Best International Banks for Accounts & ATMs

[Bulawayo]

HSBC - we are also Premier customers - global banking they claim, but forget to mention the global problems. We have also suffered cancelled cards, security lock downs, zero communications, incorrect charges etc etc.
However, I figured that closing the account was not a good thing. We just transferred the majority of our funds and then drew down the account to next to nothing and then did, next to nothing! The account is still there with a silly low amount in it and we just let them pick up the hassle. Currently we use Standard Chartered bank and they are fine.

[Bulawayo]

Thank you for the link, Gord, I did an online chat and you must be a US citizen with a US social security number to hold an account. It was worth checking though.

Originally Posted by GordMay

Shwab’s unlimited ATM fee rebates apply to cash withdrawals using your debit card wherever it is accepted. ATM fee rebates do not apply to any fees other than those assessed for using an ATM to withdraw cash from your Schwab Bank account. Schwab Bank makes its best effort to identify those ATM fees eligible for rebate, based on information it receives from Visa and ATM operators. In the event that you have not received a rebate for a fee that you believe is eligible, please call a Schwab Bank Client Service Specialist for assistance at 888-403-9000. Schwab Bank reserves the right to modify or discontinue the ATM fee rebate at any time.
➥ Online Checking Account with Free Checks and ATM Fee Rebates | Schwab Bank

[Plus Ten]

Thank you for all of the responses. I forgot to mention that I was trying to set up a "business account" not a strictly "personal account". Charles Schwab could not accommodate me on the "business account" but they really tried. Tried HSBC, nothing, tried Hong Kong, fees ect were just way over the top. Finally tried Bank of America and they set one up over the phone in 24hrs. I was very impressed. With all of their partnerships with other banks I think they have the world covered. I will probably try to set up another just in case they do not live up to expectations. Thank you for all the responses it really saved me a lot of time and effort. Plus Ten

[chuckr]

Originally Posted by Plus Ten

Thank you for all of the responses. I forgot to mention that I was trying to set up a "business account" not a strictly "personal account". Charles Schwab could not accommodate me on the "business account" but they really tried. Tried HSBC, nothing, tried Hong Kong, fees ect were just way over the top. Finally tried Bank of America and they set one up over the phone in 24hrs. I was very impressed. With all of their partnerships with other banks I think they have the world covered. I will probably try to set up another just in case they do not live up to expectations. Thank you for all the responses it really saved me a lot of time and effort. Plus Ten

One of the things we do with BOA is tell them where we are going. Not every country but general area and they watch and keep track and if something does not look correct - that is in our general spending area - they flag it and immediately notify me via email. I then look and call them on SKYPE and they are always there.

[Plus Ten]

Good info thanks

[Plus Ten]

I really appreciate all of the responses. Schwab sounded good but I wanted to set up the account as a "business" and they could not accommodate that. HSBC went no where, Hong Kong, as I was an American would not consider me. I wandered over to Bank of America, and immediately I was able to set up exactly what I wanted and it was all accomplished online. I was truly amazed. I now have the account set up, can deposit thru mail, wire transfers, photos of checks, there are ATM everywhere and they have an extensive network of "partners" that just about covers the world. Now all of that being said I have not tried to use an ATM in a different country and tried to withdraw money in the local currency. That will be happening soon, if people are interested I will post on my progress. Again thanks for all of the comments they really saved me a lot of time. Plus Ten

[chuckr]

Originally Posted by Plus Ten

I really appreciate all of the responses. Schwab sounded good but I wanted to set up the account as a "business" and they could not accommodate that. HSBC went no where, Hong Kong, as I was an American would not consider me. I wandered over to Bank of America, and immediately I was able to set up exactly what I wanted and it was all accomplished online. I was truly amazed. I now have the account set up, can deposit thru mail, wire transfers, photos of checks, there are ATM everywhere and they have an extensive network of "partners" that just about covers the world. Now all of that being said I have not tried to use an ATM in a different country and tried to withdraw money in the local currency. That will be happening soon, if people are interested I will post on my progress. Again thanks for all of the comments they really saved me a lot of time. Plus Ten

Plus Ten -- we have not had a problem in Mexico, Colombia, Panama, Jamaica and islands down to Trinidad, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Tunisia, Malta, Albania, Montenegro, Croatia, Macedonia, Kosovo, Romania, Bulgaria, and and I think you get the point.

[Zephyrcat229]

bitcoin,
if you can figure it all out you're golden every/anywhere!!

[exMaggieDrum]

Originally Posted by Plus Ten

I really appreciate all of the responses. Schwab sounded good but I wanted to set up the account as a "business" and they could not accommodate that. HSBC went no where, Hong Kong, as I was an American would not consider me. I wandered over to Bank of America, and immediately I was able to set up exactly what I wanted and it was all accomplished online. I was truly amazed. I now have the account set up, can deposit thru mail, wire transfers, photos of checks, there are ATM everywhere and they have an extensive network of "partners" that just about covers the world. Now all of that being said I have not tried to use an ATM in a different country and tried to withdraw money in the local currency. That will be happening soon, if people are interested I will post on my progress. Again thanks for all of the comments they really saved me a lot of time. Plus Ten

PlusTen, that's great. However, you may need to inform BOA of the next country(ies) that you intend to withdraw money in as their fraud prevention may not let you have the money until you do so. That is to keep the Hungarians from withdrawing several hundreds of dollars in Budapest like they did to me the week before we went cruising. I know that BOA would not honor my Mastercard in Mexico one time (an inconvenient time) but it was OK after I called them. Or, you may have been able to tell them the area you are sailing/visiting and it will cover the countries in that area. You should at least ask them.

[Bulawayo]

This has all been very interesting. We are HSBC Premier account holders and for a number of years we have been experiencing a steady decline in the services offered. We also have to notify HSBC of our itinerary otherwise our cards are very likely to be declined (not a good experience). We have experienced significant 'issues' over the last few years with cards inexplicably being cancelled resulting in being cardless for nearly three weeks waiting for replacements, problems getting replacements cards when they expire as HSBC are now adopting a policy of only sending them to the registered address, a growing habit of the security department declining to authorise what they deem an unusual purchase (such as an airline ticket!) and more recently sending cards out then cancelling them before their receipt and then sending further replacements and doing exactly the same again etc etc, not to mention charges that HSBC incorrectly apply from time to time without explanation and which take an inordinate amount of time to recover. A more recent development has been to reduce the validity period of the cards adding to frustration - apparently this to reduce the chance of fraud whilst we see it as an opportunity to increase. Its clearly time to look at alternatives, starting perhaps with BoA.