Spanish Banking
Spanish banking
can be an adventure, with the Spanish banks having all the advantages and
the foreign visitor often surprised by the different customs. Funds wired
from overseas can take an extraordinarily long time to be available in your
bank account in Spain, and even funds transferred within the same bank can
float within
the Spanish bank for many days before being accessible.
Some issues to consider
when choosing whom to bank with in Spain:
- Ability to speak
English (if you do not speak Spanish)
- Facilities to
send and receive money from overseas
- Whether they
have a branch near your home or workplace
To open a Spanish
checking account you will need to show your passport, your address in Spain,
and your NIE number from your residence card. You should obtain a list
of charges for services such as writing cheques and standing orders
as Spanish banks levy some of the highest charges in Europe.
Bank Statements:
These will be in Spanish so if you will not understand it is a good idea to
organise some translation services or have a Spanish dictionary handy.
Statements are sent to customers monthly or quarterly, but you can request
one at any time.
Some good
questions to ask when opening your bank account in Spain:
- When you
receive bank statements?
- When can
you get an overdraft facility?
- How soon
can you get bank card, credit card and cheque book?
Payment for goods and
services
Goods and services
in Spain are usually paid for by the following methods:
- Small amounts
of goods (milk, bread, newspaper etc) - cash
- Groceries
- debit card or cash.
- Utilities
(Gas, Water, Electricity, Telephone) - Direct Debit
- Rent -
standing order
- Repairs
or medical bills - cash or cheque.
For more in depth
information on this topic, we highly recommend:
Living
and Working in Spain: A Survival Guide
Click the link above
to check the price at Amazon UK
|