# US stimulus check



## Purplebee

I am living in the UK and am a US citizen, i have received my check from the corona virus stimulus package to my uk address, a bit of a dumb question but i haven't dealt with checks, will most UK banks take this check and deposit it? or if not where do i need to go to cash it etc?


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## Cousin Jack

Purplebee said:


> I am living in the UK and am a US citizen, i have received my check from the corona virus stimulus package to my uk address, a bit of a dumb question but i haven't dealt with checks, will most UK banks take this check and deposit it? or if not where do i need to go to cash it etc?


Hi


My UK bank will take a US cheque but it can take a a month or so before its deposited into my account, subject to currency fluctuations and of course fees.


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## Purplebee

thanks for the reply, after checking with my bank they have said they no longer accept checks from the US? Are there any other ways to cash it or anything? or will i have to wait until i return to the us?


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## Cousin Jack

Purplebee said:


> thanks for the reply, after checking with my bank they have said they no longer accept checks from the US? Are there any other ways to cash it or anything? or will i have to wait until i return to the us?


Hi

What Bank do you use?

I am with Barclays and have used this service before without any issues, unless its recently changed. 
Will visit my local branch today to find out.


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## Bevdeforges

Just be aware that the fees involved for cashing a foreign check like that can consume a good part of the value of the check. (Sometimes the fee is a %age of the amount of the check.)


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## JpnExpat

Check if your US bank has a mobile app. You may be able to do "mobile deposit" of the check by using your login info and sending a picture of the check via the app.


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## Cousin Jack

JpnExpat said:


> Check if your US bank has a mobile app. You may be able to do "mobile deposit" of the check by using your login info and sending a picture of the check via the app.



My US bank has mobile banking and sending a picture would work, however this facility is only for US mobile phone numbers.

An alternative could be to write 'for deposit only' on the back of the cheque and send it someone you trust in the USA who can then deposit it.


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## Bevdeforges

Cousin Jack said:


> My US bank has mobile banking and sending a picture would work, however this facility is only for US mobile phone numbers.
> 
> An alternative could be to write 'for deposit only' on the back of the cheque and send it someone you trust in the USA who can then deposit it.


That's assuming the OP has a US bank account. A major issue for so many US citizens (and taxpayers) living overseas. 

I'm not sure about those IRS checks, but the other possibility would be to endorse the check over to someone you trust in the US to cash the check and then send you the proceeds using Transferwise or a similar exchange and transfer service.

I found this on the site of a credit union for endorsing a stimulus check over to a third party:


> When signing over a check to a 3rd party, please use the following format. (see photo attached) *Please ensure that the original payee and 3rd party (member) sign the check as well.*


The number following the signature of the person to whom the check is endorsed is that person's tax i.d. number (i.e. SSN) or bank account number if they are depositing it in their account.


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## Cousin Jack

Cousin Jack said:


> Hi
> 
> 
> Will visit my local branch today to find out.


No problem at the bank, deposit made. Will take a month or so before its in my account less exchange rate/fees.


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## Purplebee

Thanks everyone for all the helpful responses! My main bank is nationwide, after looking at their website and speaking to someone it appears that they no longer deal with foreign cheques, i do have a secondary account at Lloyds bank which i haven't looked much into yet so hopefully i can deposit it into the account there. Worst comes to worst it looks like it expires in a year so i would just have to travel back to the US and deposit it into my account there, hopefully Lloyds will be able to help though.


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## Bevdeforges

Purplebee said:


> Thanks everyone for all the helpful responses! My main bank is nationwide, after looking at their website and speaking to someone it appears that they no longer deal with foreign cheques, i do have a secondary account at Lloyds bank which i haven't looked much into yet so hopefully i can deposit it into the account there. Worst comes to worst it looks like it expires in a year so i would just have to travel back to the US and deposit it into my account there, hopefully Lloyds will be able to help though.


If you have a US bank account, why not just mail the check (properly endorsed, of course) to your bank and ask them to deposit it in your account. I've done that any number of times with the odd checks I've received from various sources. Avoids having to pay any exchange or "foreign check" charges. I usually include a cover letter, asking them to please deposit to my account, # 123456789 and they usually send me a deposit slip to "prove" they've done it.


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## Cowshill

Since you have a US account you should be able to endorse the cheque to the effect of: "For deposit only, bank name, acct number, your signature" and post it the bank. I have done this several times from the UK to my US bank with no problem. Assuming you have online access to your US account you can login and use their messaging system to ask them exactly how you should do this.


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## JbRK

Cousin Jack said:


> Cousin Jack said:
> 
> 
> 
> Hi
> 
> 
> Will visit my local branch today to find out.
> 
> 
> 
> No problem at the bank, deposit made. Will take a month or so before its in my account less exchange rate/fees.
Click to expand...

I think I read you were with Barclays? Can I ask how much they charged? I read online it's .25 of the check value with a max fee of 40? Just received my check today and considering options.

Also does anyone know if a name difference will impact on it being accepted in a foreign account? It appears they've made a typo on my middle initial and put A instead of K? Also the check is in my maiden name and my UK bank account is in a joint account with my husband with my married name.


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