Opening An Irish Bank Account

For many this can be a problem. To open an Irish bank account you need to have photo id and a recent utility bill as proof of residence. If you live in a hostel or shared house you will not have a recent or any utility bills. The only way to get around this is by having your first employer write a letter for you to the bank confirming your address and asking them to open an account for you. Many large multinational employers have arrangements with their own bank to open employee accounts.

Most towns will have a branch of one of the main banks. There are currently seven Irish banks.

• Acc Bank
• Allied Irish Bank
• Bank of Ireland
• First Active
• National Irish Bank
• Permanent TSB Bank
• Ulster Bank

Irish banks are the most profitable in Europe, the charges compared to other countries are quite high, and additionally the Irish government taxes all bank transaction, including the issue of a bank card. The only people who can avoid these charges sometimes are students and the over 60’s.

When considering which bank to open an account with it is advisable to take account of the number of branches that bank has and the convenience of them to where you will be living – if you live in Dublin this is not a problem – but outside of Dublin it can be. Most banks when you want to cash foreign checks or do similar transactions insist that you go the branch where you opened your account – bear this in mind.

If you have a problem with your bank that cannot be resolved to your satisfaction you should contact the Financial Ombudsman their address can be found from their website here – www.financialombudsman.ie – however don’t expect them to be helpful or quick as they are neither.

It is advisable to keep your bank account after you first leave the country to pay any outstanding bills as it will be easier from an Irish Bank Account than from your home country.

If you think there is Irish information that should be added to this page please add it below – thanks.

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