Can I open a monzo if I live in Jamaica

they need to open a account here and have the card delivered in the UK first, then can use abroad however only £200 cash withdrawal limit a month then 3% charge after

They could possibly open it if you are happy to allow them to use your address in the UK with Monzo. You would then have to forward their cards. If they open it abroad but use a UK address, the Monzo app may detect the app as abroad so may trigger further checks.

Isn’t that fraudulent?

If the parents use their child’s address while they are in the UK, I can’t see it as fraudulent if the children agree to it. As the owner of the property, and a direct kin, they have all the rights to allow people to stay there and use it for correspondences.

I used my parents address as my banks address for many years, even when I didn’t live there. If it was a mate, doing it for a mate then I would be more suspicious about it, especially a mate in another country.

As far as I am aware, Monzo allows people to keep their account if they move permanently abroad as long as they have a UK address attached to it.

I guess @simonb and @bethS would be best to confirm or an email to help@monzo.com by @Kaykay to check this arrangement would be allowed.

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I’d recommend www.transferwise.com for your use.

It’s designed for this sort of thing.

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Under Know Your Customer rules and FCA rules, if an account is open you would have to mislead the bank, thus breaking the law. Your parents do not live in the UK you will be telling the bank that they do live in the UK by filling in the application and confirming they are UK residents.

There is a difference between opening an account legally, then moving abroad while that account is open, than to open an account while abroad and pretending you live in the UK. The financial regulations are totally different, you would have to declare your parents are tax resident in Jamaica to the bank…

So unless Monzo give you permission it would not be possible to do.

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Monzo’s terms do not explicitly state that you need to be a UK resident or need a UK address. https://monzo.com/legal/terms-and-conditions/ . Unless anyone can point me to the right parts if I missed them.

It is a limitation set by the app. Therefore you are not breaking any terms and not committing fraud especially as I can give permission for anyone to use my address as a care of address if I like, especially a family member. I’m happy to be corrected by Monzo.

It’s discussed here:

Numerous members of Staff have confirmed you need to be a UK resident, a simple search on the forum shows that. Also the app does not allow you to enter any other address for a reason. You are allowed to enter another UK address if you don’t have a permanent address, in this case the permanent address is in Jamaica so they do have a permanent address. Banking is highly regulated, a bank can’t just open accounts everywhere around the world and not abide by its banking licence.

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Actually you are incorrect. But you are going to argue about it. You are not allowed to use another address for financial purposes in order to mislead, that is ingrained in law in most countries. Including both the UK and Jamaica.

Please provide me where in the terms and conditions of Monzo you have to be a UK resident or need a UK address? I’m happy to agree with you then as someone would then be deceiving Monzo.

It is the terms what matter, not what staff state in blogs. Staff can be wrong, even Tom has been, as seen when myself and others pushed Monzo into changing the overdraft terms and conditions earlier this year when they were not clear. The UK resident requirement is an app limitation, not a terms limitation.

I also used a care of address for many years, from 2004 until 2010, for two different UK banks. Just because you live abroad doesn’t mean you cant open an account in the UK if you have a UK address. A care of address can be a UK address.

I’m not arguing, you seem to know you are right. So I shall bow to your greater legal banking knowledge.

FCA handbook is public if you think you are so correct though :wink:

Does it need to be in the terms and conditions?

Monzo can refuse anyone for any reason, within the discrimination laws, can’t they?

It’s a genuine question.

Of course Monzo can refuse business with whoever they like. They are a business like no other. If they didn’t want me tomorrow, they could close my account without saying why. They do state you need to be a UK resident and can close your account you if you are not like any other reason.

My point is to commit fraud you need to commit a criminal offence beyond reasonable doubt and it would be quite simple defence using Monzo’s terms to state they don’t legally say you can’t have an account as a non-resident and that you used a UK address, of a family member, as a care of address.

Monzo are judge, jury and executioner in the end.

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It’s super early on a Sunday but it’s dictated by the banking licence we operate under. Our customers need to have a UK address in order to complete opening an account with us.

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Can that UK address be a care of address?

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If it can be a care of address I have a great business idea that 7.4billion ppl may be interested in.

(It involves my post box :grinning: )

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I think if no one is sure it’s best not to suggest it’s ok.

TransferWise would be the ideal solution here. The fact monzo is a UK current account kind of gives the impression it’s designed to be used in the uk most of the time not abroad.

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I’d feel sorry for your postal worker and your front door! Then again, it is Monzo’s mission to connect 1 billion people… :smile:

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