[Anonymous]

Hello all,
Im in the process of buying a great property in Tarragona and have already paid the deposit !
I now need to open a bank account in spain and I was wondering if its possible to open one from abroad ?
Im based in Amsterdam
Ive found this information online and was wondering if its advisable to do this :

If you prefer banking via the Internet, for Bankinter (http://www.bankinter.es) or Open Bank, a subsidiary of Banco Santander (http://www.openbank.es). Choose These offer the most advanced websites and you can open an account online. Bankinter fill their online offerings with a national network of offices, while Open Bank purely an online bank.

we have a short window of 15 days in which to open the account and if it could be done online it would be much easier.
Does anyone have any experience with this ?
many thanks in a advance
robo

[Anonymous]

Hi Robo,

It might be tricky, but you might be able to open an account online, depending on the bank.

At La Caixa I’m told you can open a non-resident account online, but I see no way of doing it from their website, so I wouldn’t waste time there. Otherwise you have to go in person to a La Caixa branch with your original ID.

Santander website sucks, no English version.

BBVA is a bit better, and it seems you can open an account online, but the process quickly goes to Spanish, which means you have to understand Spanish to do it, if it’s possible.

Banco Sabadell seem to allow you to open an account online, in English, see here

Bankinter also say it is possible to do it within 3 days from abroad, see here

Has anyone actually opened a Spanish bank account from abroad recently? Can anyone confirm that it is possible to do?

[Anonymous]

Thank you so much Mark
much appreciated !!

[The Australian]

I was told I needed a freaking number that maybe I could obtain at the nearest Spanish Consulate…problem is the nearest Spanish Consulate is a 2 hour flight away and when I tried to find its website there was nothing.

[The Australian]

@mark wrote:

Hi Robo,

It might be tricky, but you might be able to open an account online, depending on the bank.

At La Caixa I’m told you can open a non-resident account online, but I see no way of doing it from their website, so I wouldn’t waste time there. Otherwise you have to go in person to a La Caixa branch with your original ID.

Santander website sucks, no English version.

BBVA is a bit better, and it seems you can open an account online, but the process quickly goes to Spanish, which means you have to understand Spanish to do it, if it’s possible.

Banco Sabadell seem to allow you to open an account online, in English, see here

Bankinter also say it is possible to do it within 3 days from abroad, see here

Has anyone actually opened a Spanish bank account from abroad recently? Can anyone confirm that it is possible to do?

That’s a very useful info, thank you, but before trusting any of the Spanish Banks (not only Spanish ones for that matter) I think that a wise thing would be to check if they need money or not.

The best way to do so is in my opinion to check which bank has just successfully raised capital (Bankia just did few months ago) because fresh capital from sharesholders means that the bank is less likely to default or milk savings accounts like in Cyprus.

[The Australian]

Also, do you know what kind of taxes foreigners need to pay on money held in Spanish Banks if they are not resident in Spain?

[Anonymous]

Aussie, you don’t need an NIE to open a bank account in Spain, your passport will do.

Non-residents don’t have to pay taxes on their account, though the bank charges will almost certainly be higher 🙁

If I was worried about depositing my money with a bank, I would go to almost any bank before Bankia. I get where you’re coming from, but ‘m not sure your criterion is sound.

[The Australian]

@mark wrote:

Aussie, you don’t need an NIE to open a bank account in Spain, your passport will do.

Non-residents don’t have to pay taxes on their account, though the bank charges will almost certainly be higher 🙁

If I was worried about depositing my money with a bank, I would go to almost any bank before Bankia. I get where you’re coming from, but ‘m not sure your criterion is sound.

Thanks

In regards to Bankia, I don’t understand why you say that…maybe because the Government now is the main shareholder?

[Anonymous]

HI Mark

@mark wrote:

Aussie, you don’t need an NIE to open a bank account in Spain, your passport will do.

.

Do you mean that I can walk into a bank in spain with no adress in the country and open an account with just a passport ?
I may have to do this as Ive tried the on-line options above and actually sent off a request for a new accountto Bank Sabadell but got no reply. After calling the service desk Ive now been promised that they will call me back today to finalise the request…..

watch this space !

[Anonymous]

I’m not 100% sure you don’t need an NIE number to open an account, and it might depend on the bank, but that’s what I’ve been told.

[katy]

The facility to open a bank account was stopped some years ago, at least on the CDS.

[Anonymous]

@katy wrote:

The facility to open a bank account was stopped some years ago, at least on the CDS.

Not sure what you mean ?
CDS?
the facility to opne one whilst not in the country ?

[katy]

Sorry, Costs del Sol.

[Anonymous]

I’ve been doing a bit more digging on this question. My local branch of La Caixa says you absolutely do need an NIE to open a non-resident account. But I also know someone who has no trouble opening accounts for his clients without NIEs. So there you go. It all depends 😕

[Anonymous]

Hi Guys
just an update on this post.
As I was in Portugal on holidays I drove over to the nearest spanish city from lisbon which was Babajoz and opened an account with sabadell.
I choose them because they were very helpful with calling me back when agreed and also at the branch it self they proved very professional.
They did ask for an NIE number initially but after my story he opened the account.
Go Sabadell !

[Author]

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