Hi guys, I was on the forum last year seeking advice with regards to my Fiancee's visa application. I would firstly like to thank all those who gave me advice at the time and I'm pleased to say it was successful! Now, I'm back as I would like to know what people think is the best way for her to build up a credit score so she can get her own mobile phone contract and open a bank account. She arrived in January and is still here on the 6 month Marriage visa. We will get married on March 19th. Any advice please? Thanks! Lee.
She should be able to do both easily enough. If you have a bank account, then you can goth open a joint account. Then she has a bank account, so can open a solo one. We did this with Lloyds.
Congratulations on the good news! She can open her bank account on her own name once she gets the spouse visa. Or you can open a joiny bank account. I opened my own account immidiately after i had my spouse visa.
She can apply for a prepaid account in her own name with no credit checks, if she goes for one like Cashplus it is a bank account in all but name, it provides a prepaid MasterCard and she can have her salary paid into it if she is working, use of the card will help her build a credit rating over time but in the meantime she would have all the benefits of a basic bank account. She only needs to be a UK resident which she effectively is. Used sensibly it is actually a very cheap account to run and would provide her with the means to build a credit rating and the assurance that she could not be overdrawn, these cards can do almost everything a credit card or bank account can do but without the credit or overdraft facilities, which is generally a good thing. These cards will also work for almost all online payments, load for phones, paying on Amazon and elsewhere, what they usually won't do is allow is for her to hire a car or make a hotel reservation (prepaid hotels are ok) unless there are a lot of funds in the card to fully cover the reservation. And finally they are bad if she wants to withdraw small amounts of cash regularly as they will charge a fixed fee for every withdrawal. Personally I think she would be best to go with a prepaid PAYG phone account they are more manageable for a new arrival in the country, going for a phone contract is something she could do later once she has built some credit history. edit: and as everyone else has said she could get a bank account in her own name anyway, but building a credit record will take time whatever she does.
Nationwide offer a basic flex account, no overdraft no cheque book (who needs either) then after 6 months move to flex plus.
fair point however I balance the £125 against building a history with a major player, but I am probably a bit old fashioned in my views on things like switching accounts. Its my age#!!!
NatWest is easy to open a basic account. Just need 2 forms of ID. Passport and BRP. The BRP is evidence that she will be a resident.
To build a good credit ratings you should always pay your bills on time. Add her name to your council tax, landline phone bills, and utility bills. This will also help her build her credit ratings.