What documents do I need to open a UK business account from abroad?

Passport or national ID is standard, usually verified through a selfie video match. Proof of address can be a utility bill, bank statement or government letter, and providers are often stricter about accepting documents in a language other than English without a certified translation.

Every person with significant control, not just directors, generally needs to be identified and verified, so an application with an undisclosed 30% shareholder abroad will stall until that person also completes checks.

Certificate of incorporation, SIC code, registered office confirmation and, increasingly, evidence of trading such as a website, sample invoices or signed contracts all help build the picture a bank needs. Companies with no evidence of activity beyond incorporation are commonly asked for more before approval.

Be ready to explain the source of any initial capital and expected countries of payment. Providers ask this because it is exactly what money laundering rules require them to understand, not because they suspect the applicant of wrongdoing.

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.