Please only continue with the steps below if our Safeguard team has asked you to do so. If you’re not sure about submitting your documents, please get in touch.
Table of contents
UK customers
EU customers
Other customers outside the UK
I'm a UK customer. What can I show for identification and proof of address?
Identification
You can provide 1 document from this list. Make sure your document is both current and a certified copy (not the original).
- your full passport
- your full or provisional UK photocard driving licence (you can use your UK licence for both identification and proof of address)
- your full UK paper driving licence
- your National Identity Card (only acceptable for EEA or Swiss National customers)
- travel documents that are issued in the UK by the Home Office
- HM Revenue & Customs tax notification (dated within the last 4 months)
- Benefits Agency letter (Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), Jobcentre Plus, Child Benefit Office, Veterans Agency) confirming your rights to benefits and dated within the last 4 months
- your current Northern Ireland voter's card
Proof of address
You can provide 1 document from this list. Make sure your document is both recent and certified.
- a council tax bill for current billing year, including reminders and demand letters dated within the last 4 months
- a utility bill (e.g. gas, electricity, oil or broadband bill) dated within the last 4 months
- a water bill for current billing period (including reminders and demand letters) dated within the last 4 months
- a telephone bill, dated within the last 4 months. However, mobile phone bills aren't accepted
- a Sky or cable TV bill, dated within the last 4 months
- your current full or provisional UK photocard driving licence (you can use your UK licence for both identification and proof of address)
- your UK bank, building society or credit union statement. This must include your name and your current address, be dated within the last 4 months and show your recent transactions. (This statement can't relate to an HSBC, first direct or M&S Bank account.)
- UK credit (or commercial card) statements. These must be dated within the last 4 months and must not relate to a HSBC, First Direct or an M&S account
- your mortgage statement from a recognised lender, dated within the last 12 months. However it can't be from HSBC or First Direct
- HM Revenue & Customs tax notification, dated within the last 4 months
- Benefits Agency letter (Department of Work and Pensions, Jobcentre Plus, Child Benefit Office or Veterans Agency) confirming your rights to benefits, dated within the last 4 months
I'm a UK customer. How do I get my documents certified?
First of all, you'll need to ask a professional from the following list to certify your documents:
Professional
Airline pilot
Barrister
Chairman/Director of limited company
Chartered accountant
Chartered legal executive
Financial services intermediary
Fire service official
Funeral director
Legal secretary
Licenced conveyance
Paralegal - must be qualified
Solicitor
Public Service and Government
Councillor (local or county)
Civil servant - Permanent
Justice of the Peace
Local government officer
Member of the judiciary
Member of Parliament
Officer in the armed services
Police officer
Post Office official
Salvation Army Officer
Surveyor
Teacher or Lecturer
Healthcare
Dentist
Medical Doctor
Nurse - RGN or RMN
Optician
Pharmacist
Other
Trade Union Officer
Valuer or auctioneer
Warrant Officers
Chief Petty Officers
Person with an honour (such as an OBE or MBE)
Member of the Incorporated Society
Next, ask your chosen certifier to write this on the document they are certifying:
A. For your documents that contain a photo:
I [full name of certifier] confirm that this is an accurate copy of the original and the photo is a true likeness of the person concerned.
B. For your documents that don't contain a photo:
I [full name of certifier] confirm this is an accurate copy of the original.
They should also write:
- their signature and full name, printed on the document
- their occupation, company (or professional) address and phone number
- their professional registration number (if they have one)
- the date of certification
Finally, you'll need to send us the certified documents using the pre-paid envelope we provided.
Once your documents are certified, please complete and print the return form (PDF, 50 KB). Then send it with your certified documents to:
Customer Service Centre
BX8 1HB
I'm an EU customer, applying from outside the UK. What can I show for identification and proof of address?
The information can vary depending on where you live. We'll advise exactly what you'll need to provide.
Provide one of the documents below and make sure it's certified copy and in date (not the original, in date meaning an expiry date of less than 3 months).
Identification
- your current passport or travel document (copies of passports should include all pages that contain signatures, the passport number and any extension dates where applicable)
- your current National Identity Card (EEA or Swiss Nationals only)
Proof of address
- current UK/EU photocard driving licence, full or provisional
- utility bill, dated within the last 4 months
- telephone bill, dated within the last 4 months. Mobile phone bills are not acceptable
- home broadband, Sky or cable TV bill, dated within the last 4 months
- mortgage statement from a recognised lender, dated within the last 12 months. Mortgage statements from HSBC or First Direct are not acceptable
- credit card statement, dated within the last 4 months
- bank, building society or credit union statement dated within the last 4 months
I'm an EU customer applying from outside the UK. How can I certify my documents?
Ask one of the possible certifiers below to write the relevant statement on each of the documents they verify, if any of the documents are more than one page long ask the certifier to write the statement on the first page and sign any subsequent page.
We can only accept the following certifiers, they must be registered, active and based within the EU; financial institutions, lawyers, solicitors and notaries.
Next, ask your chosen certifier to write this on the document they are certifying:
For documents that contain a photo:
I (full name of certifier) confirm that this is an accurate copy of the original and the photo is a true reflection of the applicant.
For documents that don't contain a photo
I (full name of certifier) confirm that this is a true copy of the original document for (full name of customer)
Each document must also include:
- certifier's signature and full name, they need to sign as an individual not a company
- certifier's occupation, company, professional address and phone number, ideally on letter headed paper
- certifier's professional registration number if they have one
- date of certification
It is important each document contains this information as without it we may not be able to accept them. The person signing the document must be active in the profession and can't be a relative, friend or someone who lives at your address. We may contact them for verification.
Please remember your documents must:
- be a certified true copy
- be in English or a certified translation to English
- certification and translation must be completed by the same person
- date of certification must be within the last 3 months
- not be an internet or branch print out
- show your full name (not initials) and address matching your application
The same document cannot be used twice to verify identify and address, so a different document must be used to meet the regulations and the HSBC account opening criteria.
I'm a non-EU customer, applying from outside the UK. What can I show for identification and proof of address?
The information can vary depending on where you live. We'll advise exactly what you'll need to provide. Here's an overview:
Your proof of identity
Provide one of the documents below and make sure it's both current and a certified copy (not the original).
- your current passport or travel document (copies of passports should include all pages that contain signatures, the passport number and any extension dates where applicable)
- your current National Identity Card (EEA or Swiss Nationals only)
Your proof of address
Provide one of the documents below and make sure it's both recent and certified.
- your valid overseas driving licence (a copy, not the original)
- a utility bill (dated within the last 4 months)
- a non-HSBC Group Bank statement. It needs to be dated within the last 4 months
I'm a non-EU customer, applying from outside the UK. How do I get my documents certified?
You'll need to contact one of the following:
- your local bank and ask them to certify your documents. Explain that you are asking because you are resident in a country/region of equivalent jurisdiction to the UK. (If you're unsure whether your country/region of residence is of equivalent jurisdiction to the UK please get in touch with our team on 03457 404 404. If you are a Premier customer, please call 03457 70 70 70)
- the UK Embassy or Consulate where a certification service is provided. For information visit http://www.gov.uk/government/world/organisations
- contact a lawyer, solicitor or barrister in your country/region of residence listed on http://www.legal500.com, or one from the list provided by the UK Embassy at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/list-of-lawyers
Next, ask your chosen certifier to write this on the document they are certifying:
A. For your documents that contain a photo:
I [full name of certifier] confirm that this is an accurate copy of the original and the photo is a true likeness of the person concerned.
B. For your documents that don't contain a photo:
I [full name of certifier] confirm this is an accurate copy of the original.
They should also write:
- their signature and full name, printed on the document
- their occupation, company (or professional) address and phone number
- their professional registration number (if they have one)
- the date of certification
Finally, you'll need to send us the certified documents using the pre-paid envelope we provided.
Once your documents are certified, please complete and print the return form (PDF, 50 KB). Then send it with your certified documents to:
HSBC
51 Saffron Road
Wigston
Leicester
LE18 4AG