How to open a bank account in the UK for non-residents
If you are an immigrant to Britain for the purpose of work, study, or residence, then you need to open a bank account in Britain, and in general, whether you are a resident in Britain or not, you can open a bank account in Britain, and the most important question is: “Can I open an account? My bank before I arrived in Britain ?”
In this article on our trading platform we will talk about all the details that you will need to be able to open a bank account in Britain for non-residents.

Why do I need to open a bank account in Britain?
There are a number of reasons why you should open a bank account in Britain, as:
- If you are in a job, in order to receive your salary.
- If you are unemployed to receive government financial support.
- To receive government dues for your children.
- Payment of housing rent and bills .
- To pay the house tax to the municipality and council tax.
What are the documents required to open a bank account in Britain for non-residents?
Each bank has its own list of acceptable documents, and in general, to open a bank account in Britain for non-residents you will need two documents:
- A document to prove your identity.
- A document to prove your address.
What proof of identity is required to open a bank account in Britain for non-residents?
To be able to prove your identity to open a UK bank account for non-residents you will need:
Your passport, British driver’s license or ID card (if you are an EU citizen ), or BRP (if you have refugee status)
What are the costs of opening a bank account in Britain for non-residents?
It will not cost anything, the process of opening a bank account in Britain for non-residents is free as long as it is a basic account.
How to open a bank account in Britain for non-residents:
After we have presented the required documents, we can now answer the question “Can I open a bank account before I arrive in Britain?” Of course you can, since:
You can go to your current bank in your country, which may be able to create an account for you if it has a correspondent banking relationship with a British bank, and major British banks have so-called international accounts, which are designed specifically for non-residents, if you do not have the necessary documents to prove Your address is in Britain, then this is the most suitable option for you.
How to open a bank account in Britain for non-residents through the Internet:
You can apply for an international account online through this list that offers international bank accounts:
- Barclays Bank.
- Lloyds Bank.
- HSBC Bank.
- NatWest Bank.
These banks have been operating for a long time and are very financially strong. They also have a lot of experience in dealing with foreigners.
So they are a little more understanding of your situation and flexible with their requirements.

