[SPLIT]Opening a bank account:Discuss

I opened  an account recently and the lady would NOT put Ms as my title becasue I am married..
  It was surreal the way we kept going back and forth.... 
a case of pushing her ideas on  me  i'd say

I used my passport  (with fiance visa) as proof of ID and UK residency.

thanks for that info!  def would have come in handy a few years ago.

azroomie- natwest, BT, tiscali- won't use Ms.  I can only be Miss or Mrs. ??

I had to go a second day and  show my marriage certificate because  my passport still has my maiden name and my spousal visa..with my married name..  i guess she still  wasn't convinced..      how do they think we get spousal visas??

I had to go a second day and  show my marriage certificate because  my passport still has my maiden name and my spousal visa..with my married name..  i guess she still  wasn't convinced..      how do they think we get spousal visas??

Wait I'm confused - azroomie you wanted them to put Mrs. and they refused?  Or you wanted them to put Ms.?

I am down as Mrs. Geeta Maidenname.  How stupid!  I was like, um no - I am Ms. Geeta Maidenname or Mrs. Geeta Marriedname.

What is up with the obsession with the titles by the way?  Why do they have to put ANYTHING?  I guess it's just a remnant of their history.  I got one check from TFL that was made out to Miss Geeta Marriedname.  There are like ten permutations and I seem to have received all of them!  The bank told me they would not deposit it because it said MISS instead of Mrs.  Oh for crying out LOUD!!!

geetak- did you have to get the check reissued?  what??? i have two accounts with natwest.  one is MRS. and one is MISS.  i'm not married, so why is it MRS. no idea.

geetak- did you have to get the check reissued?  what??? i have two accounts with natwest.  one is MRS. and one is MISS.  i'm not married, so why is it MRS. no idea.

Natwest told me - you need to get the check reissued.  Um no, I don't think so.

I took the check to my other bank Barclays where they happily deposited it straight away.  Stupid Natwest.  They seriously wanted me to get it reissued - and it was for about £5 (I lost my oyster card so they sent me a refund).  How RIDICULOUS!

This is getting ridiculous.   Taking Barclays as an example, I see why my neighbor couldn't get the bank to add his wife as joint account holder recently.

To confirm who you are, we need one of the following:

* Full UK passport.
* Full foreign passport.
* Passport in old name (must have supporting document regarding change of name, eg marriage certificate, Decree Nisi with birth certificate or Deed Poll document).
* UK driving licence: Paper version - full licence only. Photocard version - full and provisional.
* Blue Disabled driver's pass (must be current).
* European Union member state identity card.
* Firearms licence (must be current).
* Police warrant card.
* UK Armed Forces ID card.

So if you don't drive, have never been in the police force or the services, don't have a gun permit, and aren't from another EU country, are they saying that you would have to pay out over £50 for a passport you don't need just to open a bank account?

To confirm where you live, we need one of the following:

* UK driving licence with current address: Paper version - full licence only. Photocard version - full and provisional. (Cannot be used if it has already been used for ID).

Huh?      If you've used your license as proof of ID, why can't it be used to show your address as well?

This getting utterly ridiculous.  When opening a checking account the bank is going to be looking after your money.   You should be asking them for references! 

So if you don't drive, have never been in the police force or the services, don't have a gun permit, and aren't from another EU country, are they saying that you would have to pay out over £50 for a passport you don't need just to open a bank account?

Some banks (I know for a fact that Barclays does) have processes in place to deal with exceptional cases, and someone without a passport or driver's license would indeed be an exceptional case.  There are other documents that are accepted for proof of identity, but with these types of documents, other evidence may be needed to support it.  That's why it's not published, and why it is taken on a case by case basis.  In an ideal world, those selling these products would have a full understanding of this, but often they are under paid kids that may not be the most clued-up group; this is why it is important for customers to ask for someone more senior in exceptional cases.

Huh?      If you've used your license as proof of ID, why can't it be used to show your address as well?

Because there must one document to support identity and one document to support proof of address.  It can't be the same document to support both.

Banks don't just make this stuff up to make our day more difficult.  They are required to do this by the FSA.  For more information and from the horse's mouth, see: http://www.fsa.gov.uk/consumer/09_SAVINGS/savings_accounts/mn_identity.html

Well I have to disagree with Paul, I think someone opening a bank account should have a passport or a license. Anyone can go through your garbage and get letters in someones name and claim to be them.
As Cait said,there are exceptional cases though. For instance,my mother in law is a carer,and one of the ladys she cares for needed to open a bank account,she has no drivers license or a passport, so my mother in law had to go in with her to help her set it up and confirm that she is who she says she is.

edited to say: my MIL just told me she opened it up at a building society and the lady also brung in a letter from her doctors saying she is a patient there & resides at such and such address

I guess I just don't like the whole way that the system is headed, treating everyone as a potential criminal until they prove otherwise. 

Anyone care to lay odds on how long it will be before the government suggests that the new ("entirely voluntary") national ID card should be a requirement for opening a new bank account?

It's not just Britain doing this.  I used to work for a bank in the US and even in my role as an IT manager, I still had to take money laundering training.  Back then you couldn't open an account without a social security number (though I can't remember whether a passport or driver's license was required).

When the US enacted the Patriot Act, there was a section relating money laundering and terrorist funding.  So now there are stronger (codified) identity requirements for opening an account.

If you want a bit of background:
http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/bank/20030930a1.asp

An example of it in action:
http://www.citigroup.com/privatebank/patriot_act.htm

I agree with both sides of the argument.

I agree with Cait et al that the docs are required for money laundering purposes, this was decided upon by the FSA and the banks are just following the rules the FSA has created.  Did you know that technically the bank could come verify your address with a home visit?  I studied this for my investment management certificate exam which I passed and which allows me to consult to UK clients - and I remember being very excited when I read it.  Should have shown that to all the banks when I didn't have a utility bill!

However, I also agree with Paul that this money laundering reason is taken way way too far.  I understand that the UK is a prime destination for money laundering and that based on the previous experiences it is an important issue.  But please can we have some common sense?  I think of it in relation to the ID requirements for getting on an airplane - if you don't have a passport or US drivers license/ID, you can't get on right?  Well no, actually if you don't have one of these, the airlines can still let you on within reason - if they determine that it is reasonable (ie you had your wallet stolen, you are not in your home state so can't get a replacement ID, etc).  But here I have encountered this blind following-of-rules that really frustrates and concerns me....  And I do feel that the govt. is on a slippery slope against protecting citizens' privacy here.  But that is another issue I guess.

Hope no one was offended by this as that was not my intention - just been thinking about it lately.

Wait I'm confused - azroomie you wanted them to put Mrs. and they refused?  Or you wanted them to put Ms.?

I

I wanted Ms.   couldn't do it..

I wanted Ms.   couldn't do it..

Yeah I guess that's why they put me down as Mrs. Geeta Maidenname.  Because well, I'm MARRIED!  So I have to be a Mrs!