onshore current business UK bank account for UK companies with non resident directors

[Jedumateus]

Hello

We just incorporated a new UK ltd company located in Lancashire. 7 shareholder: 3 English; 4 Portuguese.

The directors are Portuguese (me and my wife), thus non-resident.
We need a UK business bank. We are trying Barclays. The on-line forms are unusable and the call-centres when we state our non-resident status directs us to the "offshore international business banking". Our business will be exclusively in UK (with corporate tax to be considered strictly in UK) thus we do not want an offshore bank account, which has large fees and implies a large initial deposit.

1) Is there any mandatory legal issue obliging us to open an international offshore bank account, and not a current onshore one?
2) Is there a good procedure to follow? Our intention is to visit London next days to apply directly near a Barclays agency (all the necessary documents are prepared and certified by a Lisbon's Barclays Agency), but we should first deal by e-mail or phone with a Barclays Business Manager. This question is crucial.

Can any one help to understand this issue

Tanks a lot

Jose

 

[StevensOnln1]

In answer to your first question, there is nothing legally to prevent you opening an onshore bank account for your company, however the banks don't seem to be very keen to open accounts for people who don't live here. They probably view it as being a higher risk of fraud or money laundering.