What Documents Do I Need To Open A Bank Account - HSBC UK

Top of main content Documents you need for an ID check Find out the best way to verify your identity and/or address.

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Important information

Please make sure your documents haven't expired, and the details match exactly what you entered on your application.

If you need to confirm your identity and address with us, then using a UK photocard driving licence can be the easiest way of doing both at the same time.

Take me straight to:

• I want to upload my documents online
• I want to bring my documents into a branch
• I'm sending my documents from outside the UK
• I'm providing documents for a child under 18
• I'm relocating from abroad (corporate clients)

I want to upload my documents online

Depending on whether you're providing documents to verify your ID, your address, or both, please make sure you're uploading the correct type of document in the correct format.

Remember, using a photocard driving licence is usually the easiest way for you to confirm your identity and address at the same time.

Once you know which documents you need, upload them using online ID verification.

ID documents you can upload online

You'll need to upload a photo of one of these documents:

• UK photocard driving licence
• Passport

Make sure to only upload photos of the original documents. We can't accept screenshots or photocopies.

Proof of address documents you can upload online

If you're uploading a statement or bill, make sure that:

• The document is addressed to you
• The document is dated within the last 4 months
• You upload the page that shows your name and current address
• The whole document is visible

You can upload either a photo or a PDF copy of one of these documents:

• UK photocard driving licence
• Bank or credit card statement
• Council tax bill (for the current billing year and dated within the last 13 months, or next billing year and dated within last 4 months)
• HMRC (HM Revenue and Customs) tax notification
• UK personal tax summary
• Mortgage statement
• Sky, cable TV or utility bill
• Department for Work and Pensions, Jobcentre Plus or Veterans UK letter confirming your right to benefits (does not need to be dated within the last 4 months)
• Letter from a UK Border Agency accredited college or university, confirming your acceptance onto a qualifying course

I want to bring my documents into a branch

We can accept a wider range of documents if you bring them into one of our branches.

Remember, using a photocard driving licence is usually the easiest way for you to confirm your identity and address at the same time.

ID documents you can bring into a branch

You'll need to bring one of these documents:

• UK photocard driving licence
• Passport
• National identity card issued in the EU or by one of the following countries: Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Malaysia, Norway, Philippines, Qatar, Singapore, Switzerland, UAE or USA (we can't accept national identity cards issued in Greece or Romania)

If you don't have any of these, you can use other documents. However, this may limit the range of services that we can offer you.

Other acceptable documents include:

• eVisa (issued in the UK by the Home Office)
• Travel documents (issued in the UK by the Home Office)
• Current Northern Ireland voter's card
• HMRC (HM Revenue and Customs) tax notification (dated within the last 4 months)
• Department for Work and Pensions, Jobcentre Plus or Veterans UK letter confirming your right to benefits (dated within the last 4 months)
• Letter confirming refugee status
• Firearm or shotgun certificate (issued by the UK Government and police)
• Letter from a person in a position of responsibility who knows the applicant

If you don't live in the UK, you must always present a passport or national identity card.

Proof of address documents you can bring into a branch

We'll need to see the original (not a copy) of one of the following documents:

• Council tax bill, including online bills (for the current billing year and dated within the last 13 months, or next billing year and dated within last 4 months)
• Utility bill (dated within last 4 months), including online bills
• Phone bill (dated within the last 4 months) - mobile phone bills are not acceptable
• Satellite or cable TV bills (dated within the last 4 months), including online bills
• A valid overseas driving licence (must state address)
• Credit card bill (dated within the last 4 months), including online credit card statements - certain conditions may apply for financial providers outside the UK
• Bank, building society, or credit union statement (includes online statements), showing current activity dated within the last 4 months - certain conditions may apply for financial providers outside the UK
• Mortgage statement from a recognised lender (dated within the last 12 months)
• HMRC tax notification(dated within the last 4 months)
• Tenancy agreement (must be from a local council or reputable lending agency)
• Department for Work and Pensions, Jobcentre Plus or Veterans UK letter confirming your right to benefits
• Conditional or unconditional proof of acceptance on to qualifying course – letter or slip issued by UCAS (student accounts only)
• Letter from a UK Border Agency-accredited college or university confirming your acceptance onto a qualifying course
• Local education authority (LEA) notice of financial support (student bank accounts only)
• Letter from employer, confirming your address and that you currently work for them (it must be a known employer)
• Letter from a person in a position of responsibility who knows the applicant

I'm sending my documents from outside the UK

What documents you'll need to send us, and how, can vary depending on where you live.

If you're sending us your documents by post (or sending them in a language other than English) then you may need to get them certified by an independent authority. We'll advise exactly what you'll need to do and where to send them below.

ID documents accepted if you're outside the UK

You'll need to provide one of the following documents, either by posting a certified copy, or by uploading a photo of the original document online: Your current passport or travel document (copies of passports should include all pages that contain signatures, the passport number and any extension dates where applicable) Your national identity card issued in the EU, or by one of the following countries: Australia, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UAE or USA (we can't accept national identity cards issued in Greece or Romania)

Proof of address documents accepted if you're outside the UK

You'll need to provide one of the following documents, either by posting a certified copy, or by uploading a photo of the original document online:

• Utility bill dated within the last 4 months
• Bank statement dated within the last 4 months (statements from HSBC Group outside of the UK are acceptable)
• Valid and current drivers licence (must include your full name, signature and photograph)

• Valid national ID card (must include your full name, photograph, date of birth, ID number and issue date

How to certify non-UK documents

We may need non-UK documents to be certified by an independent authority. For example:

• Any documents that you send to us by post must be certified
• Any documents uploaded online that are in a language other than English must be translated and certified
• Copies of original English language documents uploaded online do not have to be certified

To get your documents certified, you'll need to do one of the following:

• If you're resident in a country or region of equivalent jurisdiction to the UK, contact your local bank and ask them to certify your documents - if you're not sure this applies to you get in touch with our team on 03457 404 404, or if you're a Premier customer call 03457 70 70 70
• Contact the UK Embassy or Consulate where a certification service is provided
• Contact a lawyer, solicitor or barrister in your country/region of residence listed on the Legal 500 or on this UK Government list of lawyers abroad

Ask your chosen certifier to write a note on the document they are certifying, as follows:

For copies of documents which include a photo of you

I [full name of certifier] confirm that this is an accurate copy of the original [type of document] and the photo is a true likeness of the named person.

For copies of documents without a photo of you (proof of address)

I [full name of certifier] confirm this is an original [type of document], in the name of [applicant's name] issued by [issuing institution] on [date of issue].

Your certifier should also write:

• Their signature and full name
• Their occupation, company (or professional) address and phone number
• Their professional registration number (if they have one)
• The date

If you're sending us the documents by post, you'll need to send us the certified documents using the pre-paid envelope we provided.

Please print and complete the return form for certified documents (PDF) and enclose it with your certified documents and then send them to:

HSBC UK

Customer Service Centre

BX8 1HB

I'm providing documents for a child under 18

Whether you're sending us documents online or bringing them into a branch, we need to see particular documents if they're for a child under 18 years old.

If you are coming into one of our branches, then the child must be present to complete the verification. If the child is under 16, a parent or guardian must also be there.

ID documents accepted for a child under 18

You need to provide us, either online or in-branch, with one of the following documents that belong to the child:

• Passport (this can be uploaded online using the link in the text message we sent to you)
• UK photocard driving licence (for children over 16)
• Birth/adoption certificate issued in the UK or Channel Islands, or Isle of Man (this can be uploaded using the link in the email we sent to you - if you're applying online, we will send you a separate request for this)

In addition, if you're bringing documents into a branch, we can also accept:

• National Health Service (NHS) letter
• Child Benefit or Child Tax Credit documentation
• National identity card issued in the EU, or by one of the following countries: Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Malaysia, Norway, Philippines, Qatar, Singapore, Switzerland, UAE or USA (we can't accept national identity cards issued in Greece or Romania)

Proof of address documents accepted for a child under 18

If a child doesn't have their own proof of address, we'll need to see proof of the parent or guardian's address.

To find out more information on what proof of address documents are accepted online and in branch, see Proof of address documents you can upload online and Proof of address documents you can bring into a branch.

I'm relocating from abroad (corporate clients)

If you work for one of our corporate clients and have relocated to the UK in the last 6 months you can upload a copy of a letter from your employer to verify your ID.

The letter must:

• Be on official headed paper
• Contain your full name
• Contain your new UK address
• Include a telephone number and email address for your HR department who can confirm the details

Please only use this option if you work for a qualifying employer. Contact your HR department if you're unsure whether this applies to you. Letters from other employers will be rejected which will delay your application.

Once you have the letter you can upload it using online ID verification.

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