We can assist you to open all types of corporate, trust and personal accounts in most major currencies.
The best way to get things moving is to contact us with a summary of your requirements and any questions regarding procedures and time frames etc. We specialise in matching the right account to each client's needs and make no charge for answering serious and realistic enquiries, although a consultancy fee may apply if detailed enquiries need to be undertaken to arrange very specialised facilities. Every week we get very vague enquiries such as "please send your full information on offshore banking". As most information is on the website, if people only write a couple of lines they cannot realistically expect us to spend a considerable amount of time checking with our contacts on what is the latest opportunity on some remote Caribbean Island. We get numerous emails giving no information as to the intended level of deposit, whether the account is to be personal or corporate, or even the currency required. In the case of an email like this, we can only refer you back to the site or request that you phone us.
We will need the following information before we can arrange an introduction:
1. The type of account required
2. Which jurisdiction you prefer?
3. Is the account to be corporate or personal?
If corporate we would need a description of the company's proposed activities
4. What ID and references you can offer?
5. Proof of residential address is sometimes required but we can clarify this for you in advance
6. Which jurisdictions you are interested and an outline of the reasons why? References might be required depending on the location of the bank. Most banks will accept a letter on a 'To Whom It May Concern' basis - see the sample which follows to will enable you to clarify the type of letter you may need.
Please note: Payment of opening deposits etc. are usually paid directly to the bank. All the fees quoted in our banking section are only payable on the basis that we successfully open the account. We do not just email you all the relevant application forms and then leave you on your own to battle through them! We liaise with you right up until the account is successfully opened. If, for any reason, you are declined by a bank, (an unlikely event) we will either refund you or offer to set up an alternative account.
Sample of a Typical Bank Reference Letter
ABC Bank
23 Oxford Street
Sydney,
NSW 2000
Tel: 02 3456-7890
Fax: 02-3456-7891
URL: www.anybank.com.au
E-mail: info@anybank.com.au
Monday, December 04, 2009
To Whom It May Concern
This is to confirm that Mr. Jack Smith is currently a client of our banking institution and has maintained a satisfactory banking relationship with our bank since May 2003.
Mr. Smith currently has deposits in a savings account in a 5 figure amount.
This reference is issued for the interested party and does not impose any responsibility to the bank.
Sincerely
(Signature of banking official)
James Davis
Tel: 416-677-643
Fax: 416-757-757
E-mail: admin@abc-bank.ca
What Services do the Offshore banks provide?
1· Current Cheque Accounts both personal and business
2· Deposit Accounts
3· Fixed-term Deposit Accounts
4· Internal Swift Transfers
5· IBAN Transfers
6· Credit and Debit Cards
7· Online Internet Banking
8· Investment Bonds
9· Letters of Credit
10· Portfolio Management Services
11· Loans and Mortgages (subject to status)
12· Business Development Finance (subject to status)
13· Bills of Exchange Settlements
Personal Account Set Up Procedures
When we assist you to open a bank account you do not usually need to visit the bank. Some banks require simple certification of documents. Others such as
One word of advice is to always remember that a close working relationship with the manager of the branch tends to help ensure smooth running of your accounts, especially if the turnover is high or variable. Try to keep them informed of what is happening and you will avoid difficult questions.
The majority of banks require notarised or certified copies of the applicant's passport and an original utility bill although exact requirements tend to vary from bank to bank. Some banks, for example, only require a passport or driving licence copy in order to set up a straightforward card based account and sometimes even certification is not needed. So it all hinges on what you need but a phone call or email will enable us to define what type of account is going to achieve your objectives.
The set up time to arrange an account with a major bank can take anything from one to eight weeks; we can usually give you a pretty accurate indication of timescales at the outset. The delays are normally due to the time it takes the bank to check the documentation and confirm any points or raise queries. The most common cause of a hold up is an inadequate or incorrectly worded reference. Not all banks need a reference but some require the signature of the signatory to be confirmed by the bank issuing the reference. Another obstacle is that many banks are slow to respond to enquires although, fortunately, experience gathered over many years enables us to pinpoint which banks these are. Of course, it is also worth mentioning that, if a bank is slow to act on a new application, it does not bode well for a smooth relationship once the account is actually open.
Although all banks are subject to guidelines, the regulations will vary greatly from country to country. The regulations are generally designed to ensure that the proceeds of crime do not get into the banking system. With the increased threat of terrorism, combined with drug money and organised crime, banks in some jurisdictions will need considerable information about each beneficial owner, account signatory and other people who have influence over the account before processing the application. Due diligence has become much more stringent in many countries since the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Centre and, of course, both the
Corporate Account Set Up Procedures
When we assist you to open a bank account you do not usually need to visit the bank. Some banks require simple certification of documents. Others such as
One word of advice is always remember that a close working relationship with the manager of the branch tends to help ensure smooth running of your accounts, especially if the turnover is high or variable. Try to keep them informed of what is happening and you will avoid difficult questions.
The majority of banks require notarised or certified copies of the applicant's passport and an original utility bill although exact requirements tend to vary from bank to bank. Some banks, for example, only require a passport or driving licence copy in order to set up a straightforward card based account and sometimes even certification is not needed so it all hinges on what you need. Other banks require a certificate of good standing especially if the company is over 6 months (sometimes 12 months) old. Much depends on the actual bank, some banks will tend to ask for copies of the documents to be notarised and/or apostilled in a company's place of incorporation, others just want them certified or notarised locally and others prefer to have sight of the originals. Fortunately, we can walk you through this bureaucratic nightmare! Generally there are ways to smooth the path but, again, it all depends on which bank you choose and the jurisdiction in which it is located.
The set up time to arrange an account with a major bank may take anything from one to eight weeks; we can usually give you a pretty accurate indication of timescales at the outset. The delays are normally due to the time it takes the bank to check the documentation and confirm the references it requires. The most common cause of a hold up is an inadequate or incorrectly worded reference. Some banks require the signature of the signatory confirmed by the bank issuing the reference; another obstacle is that many clients find their current bankers are slow to respond to enquires. All banks will require evidence of beneficial ownership of the company; these items are certified passport copies or national ID card along with the appropriate board resolutions.
Although all banks are subject to guidelines, the regulations will vary greatly from country to country. The regulations are generally designed to ensure that the proceeds of crime do not get into the banking system. With the increased threat of terrorism, combined with drug money and organised crime, banks in some jurisdictions will need considerable information about each beneficial owner, account signatory and other people who have influence over the account before processing the application. Due diligence has become much more stringent in many countries since the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Centre and, of course, both the
The key to using an account in an Offshore Banking Centre hinges on having an account which fulfils all your day to day banking needs. Some banks have decided that all accounts should operate as multi-currency accounts; this simplifies things immensely for people who use several currencies on a day-to-day basis. Where previously you would have had three or four separate accounts for different currencies, such as Pounds, Dollars, Euros and Yen, you can now hold funds in all major currencies simultaneously but as separate balances on one account. Although the facilities offered by the various banks vary, we try to deal with banks which offer a variety of accounts covering all the facilities our clients are likely to need.
Which jurisdiction is ideal for you personally will depend on several factors. For example, where you live, your preferred language and the location of companies and individuals with whom you transact business. We can help you determine which locations are likely to be suitable fairly quickly once we look at your main requirements.
Most banks now offer internet access so the administration of the account is easier for both parties and also more secure. For various reasons, some clients prefer to fax instructions; this is perfectly safe if the bank operates a coded system of passwords to ensure confidentiality and security. Interception of faxes is much harder than an email although secure sites are not impossible for hackers to penetrate and fake bank links and emails telling you to login to your account are a constant headache. If a website is secure you will see a padlock symbol at the bottom of your screen or the address will start https instead of just http; it is the 's' in the https which indicates the site is encrypted. For most financial industries the accepted standard is 128SSL. If you click the padlock you can check that the site is what it appears to be. Of course, if you type in the details of your bank's website yourself you do not have a problem.
For many clients confidentiality is absolutely paramount to protect their assets from litigation, malicious competitors or any other potential headaches that can arise. We appreciate and understand our client's concerns. It is important to take into consideration that, in most European countries, it is generally accepted that the relationship between banker and client is confidential and should not be disclosed without a Court Order. Of course, all European Union based banks are subject to EU directives on such matters as money laundering, tax evasion and exchange of information; some EU countries still retain rigid security. These are
Banking in the
The main service we offer is to locate the correct account for your needs regardless of whether you need a personal or corporate account. Our experience in setting up bank accounts for both individuals and companies, often in unfamiliar jurisdictions, is second to none. We will advise and assist with language problems as well as the setting up of complementary services such as credit cards and secure Internet banking.
Kontakt / Contact
Deutschland / Germany:
Potsdamer Platz 10, 10785 Berlin - Tel: 030 80 93 29 02 (International: +49 30 80 93 29 02)
Email: info@privacyservices.de
Großbritannien / England:
Dorset House, Regent Park , Kingston Road, Leatherhead, KT22 7PL - Tel: 0844 585 8865 or 0844 484 7467
(International +44 844 585 8865 / +44 844 484 7467)
Email: info@psi-international.com
Schweiz / Switzerland
Aeschenvorstadt, CH-4051 / Basel - Tel: 033 534 9417 (International:
+41 33 534 9417)
Email: mail3@haeflirusterholz.com
Shop online at at Swiss store for Services and Facilities at www.haeflirusterholz.com