UK bank account for non-UK resident

[Jabbar]

I have been selling for a long time on ebay as UK LTD. I live in the EU but not in the UK. I have a Transferwise account. Suddenly, after 2 years, ebay asked for ID and bank statement. I sent both documents but they quickly replied that they cannot accept Transferwise statements and need a physical bank, not an online bank.

My question is, do you have experience with opening accounts in the UK for non-residents? Is it possible at all? I'm talking about the business-account, of course.
I am paying VAT in UK, I ship items from UK. I do not have psychical office.
It was all good just yesterday.

 

[maxmoney]

You need someone like Turner Little or other advisory firm to help you open an account with a street bank in the UK. You must visit the bank to open an account, I'm not aware of any of such banks open remote.

 

[Jabbar]

I do not want to open it remotely. I am ready to do it in person. Question is what chanes do I have? @maxmoney

 

[Forester]

Generally, 1) I guess that e-bay – maybe – just wants a bank, not an EMI like Wise; 2) I understand that you want a bank account for your LLC, not for you; so exactly said, you need to open an account for a UK company with non-resident UBO.
So, as a UK LLC, you can check Moneycorp Bank (moneycorpbank) - Gibraltar located bank, opening accounts only to UK and Gibraltar entities. They are (even) opening remotely; and as tied to Moneycorp International, it seems a little bit trustworthy to me (but no personal experience!). I do not think that a non-UK UBO will trouble them.

 

[maxmoney]

So, as a UK LLC, you can check Moneycorp Bank (moneycorpbank) - Gibraltar located bank, opening accounts only to UK and Gibraltar entities.

that may work

also there is cheetah money if you want to try them

 

[Jabbar]

it has to be UK street bank. This is from similar thread:

Moneycorp business won’t give your company a unique IBAN, so all transfers have to be addressed to Moneycorp with the unique reference number.

It will not work. I need real unique IBAN.

 

[Forester]

there is cheetah money

Do you mean CHEETAH MONEY | Smart Current Account | Prepaid Card ? I must admit, I was not aware of them until now; but as I just have read on their website, they do not have a banking licence, just as an EMI (generally, it is nothing wrong, just pointing at it in the current context).
Any experience with them?

it has to be UK street bank.

Really? I can (hardly, but ... well, world is going crazy) understand that they asks for a bank, but namely UK street bank? WTF? For UK LLC to sale at ebay? Are the guys from there OK? Or do you, Jabbar, sale some shady material so they are at ebay afraid of whatever?

 

[Jabbar]

no nothing shady I will double check with them tomorrow. Thanks for your time.

 

[Forester]

Thanks for your time.

You're welcome.

 

[Jabbar]

They required UK account number and sort code which has different format than IBAN. That’s why it has to be UK street bank.

 

[jjrapy]

Maybe @CaptK could give you some advice

 

[Forester]

They required UK account number and sort code which has different format than IBAN. That’s why it has to be UK street bank.

Well, yes. If they are not happy with a bank IBAN in general (OK, they are really shady jusridictions but generally)... It means that international entity like ebay forces UK subject to have a domestic bank account. Totally crazy. If someone knows what's behind, I wonder.

it has to be UK street bank. This is from similar thread:

Moneycorp business won’t give your company a unique IBAN, so all transfers have to be addressed to Moneycorp with the unique reference number.

It will not work. I need real unique IBAN.

Sorry, I somehow overlooked it.
There is a difference between Moneycorp Bank (moneycorpbank.com) and Moneycorp International (moneycorp.com). Both give you de facto current account but only a former, being a bank, gives you a unique IBAN (you can check at their webpage).
Nevertheless, with respect to the above, for you it is not so important.
Good luck.

 

[CaptK]

They required UK account number and sort code which has different format than IBAN. That’s why it has to be UK street bank.

You can add a UK account number and sort code on the wise app. Just open a GBP account.

Im quite suprised about that considering the use PayPal mostly.

They will accept any proof of address like a utility bill. You may need to change your wise account to a UK address also.
You need a UK residential address proof, which you can rent like a serviced office address.

 

[Jabbar]

yes I know I can have UK bank account details and I have them in my Wise account but this is not about that. Ebay is not accepting "internet banks" no more like Revoult, Wise etc and I need UK street bank.
the question is whether, as a non-resident, I am able to open an account with, for example, Barclays?
additionally, on their website I found an option to switch an account from another bank to Barclays.

What you’ll need to apply:

*Your residential addresses for the past 3 years
*Your full business address
*Business details such as registration number, address and date of incorporation (if you have a limited company)

I do not have proof of residential address because I do not live in UK. I live in EU.
Maybe switching will be easier than opening account from the scratch.

 

[CaptK]

yes I know I can have UK bank account details and I have them in my Wise account but this is not about that. Ebay is not accepting "internet banks" no more like Revoult, Wise etc and I need UK street bank.
the question is whether, as a non-resident, I am able to open an account with, for example, Barclays?
additionally, on their website I found an option to switch an account from another bank to Barclays.

I do not have proof of residential address because I do not live in UK. I live in EU.
Maybe switching will be easier than opening account from the scratch.

Switching is just like opening a new account.
You will require a service to obtain the said documents.

 

[Jabbar]

but there are saying that it will take only 7 days.
do you provide those type of services?

 

[Martin Everson]

Ebay is not accepting "internet banks" no more like Revoult, Wise etc and I need UK street bank.

Thats some nonsense ebay is on.

the question is whether, as a non-resident, I am able to open an account with, for example, Barclays?

Zero chance.

P.S EU citizens cannot even open a personal account now with Barclays in Isle of Man since brexit.

 

[Jabbar]

do you think it is possible to open business bank account (in person) in any of UK street bank? any experiences?

 

[Martin Everson]

do you think it is possible to open business bank account (in person) in any of UK street bank? any experiences?

Zero chance.

It's across the board for UK retail banks not to take companies with majority foreign directors.


You may want to look at foreign banks that operate with branch in UK. There are loads of them. First try to see if some exist from your own EU country that are registered in UK.

 

[CaptK]

If you have real proofs and go to the bank in person as an EU passport holder, the smaller UK retail banks and building societies will open an account for you.