Can a non-resident open a UK business bank account?

High street banks are built around branch relationships and UK residency checks, so a director applying entirely from abroad is often declined before a human looks at the file. Electronic money institutions were built for exactly this problem and onboard remotely with a video call and document upload.

None of this changes what Companies House needs from you separately: a UK registered office and completed identity verification for directors and PSCs. Banking and incorporation are two different gatekeepers, and clearing the second does not guarantee the first.

A specific, honest business description, evidence the company genuinely trades with UK customers or suppliers, and a sensible SIC code all matter more than paperwork volume. Vague descriptions like 'consulting' or 'general trading' are a common cause of automatic refusal.

Appointing a UK resident director or having an accountant who can vouch for the company's substance also helps with traditional banks, though it brings its own tax residence questions that need thinking through before you do it purely for banking reasons.

Our fixed monthly packages for a UK limited company start at £89 plus VAT and run to £169 and £289 plus VAT as bookkeeping, VAT, payroll and reporting are added. One-off filings are sold at fixed prices, and the Companies House fees we pay for you are charged at cost with no VAT added. Overseas owners are quoted on exactly the same published prices as UK-resident clients.

Rates, thresholds and deadlines here reflect the 2026/27 UK position and current Companies House and HMRC guidance. Check GOV.UK, or ask us, before relying on them for your own company.