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I have a Nationwide FlexDirect current account and Nationwide have confirmed that they  would let me keep it if/when I move to Cyprus.

Thanks Peter, thats good to know as I’ve had a current account with them all my working life. Hopefully there will be some more suggestions later.

Can't you just use an address of a relative in the UK for your bank post, as banking is online?

Why complicate matters by saying you are going overseas? Or have I missed something?

People can, and do, do this but technically it is illegal!

If you become resident, and particularly if you become tax-resident, in another country, you *should* inform your bank and they may then close your account. Many UK banks expressly state this in their terms and conditions.

This is (partly) because, since Brexit, most UK banks are not authorised to provide services to EU residents - they need a separate EU licence and registration to do so.

I can't find the exact link now but I was looking into this a few weeks ago HSBC said you can keep the account even with a non-UK address meanwhile Barclays said you must have a UK address.

So HSBC would be the one to go for, there may be others too but definitively HSBC.

I can't find the exact link now but I was looking into this a few weeks ago HSBC said you can keep the account even with a non-UK address meanwhile Barclays said you must have a UK address.
So HSBC would be the one to go for, there may be others too but definitively HSBC. - @cydreaming

I'm with Barclays, they know I live in Austria. They have my Austrian address and my father's address in Wales.

I’m with Lloyds and they allow it,

Had an account with Barclays for donkeys years. They closed it when I moved to Cyprus.

Halifax/Lloyd's no problem.

@cydreaming

HSBC might try to persuade you to switch to an "Expat" account (based on Jersey) - but I think there's a fairly high minimum income requirement for that account!

@cydreaming

For sure I have kept my HSBC accounts live in both Malta for 6 years and now Cyprus 11 years and when Brexit happened I got confirmation from HSBC that they would not be closing my account as long as transactions were going in and out ...which they do.

Fixed term deposits are still possible with them too but it's a bit of a drawn out process each time at renewal. Even after 17 years as a customer....

..NB it's a standard account with both Flexi savings and online bonus accounts..plus a global money account allowing me to exchange to euros when I may need to despite having linked Revolut accounts ..always good to have a back up account... Things can change so its better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it .   

Open the accounts you need before leaving UK

Q..did anyone ever use a Starling account whilst in UK then move to Cyprus? is it still allowed once you've relocated?

@Filmcritic

Hi,

I have my pensions paid into the Halifax bank then I transfer to Revolut  account, then convert £ to €, then send €'s to Starling bank uk (£€ account), then send €'s to Eurobank or any bank in Cyprus you choose.

That satisfies the immigration dept every year for 5 years until I get my residency. It's the best exchange rate you will get. I have Wise too but they charge 0.4% commission. Nobody beats revolut exchange rate.

You can't just use Revolut as proof of payments, immigration dept won't recognise Revolut due to a large country's money launderings. They recognise Starling bank that I use.

The easy way would be sending through Halifax but they charge you a massive fee for doing so, so that's out of the question.

My State Pension is paid from DWP to an intermediate bank (Citi) where the £ to € is exchanged with normally a good exchange rate and then put in my Eurobank account every 28 days.

Good luck, you'll get used to it after a while.

My advise is buy a good printer/copier because the immigration dept want to see every transaction you make and prove where you're money comes from, every paper trail.

Regards T

All our transactions are via Revolut (which is now a recognised bank)  and they’re not questioned by immigration Lloyds to Revolut to Eurobank