If you are wondering how to open a UK bank account as a non-resident seller on eBay, Amazon, or Etsy, keep reading as we are going to give you a full guide.
In order to be able to sell on eBay, Amazon, or Etsy in the UK market, you must have a non-resident company registered with a company house in England and then open a bank account.
There are several ways to quickly register and form a company in the UK; you may look for a service provider that can do that for you at minimal cost while also providing a virtual office and address, which will be needed for the bank account opening. Reach out to us, and we will give you a list of providers for e-commerce company incorporation in the UK.
After Company Is Formed, Steps To Open A UK Bank Account As A Non-Resident
As a non-resident director, or UBO, you can open a UK bank account for your e-commerce business if you can provide the necessary information and documents as discussed previously. Here are the basic steps:
Choose the right bank for you: research and compare different UK-based banks or payment providers in order to determine which one is best for you. If you don’t have time for research, contact us, and we will provide you with a list or a free consultation.
Gather required documentation: most UK banks will require your passport or ID, proof of address (PoA), description of your business activity, company incorporation documents and registration details, and proof of address of your company (we can help there too).
Application to open an account: normally, you can apply for an account opening online. It might take a long time to process your application if you are using publicly available channels. To speed things up, we can provide introductions to responsible people within some digital banks that will take care of your application right away. In addition, you might receive questions or requests for more documents once the application is reviewed; our advice is to respond to such requests as soon as possible.
Waiting for approval: once the application is submitted, the compliance department will review it, make the necessary public checks, and determine if your business is eligible for bank account opening. As I said, you might also need to provide additional information after the initial review.
Funding the account: once the account has been approved, you will need to deposit money into it. This can be done by international wire transfer or by already receiving revenue from e-commerce activities generated on eBay, Amazon, or Etsy.
It's important to note that the requirements for opening a UK bank account for non-resident eBay, Amazon, and Etsy sellers vary by bank, as each has its own client acceptance policy.
What Should Non-Residents Look For When Choosing a UK Bank Account?
As a non-resident, choosing a UK bank account can be challenging. However, we have compiled a few key points to look at before choosing the right one for you:
Eligibility. In general, banks and payment providers have restrictions (jurisdictions, business, risk, etc.) on who can and cannot open an account.Make sure you understand their eligibility criteria and fulfil them. Alternatively, you may contact us for a free consultation and introduction to top-tier banking platforms in the UK.
Fees. It is important to understand the fee structure, as it can help you save a tonne of money. Make sure you understand if there are any monthly fees, account opening fees, maintenance fees, or others. In addition, as a non-resident business owner, you will probably be remitting money back to your home country. This means you will need international wire transfers that might be costly. Contact us to make sure you get the best conditions for international money transfers.
Exchange rates. If you will be making regular transactions in a different currency than your revenues, consider a bank that offers competitive exchange rates. Moreover, the exchange rate softens depending on several factors, such as currency, annual volume of exchange, and liquidity. Contact us to get an introduction to the best currency platforms in the UK.
Online banking platform Check the bank’s online banking system and ensure that it is user-friendly and secure.
Customer Support. Look for a good reputation for customer service and response times. Even better, seek out a personal relationship manager!
Reputation. Consider checking the reputation and reviews of the bank or payment provider that you are going to use for your UK business. Trustpilot or similar is recommended.
Conclusion
All in all, opening a UK bank account as a non-resident requires research, preparation, document gathering, and budgeting. Feel free to use our team’s help in choosing and preparing for bank account opening.