Global bank accounts

Finances
1

Hi guys,
I know you guys have probably been asked this before but I travel to Vietnam a lot and want to get a bank account that i can use in Vietnam. I know HSBC, Citibank and possibly ING. Are there any others out there?

I don’t want to be paying fees everytime i withdrawal money at atms and shops etc.

Thanks,
Kevin

2

What countries are you resident in / citizen of? That typically affects where you can open accounts. Certain accounts in US, UK, Australia, Singapore etc have free ATM withdrawals but it depends on what your current global footprint is.

3

I live in Australia but want to use the bank account overseas particularly in Vietnam

Thanks

Kevin

4

As an Aussie, HSBC and Citibank are probably your best bets. Not sure if ATMs in Vietnam charge a fee however. If they do, and you often withdraw cash you might be better off researching local banks that allow non-residents to open an account.

EDIT: ING in Australia is probably the best option as long as you receive at least $1,000 every month and make at least 5 card purchases per month. If you do that, they don’t charge any FX fees and refund ATM fees globally.

Cheers

5

Yeah i have checked local banks in Vietnam but i have to be living in Vietnam or married to a local… I think HSBC is probably the best so far

6

Hi Kevin,
We’re exploring consulting connections all around Asia (we are based in western Japan) and I just got off Skype with a promising CEO in Singapore whose firm sets up banking accounts for clients there. He says it’s not that difficult as the banks are eager, they have relations, and all are nearby for personal communication. Background of logistics in South East Asia (includes stories of running packages in and out of Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, etc.) where rules and regulations change, payoffs can be necessary, and personal relations trump all.
I’ve gotten around regulations (setting up a personal account for a non-resident, non-citizen) in the U.S. by having an American firm with large accounts simply direct their bank to do it. Done. Regulations begone.
Happy to introduce you, if you’re doing some kind of business, can bring something to the table, have the wherewithall to negotiate, arrange, be nice, grow relations, not looking for something for nothing. Duncan

7

BIDV accepted foreigner with travel visa in
2017.
http://bidv.com.vn/default.aspx?lang=en-US
At that time, first time deposit for two account each was
50,000VND and 10USD.

8

Have you considered using card by some payment system like Payoneer?

9

As I live in HCMC Vietnam and have bank accounts in OZ (NAB, Citibank and Adelaide Bank), Hong Kong (Standard Chartered), Singapore (CIMB) and Vietnam (UOB) I am interested to hear more please…

10

As I live in HCMC Vietnam and have bank accounts in OZ (NAB, Citibank and Adelaide Bank), Hong Kong (Standard Chartered), Singapore (CIMB) and Vietnam (UOB) I am happy to assist. Am I allowed to give you my Vietnam mobile no? For fee free atm I use Ocean Bank; but like most banks in Vietnam you have an ATM transaction limit which is low. So using either my Singapore account or OZ account at Ocean Bank, to take out USD1k means twelve atm transactions. Citibank varies from 8m-12 dog per transaction. USD100 = 2.2m dong but Citibank charge 60k dong fee.

11

Hi Wayne, Might take up your offer. trying to set up banking in Singapore in the New Year. Might have reason to do the same in Vietnam. Ask about Japan, will try to help. Banks strict about residency, though.

12

Yep Singapore tough, I am with CIMB in Raffles Plaza, try there and mention me or I will put you in contact with my account manager directly.

Tokyo is not a user friendly place for non-Japanese.