# Opening a UK bank account -- as hard as it sounds?



## Lauren_999 (Jan 18, 2011)

I have read a few perspectives on what it takes to open a bank account in the UK as a new arrival (i.e. no established residency) and still don't seem to be able to make heads or tails of it. 
My personal situation is that I'll be arriving on a spouse settlement visa. I will not be on any lease since we're staying with my husband's family (at first) and obviously have no bills in my name. The info seems to go in circles since you can't open a bank account without proof of residence or a job, and you can't get a job without a bank account. 
Am I understanding this correctly, and if so, what's the best workaround here? Is it possible to open an account attached in some way to my husband's but with a debit card that has my name on it? 
Thanks for any input/experience on this one.
- Lauren


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

Lauren_999 said:


> I have read a few perspectives on what it takes to open a bank account in the UK as a new arrival (i.e. no established residency) and still don't seem to be able to make heads or tails of it.
> My personal situation is that I'll be arriving on a spouse settlement visa. I will not be on any lease since we're staying with my husband's family (at first) and obviously have no bills in my name. The info seems to go in circles since you can't open a bank account without proof of residence or a job, and you can't get a job without a bank account.
> Am I understanding this correctly, and if so, what's the best workaround here? Is it possible to open an account attached in some way to my husband's but with a debit card that has my name on it?
> Thanks for any input/experience on this one.
> - Lauren


Easiest is to make your husband's account a joint one. Adding wife to husband's account is normally a very simple affair - just show your marriage certificate and passport, and they will give you a debit card in your name (but with different PIN). Once you have lived in UK for six months, having added your name on your council tax account and possibly on a utility, then, with your payslips, you can open your own account if you wish to keep your finance separate. Your husband's account can still remain a joint one, as there are advantages - in the unlikely event of his suffering fatal accident, it won't be frozen and you will continue to have access to it. You can make your own account a joint one too - just keep using your own account, having the joint facility only as a fallback.


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## Peteslady (Mar 24, 2011)

I just did this with Royal bank of Scotland (a UK bank) an I needed my passport w/visa an I had to be on the Council registry..same as you was staying at my mother in laws but had to wait til we got our own place..sorry but thats what it takes..good luck


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## Peteslady (Mar 24, 2011)

Joppa said:


> Easiest is to make your husband's account a joint one. Adding wife to husband's account is normally a very simple affair - just show your marriage certificate and passport, and they will give you a debit card in your name (but with different PIN). Once you have lived in UK for six months, having added your name on your council tax account and possibly on a utility, then, with your payslips, you can open your own account if you wish to keep your finance separate. Your husband's account can still remain a joint one, as there are advantages - in the unlikely event of his suffering fatal accident, it won't be frozen and you will continue to have access to it. You can make your own account a joint one too - just keep using your own account, having the joint facility only as a fallback.




we tried to add me to my husbands but was told I still needed to be on the taxes..it is proof of residency


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## Joanne_Manchester (Feb 18, 2011)

You can find a job without a bank account, once you find a job ask them a reference letter to show to the bank and you should be able to open a bank account with this (that is what I did)


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

It depends a little bit on the bank and on your husband's (and his family's) situation. If your husband has been with the same bank for a while, go talk to them to see what options you have - from making his account into a joint one to opening your own account. If your husband's family all use the same bank, even better.

All the heavy duty i.d. is due to the anti-terrorist and anti-money-laundering rules, which basically require banks to "know their customers." If your husband and/or his family have an established banking relationship it may be possible to open one or more accounts as one of the family. Go in to talk with them with your husband and/or with his parents. It can make a huge difference.
Cheers,
Bev


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## WatchOutWorld (Mar 31, 2011)

Has anyone used a third party company to set up their bank account? I have seen a few advertisements for companies that do this, I just didn't know if it was worth the expense...

We are coming to the UK on July 18th and since we won't know anyone except a few of my husband's coworkers this is one of my main concerns.


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