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Opening a Bank Account

Posted: Thu May 19, 2022 4:49pm
19 replies365 views6 members subscribed
SandraB

Posts: 27

Location: Estepona

Joined: 8 May 2021

Hi

My husband & I are in the UK and trying to open an on-line Spanish bank account as we are in the process of buying an apartment.  We have our NIE number. He is self-employed and is having issues with the bank that the solicitor recommended as although he is in excess of the required yearly earnings for some reason they do not take his dividends into account.  They just keep bouncing his application. We are going round & round in circles.  Has anyone else had this issue and iff so how have they overcome it.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Sandra    

Holaitsdavid

Posted: Thu May 19, 2022 10:42pm

Holaitsdavid

Very helpful member

Posts: 1447

542 helpful points

Location: Mijas Costa

Joined: 30 Mar 2021

Posted: Thu May 19, 2022 10:42pm

If you have an NIE number and 'address in Spain' try N26, but the card must be sent to the Spanish address, UK not in the Single Market now so could be complex. N26 shut UK division. You can transfer funds by Wise. https://n26.com/en-es

Andy08

Posted: Fri May 20, 2022 5:53pm

Posts: 25

4 helpful points

Location: Antequera

Joined: 19 Feb 2022

Posted: Fri May 20, 2022 5:53pm

Hi Sandra

I had exactly the same problem with 2 Spanish banks.  In the end, when we came over for the completion of our house, I opened an account with N26, an online German bank.  You need a Spanish mobile number, I brought out an old iPhone 6 and set up a contract with Lobster for €12pm, which you can turn on and off when you leave, and although they are Spanish, all the phone support is in English.  If you need a contact there let me know, I have a number for the local person and she is very good.

Then set up N26 online, I am already paying utility bills, they have various account options to suit you and their webchat is very good.  I also have a debit card for online payments and ATM use.

Cheers

Andy

SandraB

Posted: Fri May 20, 2022 6:19pm

SandraB

Original Poster

Posts: 27

Location: Estepona

Joined: 8 May 2021

Posted: Fri May 20, 2022 6:19pm

Holaitsdavid wrote on Thu May 19, 2022 10:42pm:

If you have an NIE number and 'address in Spain' try N26, but the card must be sent to the Spanish address, UK not in the Single Market now so could be complex. N26 shut UK division. You can transfer funds by Wise. https://n26.com/en-es

Hi David

Thanks as always for your good advice.

Sandra

SandraB

Posted: Fri May 20, 2022 6:22pm

SandraB

Original Poster

Posts: 27

Location: Estepona

Joined: 8 May 2021

Posted: Fri May 20, 2022 6:22pm

Andy08 wrote on Fri May 20, 2022 5:53pm:

Hi Sandra

I had exactly the same problem with 2 Spanish banks.  In the end, when we came over for the completion of our house, I opened an account with N26, an online German bank.  You need a Spanish mobile number, I brought out an old iPhone 6 and set up a contract with Lobster for €12pm, whic...

...h you can turn on and off when you leave, and although they are Spanish, all the phone support is in English.  If you need a contact there let me know, I have a number for the local person and she is very good.

Then set up N26 online, I am already paying utility bills, they have various account options to suit you and their webchat is very good.  I also have a debit card for online payments and ATM use.

Cheers

Andy

Hi Andy

Thanks for the above.  Has really tested out patience on this one.  I think we might be there.  Applied in my name & I think it has been set up (fingers crossed) but still keeps kicking my husband out.

Will go your route if still a problem.

Thanks for taking the time to reply.

Sandra

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Holaitsdavid

Posted: Fri May 20, 2022 11:24pm

Holaitsdavid

Very helpful member

Posts: 1447

542 helpful points

Location: Mijas Costa

Joined: 30 Mar 2021

Posted: Fri May 20, 2022 11:24pm

SandraB wrote on Fri May 20, 2022 6:22pm:

Hi Andy

Thanks for the above.  Has really tested out patience on this one.  I think we might be there.  Applied in my name & I think it has been set up (fingers crossed) but still keeps kicking my husband out.

Will go your route if still a problem.

Thanks for taking the time to reply.

Sandra

"You need a Spanish mobile number"  - 'N26'

I managed to open mine fine using a Smartphone which had a UK 44 code (although in Spain at the time).Their App is good and no problems paying for anything using it. ( It's still on a UK country code)

 

Morelo S

Posted: Tue May 24, 2022 7:47am

Posts: 72

23 helpful points

Location: Estepona

Joined: 8 Nov 2021

Posted: Tue May 24, 2022 7:47am

You can open an account with Caixa, online from anywhere! HolaBank | Private individuals | CaixaBank

I did this from the UK, however within 3 months of being accepted you have to visit your branch with your passport for confirmation. Unfortunately circumstances led me to breach that rule and the account was automatically closed. Providing you work within those rules you can open the account and use it.  

Holaitsdavid

Posted: Tue May 24, 2022 2:16pm

Holaitsdavid

Very helpful member

Posts: 1447

542 helpful points

Location: Mijas Costa

Joined: 30 Mar 2021

Posted: Tue May 24, 2022 2:16pm

Morelo S wrote on Tue May 24, 2022 7:47am:

You can open an account with Caixa, online from anywhere! HolaBank | Private individuals | CaixaBank

I did this from the UK, however within 3 months of being accepted you have to visit your branch with your passport for confirmation. Unfortunately circumstances led me to breach that rule and the account was automatically closed. Providing you work within those rules you can open the account and ...

...use it.  

My N26 'Euro account' pure on line banking, I opened with a 44 - phone number, but as I posted, you must have an  NIE number & a Spanish address where  they send the card. Fortunate I have not needed to go near a bank since been here, end of transition period. The key is having a Euro account, not a high charging Spanish bank account. N26 is German but they do have offices in Spain. 

https://n26.com/en-eu/open-bank-account-in-spain

Maura007

Posted: Wed May 25, 2022 12:24pm

Posts: 17

1 helpful points

Joined: 2 Mar 2020

Posted: Wed May 25, 2022 12:24pm

Andy08 wrote on Fri May 20, 2022 5:53pm:

Hi Sandra

I had exactly the same problem with 2 Spanish banks.  In the end, when we came over for the completion of our house, I opened an account with N26, an online German bank.  You need a Spanish mobile number, I brought out an old iPhone 6 and set up a contract with Lobster for €12pm, whic...

...h you can turn on and off when you leave, and although they are Spanish, all the phone support is in English.  If you need a contact there let me know, I have a number for the local person and she is very good.

Then set up N26 online, I am already paying utility bills, they have various account options to suit you and their webchat is very good.  I also have a debit card for online payments and ATM use.

Cheers

Andy

Hi,

Can you open a joint N26 account?

Many thanks

velezboy62

Posted: Wed May 25, 2022 12:28pm

Posts: 66

8 helpful points

Location: Vélez-Málaga

Joined: 13 Aug 2021

Posted: Wed May 25, 2022 12:28pm

Hi Sandra.

I have an House in Velez Malaga, when I was finalising the sale of the house, my estate agent who is in Torre del Mar booked an appointment with Santander for us, we went along to the appointment with our passports and N.I.E. confirmation which my solicitor got through the police station, The manager at Santander was very helpful, we deposited 100€ in to the account and that was it.

Getting an electronic signature was a bit of a task, but we got there in the end.

I would advise opening a Bank Account located in or nearby the area where you are buying an Apartment.

Good Luck Sandra, hope you get a Bank sorted soon.

Warm Regards 

Velezboy62 

(AKA Steve) 

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