Singapore Expats

Hi,

I have been trying to find some info on this, but haven't been successful. Is it possible to open up a bank account in Singapore while being on a Long Term Social Visit Pass? LTSVP does give you a FIN No. not sure if that is sufficient.

Please let me know if anyone has any experience on this, details such as which bank, how long would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Shouldnt be a problem. Just take your passport and LTVSP card and any residential address proof and you should be able to open a savings a/c

I opened an a/c (theoreticaly a joint account) with StanChart*

My LTVP sponsor (wife) was the primary name, and I was second.

Don't know if I could have opened one on my own, as maybe from the banks perspective, being a visitor does not provide enough security



* I don't rec them, the service I received was so heinous as to be laughable

OP: Have you tried asking the bank?

You can open an account on your own with just your passport and ltsvp.
I recently opened a savings account with POSB and all they needed was my passport as I was still to get my ltsvp. You have to sign a form though which has something to do with you being responsible for the account and not use it for anything bad....

bunty8767 wrote:Hi,

I have been trying to find some info on this, but haven't been successful. Is it possible to open up a bank account in Singapore while being on a Long Term Social Visit Pass? LTSVP does give you a FIN No. not sure if that is sufficient.

Please let me know if anyone has any experience on this, details such as which bank, how long would be much appreciated.

Thanks

We are arriving in August on an EP/DP. However, our bank, HSBC, has happily opened a bank account for us before we even arrive and did not need to see our approval letter or a FIN number. Mind you, we are part of their Premier programme (means you have $100k+ in assets with them, though that can be in an investment account, in your home country) so they talk between the various country banks on your behalf and transfer your credit from one country to the other. However, it shows that the issue is "can you find a bank that is interested in you as a customer" rather than "is it allowed".

Nah... reckon they're just interested in your money

A friend of mine, who stayed in Indonesia and had no Singapore pass whatsoever, opened a DBS account here without problems.
All he needed was a letter from an existing customer - in his case me - recommending them to open an account for him. I did not need to guarantee anything!