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European banking is a really sad state of affairs (fedia.io)
submitted 9 months ago by to c/Europe@europe.pub
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Moving away: close your bank account, you must live in the country to have a bank account here.

Moving to: you must open a bank account here, we don't accept foreign IBANs

Using a banking application: you must have US tech spyware on your phone, otherwise we don't consider it secure.

We need a European federation. I want to be able to move somewhere with my European bank account, get paid by European employer, pay with my European money using a European payment system without having to tell some other non-European country all about it.

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[–] [S] -4 points 9 months ago (8 children)

Do you think all banks follow the rules? And if they don't, do you think I, as a lone citizen, have the resources to fight a bank?

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  • [–] 2 points 9 months ago (6 children)

    I don't know where you are, but you may think to contact the consumer protection agency in the country. I fairly believe all banks follow this rule.

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  • [–] [S] 2 points 9 months ago* (5 children)

    I already have and am now more than a year into a process against a bank here with no end in sight. If I were to fight against all banks, it would take me a life time. There are many banks I have complained to but the most you can get most of the time is a tired "it's for security", "it's for compliance", "we do our best to serve our customers but we cannot serve the needs of everybody", and so on. Believe me when I say, it's far from "all" banks that follow the rule.

    Here's an example from France "La Banque Postale"

    Pour commencer, pouvez-vous nous confirmer que :

    • Vous êtes majeur capable • Vous êtes résident fiscal français sans obligation fiscale dans un autre pays

    which translate to

    To begin, could you please confirm that:

    • You are a legal adult with full capacity
    • You are a French tax resident with no tax obligations in another country"

    The next one in the search results was "Credit Agricole". To open a bank account, you need to enter your postal code and it only accepts French post codes.

    Did the same with German banks, Spanish, even Slovak banks. If you're outside of the country, chances are you cannot open a bank account. That's the problem I have with being in the European Union and not in the European Federation or European Republic.

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  • [–] 2 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (4 children)

    You are a French tax resident with no tax obligations in another country"

    I assume this is the problem, right? You will only became a tax resident when you live 180 days in the country (check the number of days). This means that in the near future they will ask you to prove that you are tax resident.

    If you check the documents to open an account you just need:

    • une pièce d'identité en cours de validité (Eng: a valid identity document)
    • un justificatif de domicile récent (Eng: proof of recent domicile)
    • les derniers justificatifs de revenus pourront vous être demandés. (Eng: You may be asked for the latest income receipts.)

    https://www.labanquepostale.fr/particulier/comptes-et-cartes/ouvrir-un-compte/pieces-justificatives.html

    I moved between EU countries and between EUR and non-EUR, and even because of business had to go to another country for opening an account (without even had lived there) and never had troubles.

    Anyway as an immigrant/expat it's always better to do this kind of stuff in person, as the online templates are usually for the most common client - the natives.

    The next one in the search results was “Credit Agricole”. To open a bank account, you need to enter your postal code

    Off course, to where do you want for them to send the letters?

    and it only accepts French post codes.

    Again, go to the physical location and they will let you open. I have done that (not with those banks and not in france).

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  • [–] [S] 1 point 9 months ago (3 children)

    You're missing the point: I don't live in France! I am a legal EU resident in another country and cannot open an account in France, Germany, and many other countries. That's the problem.

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  • [–] 1 point 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (2 children)

    Yes you can. Did you tried calling or sending and email asking how to proceed? Just go there physically, it's the easiest way.

    Years ago you could open account in commerzbank in germany via registered letter. I did it and i never lived in germany. I had some problems with the slow mail company... But that's another story.

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  • [–] [S] -1 points 9 months ago* (1 child)

    Is it impossible for you to accept that we have different experiences? I called my bank after moving and they told me my bank account will be closed if when I formally change my address. Another bank told me I need to pay an extra fee for creating a bank account from abroad.

    And your suggestion to "just go there physically"... am I made of gold? You think I can just buy a plane ticket, fly across the continent just to create a bank account? Are you going to tell me to buy a second home close to the bank too?

    It's like your argument is "well, it worked for me, so nobody else can have problems". It's like the child playing hide and seek, closing their eyes and thinking nobody can see them that hasn't grasped the concept that other entities with different experiences exist. What are you? French?

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  • [–] 1 point 9 months ago

    You wrote:

    I am a legal EU resident in another country and cannot open an account in France, Germany, and many other countries. That’s the problem.

    Which is completely false. It's not as easy as if you are a resident but it's not impossible.

    Is it impossible for you to accept that we have different experiences?

    No, and it's totally fine we have different experiences, but don't say it's impossible since that's not the case. That was my point.

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