FOAK: How to get a debit card?

Hi all, help very much appreciated,

My GF was born in the UK and lived here for 20 years, moved to Canada
for the next 20 years, and is now back permanently in the UK.

She is finding it impossible to get a bank account that offers
anything more than a cashpoint card. She really has a need for a debit
card but is struggling to find a bank that will issue her with one.
She was very creditworthy in Canada (mortgage et al), and has never
been blacklisted.

Any ideas?

Phil.

 

Get her on the electoral register, that's a good start.

 

Possibly a building society? My Alliance & Leicester cheque guarantee card
is also a Visa Debit card.

 

Just accept the crappy card and get a credit card, they'll give them to
anyone.

 

www.capitalone.co.uk will give *anyone*, a credit card.

Use it sensibly for seven months, they up your limit... keep that ticking
along nicely for a while longer, and you then find other companies and banks
more willing to offer accounts etc.

 

my boss is trying to open a new bank account- she found the same
problem, so maybe nothing to do being credit worthy.
The only one that she found would issue a debit card before 3 months
with them was first direct. Which incidently I referred her to, as I
find they are excellent. She was also pleasantly surprised that she
could just apply on line, whereas a lot of banks wanted to see all
sorts of documentation (passport, driving licence with current
address- even birth certificate).

 

Can she get a reference from the Canadian bank?

 

Assuming she is working and earning a decent amount of cash then simply
get her to make that *very* obvious to the bank staff handling the
application. They do want her business don't they????

On the assumption that she held an account in the UK previously then get
that bank to provide a reference and also do the same for her bank in
Canada. She could also simply provide a letter of authority for
whichever bank she wants to bank with here to present to her former bank
in Canada to release appropriate information on her credit worthiness /
bank account management. Does she have statements from her former bank
in Canada? I'd put those on the table too.

Other than that I would demand to talk to a bank manager and not some
dumb underling in the branch or over the telephone.

 

Phil@Home scribbled on the back of a napkin:

So basically, no (recent) credit history...

Worst case may mean that if you're creditworthy, open a shared account
that'll give both of you a card and shred yours...

 

That's the Anti-Money Laundering legislation doing that. A few of the
banks have copped huge fines for not complying. I suspect First
Direct will want to see some documentation before her account is
actually activated.

 

I opened an account with Alliance and Leicester without (aside from what's
in the credit file) having to prove I was who I said I was.

Still don't quite see how it stops money laundering, but anyway

 

That's the Anti-Money Laundering legislation doing that. A few of the
Tis a pain in the ass - Im currently applying for 3 mortgages, and
have sent faxed copies of my passport, driving license and current
bills all over the place by fax over the last week or so. It makes me
wonder how many forged passports, identies etc. are a direct result of
copied documents being intercepted during transit to banks, etc.

 

November'ish last year.

I have - but just like most things, it can be got round - and in the
meantime just makes it bloody difficult for 'normal' people to do things.

FWIW, I have no idea where my birth certificates gone (and it's 'foreign')
so I have no idea what I'd have to do if someone asked for it.

 

That's the problem with being a foetus, see. Haven't you got the
proto-stiffikit?

 

No.

I did use to have the actual Birth certificate - but I haven't seen it in
two years.

Issued in SA - getting a new one could be 'interesting'.