Can I open a bank account in the UK while living in Germany?
By Ask An Expert
Updated:
Please can you tell me if you are permitted to open savings accounts with high street banks in the UK while temporarily living in a EU country (Germany) for three years? I shall be returning to the UK but am currently in the process of selling my house. Can I place any proceeds in a UK savings account? BD, Germany
Brian Capon of the British Bankers’ Association replies: Yes, there is nothing to prevent you opening an account in the UK while you are living in another country.
You will need to provide proof of your identity, usually in the form of a passport or driving licence together with proof of your address, such as a recent utility bill, when you open your account.
UK banks: Can I put my savings in a UK account while living temporarily in Germany?
If you do not already have an account it would be easier for you to open one if you are still in the UK, or intend visiting. Alternatively if you are in Europe you could look at an online account with a UK bank.
More...
You will need to provide the bank with your new address and contact number and if you are intending to pay money into the account from Germany it would be worth checking with your bank about any costs that might be involved. Currency transfers within the Single Euro Payments Area attract a flat rate.
Some links in this article may be affiliate links. If you click on them we may earn a small commission. That helps us fund This Is Money, and keep it free to use. We do not write articles to promote products. We do not allow any commercial relationship to affect our editorial independence.
POPULAR MONEY SECTIONS
- Best savings rates tables
- Find the best mortgage calculator
- Power Portfolio investment tracker
- Stock market data and share prices
- This is Money's podcast
- This is Money's newsletter
- The best DIY investing platforms
- The best bank accounts
- The best cash Isas
- The best credit cards
- Save on energy bills
- Compare broadband and TV deals
- How to find cheaper car insurance
- Investing Show videos
- Financial calculators
Most watched Money videos
- Record number of Lamborghinis line up at Silverstone
- MG unveils its Cyberster electric two-seat sports car in China
- VW's new ID.7 electric car offers up to 435 miles on a full charge
- Steve McQueen's classic Ferrari sets auction record in 2014
- Robot escorts children and the elderly crossing the road
- Ford launches new hands-free driving feature
- '7' number plate breaks world record selling for £12MILLION
- A tour of the most expensive home in the North East
- A look inside the 5-bed house on the ocean's edge in Sandbanks
- Video shows the South East's most expensive home
- Ford Transit Courier loved by firms will go electric next year
- Warning of scam that damages car by clipping wing mirror
- JP Morgan in £8.5bn deal to buy up embattled bank First...
- Bell tolls for U.S. banking: With each failure and...
- Superdry reveals 'positive' talks with investors about...
- Smaller holdings CAN strike it rich! 10 winners of this...
- Coronation car-nage: Royals fans who decorate their...
- Sharp sell-off in bank stocks expected as jittery markets...
- 'Wagamama's undervalued by markets': Analysts vouch for...
- That's a LOT of Lambos! Watch nearly 400 Italian...
- Tesco faces shopper backlash as it increases minimum...
- House prices rise after seven months of consecutive...
- BUSINESS LIVE: BP profits reach $5bn; HSBC earnings...
- More than 400 HMRC staff members to strike from next week...
- SMALL CAP IDEAS:Creo Medical powers on towards...
- Driver at her 'wits' end' over the state of her local...
- Ashtead Group launches fresh $500m share buyback scheme...
- JP Morgan to snap up most of First Republic Bank after...
- BP profits balloon to $5bn on the back of strong oil and...
- Households set to pay a record £20,000 each on mortgage...
MOST READ MONEY
Previous
Next
- ●
- ●
- ●
- ●
Comments 5
Share what you think
- Newest
- Oldest
- Best rated
- Worst rated
The comments below have not been moderated.
The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.
We are no longer accepting comments on this article.
POPULAR MONEY SECTIONS
- Best savings rates tables
- Find the best mortgage calculator
- Power Portfolio investment tracker
- Stock market data and share prices
- This is Money's podcast
- This is Money's newsletter
- The best DIY investing platforms
- The best bank accounts
- The best cash Isas
- The best credit cards
- Save on energy bills
- Compare broadband and TV deals
- How to find cheaper car insurance
- Investing Show videos
- Financial calculators
LATEST BUSINESS NEWS
- BUSINESS LIVE: BP | HSBC | Superdry
- Ashtead Group launches fresh $500m buyback
- TRG shares surge as dine-in sales grow
- Superdry reveals 'positive' equity raise talks
- HSBC profits treble to $12.9bn on rate hikes
- BP profits balloon to $5bn
- Sharp sell-off in bank stocks expected
- JP Morgan in £8.5bn deal to buy First Republic
- John Lewis halving size of its HQ
ASK AN EXPERT
Put your question to our team of independent experts. Click the more button to email us
more
Advertisem*nt
DON'T MISS
- Over 65s hold £2.6TRILLION worth of housing wealth - largely without mortgages As youngsters battle to get on the ladder
- Should you sell in May? The returns over summer for all the world's major stock markets revealed
- The £121.57 Premium Bond trap Why you should ALWAYS buy the much-loved NS&I product towards the end of the month
- Would you back risky AIM shares to beat inheritance tax? Investing trick can protect your family's nest egg...
- Will the crackdown on holiday lettings wreck your returns? Owners face tougher rules amid fears that boom is harming local areas
- Inflation and stock market wobbles hit the pension power of hundreds of thousands of older workers 2023 is the worst year to start retirement
- How to get supermarket deliveries for just 67p a pop! We compare the cheapest monthly and annual pass options for a weekly food shop
- Five of the best cash Isas Top deals include a two-year fix at 4.35% and 3.45% on an easy-access
- Seeing a private dentist need not hurt your wallet as much as you fear How much will you pay - and what is the best way to fund your treatment?
- Bell tolls for US banking: With each failure and rescue, the prospects of maintaining confidence look ever more remote ALEX BRUMMER
- Is your video doorbell helping to reduce this one type of major crime on our roads? Offences have fallen by a third in 12 months, official data shows
- Perfect to mark Coronation, but which coins can make a mint? Collectors have been pre-ordering but there are still a handful worth investing in
- Most viewed properties for sale online show buyers are hunting doer-uppers... and this £22.5m home left to rot may fit the bill! We reveal the five most popular homes for sale
Advertisem*nt
ANSWERS FROM THE Experts
- SALLY SORTS IT: My 12-year-old ran up a £9,000 mobile bill on our holiday in Egypt. Do I have to pay?
- I leased a Citroen Berlingo van from PSA Finance but why has it now demanded £8,500 from me? TONY HETHERINGTON investigates
- I am 85 and still running the family firm, but will we save on inheritance tax if I hand over my shares to my sons now? HEATHER ROGERS replies
- SALLY SORTS IT: I was charged €777 for a five minute taxi ride in Paris - is there anything I can do?
- Dealer's claims are as surreal as art I bought: TONY HETHERINGTON sounds the alarm over Smith & Partner Ltd yet again as complaints flood in
- SALLY SORTS IT: I transferred £48,000 to NS&I to buy Premium Bonds, but my money has vanished
- We need to move out while we extend our house: Is it still covered by home insurance - and how do I protect against something going wrong?
- Help! HMRC has mixed my tax records up with a total stranger's: TONY HETHERINGTON investigates a case that imitates 90s movie The Net
- SALLY SORTS IT: I lost £840 after falling for the 'Mum and Dad' WhatsApp scam... and First Direct won't refund me
- SALLY SORTS IT: Our M&S sofas squeaked and now the seats have gone bobbly - but it refuses to replace them
HEATHER ROGERS ANSWERS YOUR TAX QUESTIONS
- How do you find a good accountant? Five tips on when to seek help, hiring the right firm and typical costs
- Help! I want to leave my house to my grandson and keep it in the family, but he can't afford the inheritance tax
- My mum cut my sister out of her will but I plan to give her a fair share of the inheritance: Will I end up with a tax bill?
- Will I be stung for capital gains tax on sale of £425k family home because I moved out during my divorce?
- If I don't spend enough time in the UK, can I be forced to become a 'non-dom'?
- I made a £32k loss when I sold my parents' house in 1989: Can I still use it to cut a capital gains tax bill now?
- A world famous rockstar who died young wrote me letters in the '60s: If I sell them now for £20k, will I have to pay tax?
TODAYS TOP DISCOUNTS
-
NordVPN - Internet security
Get a discount code to save on your internet security
-
Audible - Shop with Audible
Listen to podcasts and books for less with these offers
-
Virgin Media - Broadband and mobile
Get the ultimate broadband and entertainment bundle
-
Vodafone - Mobile deals
Get great deals on existing and new plans
-
Gtech - Electronic deals
Have a clean house and save money with these offers
Advertisem*nt
ADVERTORIAL FEATURES
- Jordan - Kingdom of Time In a land where the ancient meets the modern, you'll find unforgettable experiences around every corner
- Come and Say G'day. Australia offers something for everyone - from surfing and exploring cities to enjoying gourmet food. Discover more >
- A Better Basket with Tesco The food in our baskets has a huge impact on our health and the health of our planet. Learn more >
- Find the cheapest and best value life insurance This is Money has teamed up with leading advisers Cavendish Online to help you find the cheapest life insurance