(edit title) Opening a bank account in Sweden Difficulty without social security number Options

[HarveyDyson]

I live in London and visit Stockholm two weekends a month to see my two young children who live there.

I'm sick of paying debit/credit card fees on my UK cards and want to open a bank account in Sweden - basically to pay into every month and withdraw cash/ pay with debit card. I have a UK Handelsbanken account and went into a Handesbanken branch in Stockholm today to try to open an account. I was told that I have to have a Swedish social security number to open an account in Sweden.

Is this right?

Thanks!

[Johno]

"Is this right? " Strictly no. But its their commercial decision whether any bank give you an account or not. It crops up often enough on here. Having a personnummer (pn) as its called in Sweden means they know you are resident and will most likely have a credit record they can check. Without a pn, owning a property or attending a recognised student course can be reasons to be sympathetic and let you have an account. Best bet, try another branch of Handelsbank.

[Willy]

Or see if you can get a recommendation from your UK Handelsbanken branch.

[rtharper]

Could the OP get a coordination number instead?

[ljtaylor88]

Not sure if this is of any help...but Halifax have a "fee-free" credit card.

http://www.halifax.co.uk/creditcards/low-r...e/clarity-card/

[Micardo]

It was no problem with SEB a few years ago

[HarveyDyson]

Thanks all responders. I'll have a rant back in London and see where that gets me.

Cheers

[Pursuivant]

Theres this new EU anti-money-laundering set of rules thats come to force a few years back, which puts a bit more sand into the clockwork. Basically, banks are "required to know" their customers... how they "know" is another matter. Back in the day you needed some other Swedish person to march with you into a bank office and vouch for you...