the punters? When I lived in Canada, I could have a US Dollar account at my Canadian Bank. Don't know if you can do the same at your Spanish bank? As far as I know, you have to show up in person at a US bank to establish an account. When we lived in Canada, we had to drive down to the US to open an account in a US bank. That said, there may be branches of some US banks in Spain? Also, one can pay through Paypal in any currency from anywhere. Maybe this will give you a start...


a punter is a client in britspeak 

you're right, you do have to go to the US to open an account, & you don't have to live there


I have a feeling there will be some tax implications


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

Maddalena said:


> Hi Steve: First question...what exactly IS a "punter"? What are you selling to the punters? When I lived in Canada, I could have a US Dollar account at my Canadian Bank. Don't know if you can do the same at your Spanish bank? As far as I know, you have to show up in person at a US bank to establish an account. When we lived in Canada, we had to drive down to the US to open an account in a US bank. That said, there may be branches of some US banks in Spain? Also, one can pay through Paypal in any currency from anywhere. Maybe this will give you a start...


Punter = client / customer


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## gus-lopez (Jan 4, 2010)

2nd place again !! 

Try joining here Steve, lots of useful info ,although Uk related.

American VAT - UK Business Forums


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

Thanks Gus, I will take a look!


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## Goldeneye (Nov 12, 2011)

As Maddalena said ~ look into Paypal, I dabble in fused glass and someone from the US contacted me as she had bought one of my pieces while in Canada and wanted to buy 12 pairs of earrings for her friends.. She offered to send a chq but I wasn't sure how this would work, presenting a US chq into a Cdn bank account.. We ended up using *Paypal* neither of us had any experience with using Paypal... I'm not very computer savvy but all went smoothly !


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## Maddalena (Feb 6, 2010)

Thanks for the "translation"! As a Brit friend of mine once said..regarding the USA and Britain..We are 2 countries divided by a common language!! Paypal works great..you can send money in any currency from any bank account as long as the recipient has an emaill addy and a Paypal account, which is free to set up. They take a tiny commission from the recipient's amount. But it is secure, and both parties have a record of the transaction, etc


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

Goldeneye said:


> As Maddalena said ~ look into Paypal, I dabble in fused glass and someone from the US contacted me as she had bought one of my pieces while in Canada and wanted to buy 12 pairs of earrings for her friends.. She offered to send a chq but I wasn't sure how this would work, presenting a US chq into a Cdn bank account.. We ended up using *Paypal* neither of us had any experience with using Paypal... I'm not very computer savvy but all went smoothly !


Thanks for that. I have been onto a few banks in the USA today and since 9/11 it appears they are much more stringent than a few years ago - understandably. Paypal is an option but my clients are corporate and so usually pay by cheque… sorry check! or bank transfer (preferable) and bigger organisations are not so keen to use paypal or even pay with a card. 

I have also looked into those pre-paid credit card things thinking that I could just withdraw money in spain but it will get very pricey and its also complicated to "top up" because they have to quote exact reference numbers as well as the standard banking details - so a bit of hassle.

Backup plan… Sabadell are happy for me to bank US cheques apparently and convert them to euros (obviously for a fee). So, virtual USA address with forwarding option may be the way to go and just get clients to send a cheque!

Why is nothing straightforward?


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## anles (Feb 11, 2009)

Maddalena said:


> Hi Steve: First question...what exactly IS a "punter"? What are you selling to the punters? When I lived in Canada, I could have a US Dollar account at my Canadian Bank. Don't know if you can do the same at your Spanish bank? As far as I know, you have to show up in person at a US bank to establish an account. When we lived in Canada, we had to drive down to the US to open an account in a US bank. That said, there may be branches of some US banks in Spain? Also, one can pay through Paypal in any currency from anywhere. Maybe this will give you a start...


A British, Australian and Hiberno (Irish) English colloquial term for a paying guest or customer, especially

a patron of a public house
a patron of a brothel
a customer of a prostitute


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## Solwriter (Jan 10, 2012)

steve_in_spain said:


> Backup plan… Sabadell are happy for me to bank US cheques apparently and convert them to euros (obviously for a fee). So, virtual USA address with forwarding option may be the way to go and just get clients to send a cheque!
> 
> Why is nothing straightforward?


That's exactly what I do.
Some of the US citizens I deal with are happy to pay via PayPal, but most want to pay by cheque.
I have made an arrangement with my bank manager for a reasonable rate for paying in cheques in US currency.
The rules of our bank say up to 12 euros charge for each US cheque!
But I have an agreement that I pay 8 euros only for a batch of cheques if all paid in at the same time.
It's still hassle, because I have to wait 28 working days for the cheques to clear, and if the manager isn't there, other cashiers always try to charge me more, so I have to go back another day! But it's worth the extra visit, even if it is up and down a couple of mountains


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## Goldeneye (Nov 12, 2011)

steve_in_spain said:


> Paypal is an option but my clients are corporate and so usually pay by cheque… sorry check!


LOL... I may have Canadian Citizenship (more for convenience after 9/11) but I'm British first and foremost so Cheque works just fine here!! 
I refuse to spell 'North American' so It's Car Tyre not Tire, It's TV programme not Program..

It took me ages (but I was determined) to figure out on my computer how to retain 'proper English' spelling rather than the North American default setting.

Everytime I open me gob here, I'm reminded i'm an outsider, with daily comments of 'I love your accent' ~ 'Where are you from' ~ 'Are you just visiting'

Many confuse our not quite Bristolian, not London, midlands or northern dialect with Australian or South African

One particular day I had been asked twice in the space of 10 mins where was I from so after entering one particular very Politcally correct very Astral/ New Agie type store I decided rather than answer with the usual 'I'm originally from England but have lived here for 20years" to have some fun... 

Convo went like this...

'I love your accent' 

Me: I love yours too.......

'Where are you from'

Me: From here in town

'No, before here'

Me: Victoria on the Island

Now by this point she really wanted to hear I was from England but didn't want to ask such a direct question.. so she then said..

"No before Victoria"... 
OK, now I told a little white lie as I would have had to say Bristol, England, instead I said ..."Naniamo" _(which is a town on Vancouver Island)_

At this point she realizes it's 'gonna take a while so she goes for the direct question....
"Where were you born"......... 

Me: "Germany' ............ LOL she couldn't have phrased it better!! (Army brat here)

She's now perplexed and goes for a different approach...

Citizenship, What's your Citizenship ?

Me: Canadian...  :boxing: 

'Your accent, where's it from'

Me: Planet Earth..

I was feel'n a wee bit feisty.. Hubby on the other hand just says tell 'em what they want to hear and be done with it..


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

Goldeneye said:


> LOL... I may have Canadian Citizenship (more for convenience after 9/11) but I'm British first and foremost so Cheque works just fine here!!
> I refuse to spell 'North American' so It's Car Tyre not Tire, It's TV programme not Program..
> 
> It took me ages (but I was determined) to figure out on my computer how to retain 'proper English' spelling rather than the North American default setting.
> ...


love it!


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## whstultz (Jan 28, 2009)

steve_in_spain said:


> Anyone know much about the USA?
> 
> I have picked up a couple of punters in the states and I am curious about if i can jsut bill them through my spanish system or if I have to be doing any kind of registrations in the states. Also, does anyone know of a USA bank that I can open an account with from Spain for my punters to pay me into?
> 
> ...


Santander has offices on the East coast of the US. You may be able to work with them through Santander here.

Bill in Asturias


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