Bank you very much: my struggle to open an account

Back and forth: etching by Dutch printmaker MC Escher

As a new student who’s just moved over from Sweden, I’ve been struggling to just get a bank account. If you’re in this position, here's my tale and what I’ve learned.

Did you know that you can’t open a UK bank account unless you’ve lived in the UK for three years? Probably not if you’re British, but if you’re an international student who’s just arrived… It’s quite a process and you need a lot of patience and perseverance to get through it. Let me share my story.

I set up my account with Barclays, one of the leading banks in England today. In theory, it’s simple, you just: ● Chose what type of account you want ● Agree with the terms and conditions ● Complete identity check (this requires proof of UK address for three years – which if you’re not a UK student you probably can't do… So begins the cycle of advice, wrong advice, and redirection)

My Personal Story: Applying through the Barclays app sounded easy enough, and it was, until I had to go in for my identity check.

When at the bank, I was redirected to Portsmouth City Council as that’s where I would get my certification of living in England, amongst other things. However, the City Council sent me back to the bank, and then the bank sent me back to the council, and then the council sent me back to the bank, and so on and so on - resulting in me having to go back and forth multiple times (I can't even count) before I got an answer.

I got there in the end but it could have been so much easier if I’d known exactly what I needed to begin with. There is advice here online, make sure to read it, and good luck - you need patience, a strong head and steely resolve....