Guide: How to get Revolut as a non-resident (non-EU,non-UK,non-US)

[Tax Cow]

It has come to my attention that quite a few readers are interested in non-resident EU banking solutions.

Revolut is a low cost banking solution without the requirement to maintain a high deposit; with very reasonable FX rates. But officially, it's only available in "safe countries".

Here's how this works:
- Revolut assumes the first card delivery address you give them is truthfully yours. If you give them president Macron's palace as the delivery address, they assume you're a French tax resident. (Not kidding). Only after you change your address, they require some kind of proof.

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This is how non-EU/non-UK/non-US residents can get Revolut:

1) Sign up with a fictional mail address in the EU.
- For example, take a real building, but use an apartment number that does not exist.
2) Pass video identification with your passport.
3) Deposit a few hundred euros and order the initial card. Nobody has to pick it up.
- The card won't be used maliciously because you must activate it via App
4) Upgrade your account. Now you're eligible to order a second card outside "safe countries". This option is intended for those who lost their card during traveling.
5) Order your card to your real address, wherever you live in the world.
- Claim it's someone's AirBnB, your second home, or just come up with an interesting story. At this point, it does not matter.
6) Pick up your card and enjoy!

If your account gets blocked for what ever reason, spend the spare with a virtual card. It's better than the hassle of going through their slow support to get the funds redeemed to another bank account.
As of now, Revolut automatically blocks your account for source of funds checks the first time your account turnover exceeds 40K EUR. If you do something fishy, they may block it sooner.

 

[moneyhoney]

Thanks for your guide. But maybe I'm missing something here: I've signed up Revolut few‌ weeks ago, I'm not EU resident as for now but I do have an EU‍ passport. They shipped me the card outside the EU to my actual address without asking⁠ anything about it. It was weird but.. it worked straight away.

 

[Sols]

There is a risk in step 3, if they look at the sender's address. They‌ might not look at it (right away, or ever) but it's a permanent record that's‍ forever available to them, should they ever investigate.

The Revolut app also keeps track of⁠ your location. Turn this off to mitigate the risk of questions being raised about why⁤ you are never in the EU or your country of alleged residence.

 

[moneyhoney]

So far I've never been in⁠ EU and they didn't raise me anything. And as I wrote, they shipped me abroad⁤ without asking anything about my actual residence.

 

[Sols]

Well, that's the thing with risks. They don't always come true. But⁠ I'm a firm believer in making a careful risk assessment before any (significant) financial decision.⁤

You hold an EU passport, which is greatly in your favour for not being subjected⁣ to much scrutiny. If you held an Indonesian or Bolivian passport, the situation may be⁢ very different.

 

[Tax Cow]

You have to choose your Country of Residence at one point during sign up.⁣ I suppose you picked your EU country of citizenship?

It's plausible that the address field⁢ is not subject to stringent checks. So if you put in a Malaysian street address,︀ it will probably still get accepted by the App.

The first card can only be︁ shipped to your declared address in one of their supported countries. I find it hard︂ to believe they shipped it to an address outside the EU without asking questions.

 

[moneyhoney]

You are free to believe⁠ it or not, but I didn't do anything not allowed or particular. They asked me⁤ where to ship and I filled the form putting the address out of EU and⁣ they just shipped. Have you tried it? If not, you have to reconsider your guide.⁢

PS. obviously when I signed up I put my previous EU address, and I still︀ had a proof of address for it.

 

[moneyhoney]

Here you go: Ordering a physical card | Revolut Help Centre

They ship everywhere. No‌ question asked.

 

[Tax Cow]

There's quite a bit of difference in how people perceive

and

Gz for your sign︂ up though.

 

[moneyhoney]

Absolutely. I won't use it much to be honest, it's just⁤ a nice option to have but in the end they consider me resident in my⁣ previous country, so I have no reason to use a personal account sharing info.

 

[moneyhoney]

I don't get the point. I cannot sign-up‍ putting my actual country cause it's not covered, so I signed up with my previous⁠ residence. But they shipped with no questions outside the EU. And it's perfectly allowed.

To be honest you should just say you offered a complicated way to do something everyone⁤ can do without faking to lose a card and being around the world.

I'm sorry⁣ but the whole guide is useless at this point.

 

[Tax Cow]

Does your "everyone"‍ include the ones who do not have a EU passport and no EU proof of⁠ address?

 

[moneyhoney]

Actually you don't know if they‍ ask something more with another kind of passport. And I didn't send them proof of⁠ address (but yes, in case I had it).

In the website they just say they⁤ ship the card pretty everywhere, they don't say: in some cases we can ship........ So⁣ it's not a big deal like you supposed it would be.

 

[Tax Cow]

@moneyhoney
Bla Bla Bla... don't tell me what I don't know. You're just a EU‌ socialist who opened an account while abroad.

Have you smurfed as a non-EU resident with‍ Revolut? Have you had smurfs make payments for you?

I trust other sources more than⁠ a welfare brat who found out his situation is a little easier.

 

[Marie Manila]

Might it also be working for sanctioned countries?

I know some Iranians with Iranian passport‌ and solely Iranian residency. They would be quite interested in this.

 

[Tax Cow]

I'll make a rough assumption that the answer is no. I've not tested.‍
The almighty uncle Sam would be very (very) unhappy with Revolut to find out about⁠ such a possibility.

My best financial advice for Iranians is to start working towards a⁤ second residency or citizenship ASAP. If they want to try Revolut (can't blame em' for⁣ making an effort), then swap the card delivery address in step #5 with a temporary⁢ address in a nearby country. An Iranian address is not kosher.

 

[Tax Cow]

Btw. Visa and MasterCard don't work in Iran 😉

No reason to go below step #3‌ while making an attempt.

 

[moneyhoney]

You can write a guide how to be a complete idiot. You are⁤ pretty good at it.

For revolut I do it for you:
- sign up
- ask them to ship

Thanks for your precious time!

 

[hero]

I'm sorry, but even as a first registration the bank does not support countries outside‌ the EU. a similar thing happened with BUNQ. in all European addresses it supports the‍ shipment of the card and the change of address of residence. but when I ask⁠ outside EU it does not let me proceed. (they control IP connection too).

 

[moneyhoney]

I cannot talk about the others obviously, but I opened my Revolut⁣ from outside EU (with no proxy) and it worked perfectly. And I didn't step foot⁢ in my home country, so all the movements have been made with the IP out︀ of EU.

Maybe one day they will ask me to clarify, I don't know, but︁ so far they aren't strict like you say.