How did everyone else open up new bank accounts?

Hi I'm moving to Aberdeen here in a week, and I've been debating all summer how to go about opening up a new bank account. I'm keeping my American account open, seeing as though i can use the visa portion of my check card and i won't be charged. Originally I was going to wait to open up an account in scotland until I arrived, but after talking to my current bank they said I cannot use a wire money transfer to transfer my money to the new scottish account unless I am present.
Dillemma. So my new plan is to call and set up an account a few days before I leave so that I can transfer money to the account while I'm present at the American bank.

What did everyone else do about this? When you set up a Scottish account, will they take care of closing down an American count and retreiving that money?
HEEEEEELP!

Hi I'm moving to Aberdeen here in a week, and I've been debating all summer how to go about opening up a new bank account. I'm keeping my American account open, seeing as though i can use the visa portion of my check card and i won't be charged. Originally I was going to wait to open up an account in scotland until I arrived, but after talking to my current bank they said I cannot use a wire money transfer to transfer my money to the new scottish account unless I am present.

Your ATM card will likely work here; if you can't close the account in person before leaving the United States, you can drain the money in the account using your ATM card.  Be careful, though; if the machine swallows your card, you are unlikely to get it back.  Banks here are utterly humorless about that.  If you're using an American cash card in a British ATM, use it AT A BANK, preferably the bank where you have an account.

Dillemma. So my new plan is to call and set up an account a few days before I leave so that I can transfer money to the account while I'm present at the American bank.

I'm not sure you can do that.

What did everyone else do about this? When you set up a Scottish account, will they take care of closing down an American count and retreiving that money?
HEEEEEELP!

Every bank I tried to open an account with turned me down because I didn't have a credit rating in this country.  I had to open a joint account with my husband and keep it for several months before I was allowed to open an account on my own...but that was in England.  Any expats in Scotland know more about this?

You'll get a lot of different answers and experiences here.  I don't know what the situation is like in Scotland.  I have a credit union account in the US that I kept open when I moved here which was a smart thing to do as I was able to use my credit union statement (which I had mailed to my new address in the UK) as proof of address.  

Barclays refused to put my name on my husband's account because I didn't have an employment contract saying I'd be in the country for the next 12 months at least.  Never mind I had a spousal visa saying that.

I had a couple people recommend Halifax to me and so I opened an account with them.  They gave me no trouble and gave me a card cash account with a cheque book and a Solo card.  You may wish to give them or Royal Bank of Scotland a try.  Royal Bank of Scotland are affiliated Halifax.  I've been able to set up standing orders to family members' accounts in the US and it's only £3 to transfer the money.  Best of luck!

Thanks.. although I'm not using the atm card. That will cost loads just to take out money...
I just wanted to know if the scottish banks can get a hold of the money in my american account to transfer it or if its much of a hassle. I'm looking at Royal Bank of Scotland, and it won't be much of a hassle for me to open up the student accounts which is what I'm after... I'm just curious as to how the money can be transfered...

If you're transferring money from your US account to your UK account, I would check with your US bank to see about setting up a standing transfer to your UK account and ask them how much it is.  If you're doing it vice versa then check with the UK bank or building society you go with.  Like I said, Halifax it cost me £3 to do a standing transfer once a month (£3 per month per transaction) which is the cheapest I have found so far.

OOPS!  My bad!  Halifax is affiliated with BANK OF SCOTLAND not ROYAL Bank of Scotland which is a different bank!  Sorry for the confusion!  Here's their website: http://www.bankofscotland.co.uk

HSBC, in my opinion, is a good choice. Lloyds would not open a checking account for me. I walked into HSBC with my passport, my bank statements from the states and two bills with my name and current UK address on them (my husband just called and added my name to the water bill and phone bill). They opened a checking account with £100.00 overdraft, a switch card and a Master Card with a £1000.00 limit. Very nice experience. Here is a phone number in Scotland 08457 404404 and HSBC website:

http://www.ukpersonal.hsbc.com/code/tools/site/Renderer.jhtml?bu=ukpersonal&toolName=personal_banking

I still have my bank account in the US and occasionally use the Check Card, but my primary account is HSBC.

I am afraid to say that the banks in Scotand are the same as the banks in Engand.  When I first got here NO ONE woud even open a cash ony account with me.  I finay got Cydesda1e (I've spit mik on my e11 key and it won't type! ) to open a cash on1y account with a card that I cou1dn't use in shops but cou1d use in the cash machines.  This was to go on for six months, ti11 I descovered HSBC.  They go on a points system and they opened me an account the day I wa1ked in with a check book, debit card and 5,000 pound 1oan if I wanted .  The bad news is that there are on1y  2 in Scotand 1ast I checked.  One in Gasgow and the other one (1uck1y for you, perhaps) might be Aberdeen.  I wou1d definate1y reccomend them.  Even if they aren't in Aberdeen I wou1d sti11 check them out as 99% of your tranactions can be done over the phone or on1ine!  

I'm looking at Royal Bank of Scotland, and it won't be much of a hassle for me to open up the student accounts which is what I'm after... I'm just curious as to how the money can be transfered...

Royal Bank of Scotland will not give you a student account if you are an overseas/foreign student.  You will only be offered their basic cashcard account.

The money can be transferred once you get the account opened, but its not the Scottish bank that does the transfer, its you aAmerican bank that has to wire the money into the Scottish bank.

I'm just curious as to how the money can be transfered...

We had a power of attorney prepared so that the designated person could do a money transfer from our US bank account on our behalf.  We had the POA prepared here in the UK, but in retrospect it would have been easier to have it prepared in the US before we left, much less hassle and cheaper too.  The POA is good for three years, I think.  

About setting up a bank account - most banks won't let you open an account unless you have a UK address, and you can't get a rental agreement unless you have a UK bank account - catch-22!  We ended up talking to a couple banks, one refused us outright (*$(%!!!!) and the other (HSBC) was great and helped us as much as they could.  We had DH's job offer and salary letters as proof of employment with a UK company.  HSBC then opened an savings account for us, so that we could withdraw money and have DH's salary deposited.  Then we were able to go to the estate agents and find a place to rent.  Once we had our rental agreement with UK address, HSBC then opened a full joint current account for us, with chequebooks, Switch (debit) cards, as well as credit cards.  Sorted!  Took about 2 weeks to get through all that, not too bad, really.

HTH,
Stephanie

From what I've read, I think I'll stick to HSBC.  I have an account here in the States and our bank manager said she would give a reference letter to take with us to give to the branch we go to in UK.  Whew!

HSBC had recently announced they were extending credit references for people who had US accounts with them...to follow them anywhere they had branches in the world. Brill idea!

Here are the branches of HSBC in Scotland:
HSBC locations in Scotland

My FIL was a bank manager there for decades (when it was Midland Bank) and we've had excellent, personal, service. There are a few British companies I recommend highly, and this is one.


Modified to add the following

Of course, this doesn't remotely answer your questions!  

You're probably responsible for shutting down your own account, and probably should be done before you go because you might have to do it in person. A total guess...I'm afraid I don't have experience in this. I kept my US account and they are quite happy to send my statements to a foreign address. (I have a Wachovia account.) I can write a US-funds check and deposit it in my UK account and they'll charge me at their current exchange rate, which will include their fee. These are the rates you see posted next to the teller windows.

I ended up getting an account w/ HSBC. This was after trying to jump thru hoops to get an account w/ Barclays. My hubby has been w/ Barclays for years and was considered a "valued" customer. The 1st time we went there we were told that I needed a bill in my name and that a cell phone bill would do. Well, when we went to get a cell phone they wouldn't take me on unless I had a UK bank account. We went back to the bank a few days later and talked to another person about our situation. She told us the same thing...I needed a bill w/ my name on it. We asked if we could open a joint account since my hubby has an account already w/ them. She said no. She did take my US bank info and said she would contact them. This was a few months ago and I haven't heard anything. I have since gone to HSBC. They were great. I did have to bring in a check from my US account, which was fine. I still have an account in the US (DH didn't want me to close it just in case we ever decide to move back to the states).