cannot get a banker's draft in sterling in Lyon

[sikhim]

    Good morning

Has anybody else come across this problem ?

I need a cheque for a UK government department, I don't have a bank account in the UK.

My banque does not have any Sterling drafts, only in Euros,  Barclays Bank in Lyon does not have any, and they say they have never been asked for one !

Apparently people pay by credit card or bank transfer but you can't do this for a government department.

Which brings me to my next problem: I have read of this forum that it is now very difficult to open a bank account in the UK if you live abroad.  Is it actually impossible or just very difficult ?

As Napoleon said, "impossible n'est pas français".

Thanks for your advice

Dominique

[sikhim]

    I think I am the only one on this forum who does not have an account in the UK !

Dominique

[suein56]

Sorry, I am one of those who continues to hold a bank account in England and I cannot help with your question as posed but have you thought of contacting the government department, explaining your problem and asking their advice?

Sue

[sikhim]

Hi Sue, thanks for your input, and I would ask them if I could get through to them !

The phone number is always engaged or there is no reply.

Best regards

Dominique

[AnOther]

Generally speaking it is not possible to open an AC in UK if not resident although I believe you can open an offshore AC in Jersey, Barclays I think but don't quote me.

This doesn't solve your immediate problem of course. Could you not get a friend with a UK AC to send a cheque on your behalf and you repay them locally in Euros ?

I recall somebody else here saying that upon moving to France they had taken great pleasure in paying off and cancelling their credit cards and closing their UK bank AC's only to find themselves in a similar situation to you and realising belatedly that it hadn't been such a brilliant idea after all [blink]

[sikhim]

    Thanks that's an idea; I'll start asking around. I had not thought about it.

Concerning the offshore account, although I have nothing to hide, I don't particularly want the Fisc on my back ! and I think having an offshore account is not a good idea.

Like the gendarmes, the Fisc has always provoked fear in the most innocent people in France.

I am now sorry that I closed my UK account but as it happened about 30 years' ago, it's a bit late to have regrets.

Do you know why it is impossible to open a bank account in the UK if you are not resident ? I cannot think of a logical reason.

Dominique

[Russethouse]

Money laundering ?

Potential to fund terrorism ?

[AnOther]

Yes but like so many other things it has the pervasive smell of UK paranoia about it.

For a UK resident holiday home owner opening a French bank A/C is simplicity. I doubt a French resident with a holiday home in UK would find opening one there as easy.

All that the banks and financial institutions are required to do is satisfy themselves of the identity of an applicant, anything over and above that is of their own invention. Witness the tales of 90 year old great grandmothers who have been loyal customers of the same bank and branch for decades being compelled to visit the bank with driving licences or passports (neither of  which many 90 year old grandmothers will actually posess of course) to re-prove their identity to open something as simple as a savings A/C !

[suein56]

[quote user="sikhim"] I would ask them if I could get through to them ! The phone number is always engaged or there is no reply.  [/quote]

Try emailing them - depending on the department involved I have usually had a pretty speedy reply.

Sue