momo
US citizens in the UK

UK current accounts that accept US citizens

Most UK current accounts open for a US citizen. The friction is paperwork, not refusal: the bank has to report the account to the IRS, and a few decline rather than carry that admin.

A current account is the easiest win on this site. UK banks are required to identify US persons and report their accounts under FATCA, the US law that turned foreign banks into IRS reporters; that reporting is routine for the high-street and digital banks, so they take US customers without drama.

Every provider checked so far opens a current account for a US person, and the digital banks tend to be the smoothest route, with the account open before the FATCA self-certification form even arrives.

Building societies come up less here than you might expect, because most of them sell savings and mortgages rather than current accounts; Nationwide is the main exception. Where societies do matter is savings, and every one checked so far opens for a US person: see UK savings accounts.

Expect to confirm your US status at sign-up and hand over a US taxpayer ID. That form is FATCA self-certification, not a tax bill; see FATCA in plain terms for what the bank does with it.

We checked 32 providers. 32 offer a current account. Of those 32, 32 will open an account worth having and 0 will not take you. Last checked 17 August 2026.

The accounts you can open

Every account below comes from a provider that will take a US person. What separates them is not the interest, which is usually small or nothing, but what the account costs to run and what the card costs you abroad. That last column is the one to read if you move money between the US and the UK.

Free accounts

No monthly fee. What varies is the interest and what the card costs you abroad.

Fees abroad The catch
Al Rayan Bank FSCS £120,000 · app and desktop, counters at Premier offices and Lloyds branches Current Account Free if you hold a UK passport or your main home is in the UK, otherwise £20 a month — No fee on card payments in a foreign currency; £1.50 on each foreign cash withdrawal You must keep at least £2,500 in the account for it to stay open, and there is no overdraft.
Allied Irish Bank (GB) FSCS £120,000 · existing customers only · online, phone or Post Office counters Current Account Free — 2.75% conversion fee on card payments abroad; foreign cash withdrawals add a 1.50% handling fee on non-euro amounts You must already hold an Allied Irish Bank (GB) account, and free banking applies only while the account stays in credit.
Arbuthnot Latham FSCS £120,000 · relationship managed, online and mobile Private Current Account £100 a month, free while you hold £500,000 or more with them — 2.75% conversion charge on card payments in a foreign currency and on foreign cash withdrawals New clients must bring at least £750,000 in deposits, investments or borrowing.
Bank of Ireland UK FSCS £120,000 · branches in Northern Ireland, counters at UK Post Offices · app or online Clear Account Free — 2.75% non-sterling fee on card payments and foreign cash withdrawals, plus £1.50 a withdrawal outside the EEA —
Bank of Scotland FSCS £120,000 · app, online or branch appointment Classic Account Free — 2.99% conversion fee, plus £0.50 a payment and £1.50 a cash withdrawal Vantage interest needs £1,000 paid in that month and two different direct debits going out.
Barclays FSCS £120,000 · app, online or branch Barclays Bank Account Free — 2.99% non-sterling fee on purchases, cash withdrawals and refunds —
Barclays FSCS £120,000 · app, online or branch Premier Current Account Free — 2.99% non-sterling fee on purchases, cash withdrawals and refunds Needs gross annual income of £75,000, or £100,000 in savings and eligible investments.
C. Hoare & Co FSCS £120,000 · relationship managed, by phone or in person in London Current Account £65 a month, free if you are under 30 — No charge on card payments in a foreign currency, and none on foreign cash withdrawals outside the UK No wealth or income minimum is published, but accounts are opened by relationship, and savings are only offered to existing current account customers.
Coutts FSCS £120,000 · relationship managed, app, online or 24-hour phone Private Current Account £100 a month, free once combined holdings reach £500,000 — No charge for using the card abroad, and accounts are available in 22 currencies Within three months of joining you must hold at least £3 million across investments and savings, or borrowing of at least £3 million, and keep it.
Cumberland Building Society FSCS £120,000 · Cumbria, south-west Scotland and nearby only · app, online or branch Cumberland Plus Free — No Cumberland fee on card payments or cash withdrawals abroad, though you must register your travel dates first You must live in its operating area, and pay in £750 a month or hold a £1,000 average balance, otherwise it costs £2 a month.
Cumberland Building Society FSCS £120,000 · Cumbria, south-west Scotland and nearby only · app, online or branch Day2Day Account Free — No Cumberland fee on card payments or cash withdrawals abroad, though you must register your travel dates first You must live in its operating area, and pay in £200 a month if you are 24 or over, otherwise it costs £2 a month.
Danske Bank UK FSCS £120,000 · Northern Ireland only · app, online, phone or branch Danske Choice Free — 2.75% non-sterling fee on card payments and cash withdrawals abroad You must live in Northern Ireland.
First Direct FSCS £120,000 · app and phone, no branches 1st Account Free — No fees on spending abroad —
Halifax FSCS £120,000 · Halifax app, or online for existing customers Current Account Free — 2.99% conversion fee, plus £0.50 a payment and £1.50 a cash withdrawal —
Hampden & Co FSCS £120,000 · relationship managed, from London and Edinburgh Personal Current Account Free — 2.75% on card payments in a foreign currency and on foreign cash withdrawals, minimum £1 and maximum £15 No monthly fee, but charges apply per transaction, including £1.50 a faster payment, £25 a CHAPS and £35 a SWIFT payment.
HBL Bank UK FSCS £120,000 · branch, post or online Current Account (GBP) Free — 2.5% on international card purchases; 2.0% on cash withdrawals outside the UK —
HBL Bank UK FSCS £120,000 · branch, post or online Current Account (USD) Free — 2.5% on card purchases in the UK and abroad; 2.0% on cash withdrawals outside the UK Useful if you need to hold dollars alongside sterling.
HSBC FSCS £120,000 · app, online or branch Bank Account Free — 2.75% non-sterling fee; cash abroad costs 2.75% plus a 2% cash fee —
HSBC FSCS £120,000 · app, online or branch Premier Bank Account Free — 2.75% non-sterling fee, but no HSBC cash fee on withdrawals outside the UK Needs £100,000 annual income paid in, or £100,000 in savings and investments with HSBC.
Kroo FSCS £120,000 · app-only Kroo current account Free 2.65% AER No fees on spending abroad Interest is paid on balances up to £500,000.
Lloyds Bank FSCS £120,000 · app, online or branch Classic Account Free — 2.99% conversion fee, plus £0.50 a purchase and £1.50 a cash withdrawal —
Metro Bank FSCS £120,000 · branch and app Current Account Free — 2.99% on spending abroad, and 2.99% plus £1.50 on each cash withdrawal —
Monzo FSCS £120,000 · app-only Monzo Current Account Free — No fee on card payments in a foreign currency; cash outside the EEA is free up to £200 in 30 days, then 3% —
Nationwide Building Society FSCS £120,000, shared with Virgin Money · online, app or phone FlexDirect Free 5.00% AER for the first 12 months on balances up to £1,500, then 1.00% 2.99% on purchases and on cash withdrawals abroad Needs £1,000 paid in every month, and the introductory rate is once per person.
Nationwide Building Society FSCS £120,000, shared with Virgin Money · online, app or phone FlexAccount Free — 2.99% on purchases and on cash withdrawals abroad —
NatWest FSCS £120,000 · app, online or branch Select Free — 2.75% non-sterling fee on payments and cash withdrawals —
Revolut UK FSCS £120,000 via Revolut Bank UK Ltd · app-only Standard Free — No fee on card spending abroad within £1,000 of exchange a month on weekdays; 1% above that and 1% at weekends. Cash free up to £200 or five withdrawals a month, then 2% Fair-usage exchange limit of £1,000 a month, a weekend markup, and an ATM cap.
Santander UK FSCS £120,000 · app, online, phone or branch Everyday Current Account Free — 2.95% conversion fee, though no fee at Santander cash machines in 11 countries including the USA —
Starling Bank FSCS £120,000 · app-only Personal Current Account Free — No Starling fees on spending or cash withdrawals abroad —
The Co-operative Bank FSCS £120,000 · app, online, phone or Post Office Current Account Free — No conversion fee on debit card payments made in the local currency —
TSB FSCS £120,000 · app, online, phone or branch Spend & Save Free — 2.99% non-sterling fee plus £1 a payment, and 1.5% on cash withdrawals Cashback needs 20 or more debit card payments a month and runs for six months only.
Ulster Bank FSCS £120,000 · Northern Ireland only · app, online or branch Select Free — 2.65% non-sterling fee on card payments and cash withdrawals abroad Branches are in Northern Ireland only.
Virgin Money FSCS £120,000, shared with Nationwide · app, online or branch M Plus Account Free 1.00% AER No fees on spending abroad Interest is paid on the first £1,000 only.
Virgin Money FSCS £120,000, shared with Nationwide · app, online or branch M Account Free — No fees on spending abroad —
Weatherbys Bank FSCS £120,000 · relationship managed, online and mobile US Dollar Currency Account Free — No fee on card payments in dollars or another foreign currency, and no Weatherbys fee on a dollar cash withdrawal Comes with a dollar card but no direct debits or standing orders. Outbound international payments cost up to about £38.50.
Chase UK With strings US persons: expect follow-up questions after your tax self-certification FSCS £120,000 · app-only Chase current account Free — No fees on spending abroad Cashback of 2% is capped at £20 a month and needs £1,000 held across Chase savers every day plus 15 payments a month.

Paid accounts

A monthly fee buys perks, better rates abroad, or a higher interest tier. Worth it only if you use what it bundles.

Fees abroad The catch
Bank of Scotland FSCS £120,000 · app, online or branch appointment Silver Account £11.50 a month — No Bank of Scotland fees on spending or cash withdrawals abroad —
Danske Bank UK FSCS £120,000 · Northern Ireland only · app, online, phone or branch Danske Reward £2 a month — No Danske fee on card payments or cash withdrawals abroad, in any currency You must live in Northern Ireland. The £5 monthly reward needs £1,000 paid in, eight debit card payments and digital statements.
Halifax FSCS £120,000 · Halifax app, or online for existing customers Reward Current Account £3 a month, refunded any month you pay in £1,500 or more 1.50% AER up to £3,999.99 and 3.00% AER from £4,000 to £5,000, nothing above No Halifax fees on spending or cash withdrawals abroad Two separate direct debits must go out each calendar month.
Halifax FSCS £120,000 · Halifax app, or online for existing customers Ultimate Reward Current Account £19 a month — No Halifax fees on spending or cash withdrawals abroad —
Handelsbanken UK FSCS £120,000 · local branch relationship manager, online and app Current Account £25 a month — 2.75% on non-sterling purchases and on cash machine withdrawals abroad No minimum for income, assets or mortgages, but you join through a local branch rather than online. The fee can be waived depending on the products you hold.
Lloyds Bank FSCS £120,000 · app, online or branch Club Lloyds £5 a month, refunded any month you pay in £2,000 or more 0.75% AER up to £3,999.99 and 3.00% AER from £4,000 to £5,000, nothing above No Lloyds fees on spending or cash withdrawals abroad Interest needs two different direct debits going out each month.
Monzo FSCS £120,000 · app-only Perks £9 a month — No fee on card payments in a foreign currency; fee-free cash abroad up to £600, then 3% Paid plan.
Nationwide Building Society FSCS £120,000, shared with Virgin Money · online, app or phone FlexPlus £18 a month — No Nationwide fees on spending or cash withdrawals abroad —
NatWest FSCS £120,000 · app, online or branch Reward £2 a month — No non-sterling fee on card payments anywhere; the 2.75% fee still applies to cash withdrawals Needs £1,250 paid in each month, and two direct debits for the rewards.
Revolut UK FSCS £120,000 via Revolut Bank UK Ltd · app-only Premium £7.99 a month — No exchange fee and no fair-usage limit, weekends included. Cash free up to £400 a month, then 2% Paid plan.
Santander UK FSCS £120,000 · app, online, phone or branch Santander Edge £3 a month — No fees on spending or cash withdrawals abroad Needs £500 paid in each month and two active direct debits; bill cashback capped at £10 a month.
Santander UK FSCS £120,000 · app, online, phone or branch Santander Edge Up £5 a month 2.10% AER on balances up to £25,000 No fees on spending or cash withdrawals abroad Needs £1,500 paid in each month and two active direct debits.
The Co-operative Bank FSCS £120,000 · app, online, phone or Post Office Everyday Extra £12 a month — No conversion fee on debit card payments made in the local currency You must be 18 to 79 to open it, and the insurance benefits carry their own conditions.
Triodos Bank UK FSCS £120,000 · app and online, no branches Ethical Current Account £3 a month — 2.50% on spending and on cash withdrawals abroad —
TSB FSCS £120,000 · app, online, phone or branch Spend & Save Plus £3 a month — No TSB fees on spending or cash withdrawals abroad Cashback needs 20 or more debit card payments a month.
Ulster Bank FSCS £120,000 · Northern Ireland only · app, online or branch ufirstgold £10 a month — 2.65% non-sterling fee on card payments and cash withdrawals abroad Only open to people who already hold an Ulster Bank current account.
Virgin Money FSCS £120,000, shared with Nationwide · app, online or branch Club M Account £14 a month 1.00% AER No fees on spending abroad Interest is paid on the first £1,000 only.
Weatherbys Bank FSCS £120,000 · relationship managed, online and mobile Private Current Account £100 a month — No fee on card payments in a foreign currency, and no Weatherbys fee on cash withdrawals abroad The fee is waived if your combined lending, deposits or investments exceed £350,000, and for clients under 30. New clients pay nothing for the first three months.

Institution and account names link to the provider's own site. momo has no active affiliate partnerships; if that changes it will be disclosed and will never change a verdict.

Confirm your own position with a cross-border specialist. Acceptance policies and tax rules change, and your facts may differ from the general case. Use this as a map, not a ruling. Last checked 17 August 2026.
Tax

FATCA

FATCA makes UK banks report accounts held by US persons to the IRS. It is not a tax; it is a reporting trail. Where it bites is access.

Accounts

Multi-currency accounts

Multi-currency and money-transfer accounts that accept US citizens for holding dollars and pounds, and what FBAR reporting they trigger.