UK Business Bank Account for Non Resident Director

[Supratik Ghosh]

Hello Everyone,

I am pretty new to this forum. And I do need some suggestion regarding opening up a business bank account in the UK.

So I have registered a Business in the UK a few months back. Not anonymous, no nominee director/shareholder. And I am having a very hard time to open a bank account in the UK. There are companies who offer introduction service for 700-800 pounds but that is pretty costly and out of my budget. Also there are banks like HSBC, Llyods, etc. willing to accept with 25000 pounds initial deposit. I have applied with Natwest but they have turned down my application. There are a lot of online only banks like cashplus, acorn accounts, one for money, pay with fire, etc. Who offer business banking as well but they also want the business director should be a UK resident. I cannot manage with an offshore bank or banks like worldcore, leypau, payoneer, etc. as I need a traditional bank account number and sort code so that I can apply for merchants like worldpay, notchex, paypal, etc.

If anyone have any experience in opening a UK bank account remotely and without heavy initial deposit, please help me as I am in desperate need of it.

Thanks in advance....

 

[DeMajor]

I read you need a lawyer or CPA in the UK to be able to‌ open anything "remote" there. From how I read it you send all your docs his‍ way and then he walks to the bank and open the account if they accept⁠ you & your business!

 

[negon]

Welcome OP 🙂

This is what I can find Non UK Resident Bank Accounts | International‌ Banking | Barclays you may properly already have seen this from Barclays. It may be‍ worth a phone call to see what's possible.

WorldPay, nochex and other Merchant Account⁤ providers will not require a local bank account from the UK?! the only provider that⁣ has this stupid rule is as far as I know PayPal.

Correct me if I'm⁢ wrong please.

 

[Supratik Ghosh]

Thank You @auric and @DeMajor for your replies. I have had a Natwest application with‌ a public accountant and after that also I got declined. I will go for an‍ application on Barclays suggested by @auric . Also, I shouldn't go this way but on⁠ desperate measure, can I use fake utility bills to open an online only business bank⁤ account provided by mycashplus or pay with fire or any other? There are websites like⁣ secondeyesolution.ru and replaceyourdocs that provide fake utility bills for paypal or other wallets. Will this⁢ work?

Please Suggest..

 

[Supratik Ghosh]

@auric I got in touch with Notchex, PayPoint, Authorize.Net, SagePay, Sofort Gmbh, PayPal, Braintree and‌ Worldpay. They all will only settle funds in a traditional UK bank account with Sort‍ Code and Account Number and with direct debit and standing order facilities. And thats the⁠ reason I am desperate to get a bank account with Sort Code and Account Number⁤

 

[negon]

Are you from the UK ?

 

[FullDISK]

I talked with a natwest person via webchat, and if you live in Europe, you‌ can open the account remotly, just need send to them your passport notarized and some‍ other personal details. And of course as in all banks, they have the right do⁠ decline your application, depending what kind of business what you will do.

 

[Supratik Ghosh]

That's unfortunate. I am not from Europe. I am from India.

 

[FullDISK]

Then foget open a bank account in europe remotely. No banks will open‌ your account.

Need a advise?
Register your UK LLP, and fly to UK.
As you‍ said, everything is clean and you do not need privacy, you have nothing to hide.⁠
With natwest is cheap.

 

[negon]

I will agree with @FullDISK at this point. If you have the money fly to‌ the UK and visit the bank maybe together with a lawyer there!

 

[dirtyharry]

No you can't use these⁠ documents for real bank account opening! He has mentioned it a few times.

 

[DeMajor]

Well, PayPal and Nochex can settle into foreign accounts⁣ I know that because PayPal I'm using with a Spanish account and Nichex I used⁢ for some years ago for some Adult business.

 

[Mohawk]

hi new here and sharing some info
try sogexia - http://www.sogexia.com
unique iban and swift‌ from UK bank
sogexia is not a bank or emoney institution
they provide facility to‍ open the account
UK bank (Raphaels bank) – not in GBP, you get EUR account⁠ with SEPA payments
easy online account opening all done online

 

[negon]

Thanks for the share thu&¤#

 

[uplana]

I would defiantly recommend you to take︈ the offer from some of these introducers in the UK that can open an account︉ for you. The money you spend on them is good money and will safe you︊ lots of time. That said, I agree with a few others here, WorldPay, PayPal etc.︋ don't require a UK bank account!

 

[marcn75]

WorldPay does require an FSCE regulated bank account. They⁢ did not accept my REVOLUT and it is super difficult for me now.

 

[Forester]

🙂 Times have changed‍ since 2017...
Generally, UK subjects with non-resident directors are in troubles now – if this⁠ is your situation.