New law regarding supply of NI numbers?

Posted: Fri Jul 1, 2022 12:05pm

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DarioMartin

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Morning all, this by way of warning / advice.

I operate a business account with Sabadell; on Sunday 26th my business card was rejected when paying for a large bill, but my wifes, another account holder, worked. I thought it was perhaps just a temporary fault and thought no more.

Until Wednesday, when it came time to pay suppliers etc - and my account was blocked. Couldn't transfer money in or out, cards were blocked - everything.

I went to the bank Thursday Morning and they told me it was blocked because information was missing. One of the account holders on the business account, was born in the US. Never worked there and left at an early age and is in fact a citizen of another country. But because this person was born in the US, the bank said they wanted their Social Security number that had been assigned at birth. No message indicating a problem was ever transmitted to me - I found out only when I discovered my account was blocked.

For a variety of reasons, including possible tax implications from Uncle Sam, this person did not want to supply or reveal their SS number, stating that the bank needed only their NIE which was already on file. The bank argued that it was a recent rule change by Bank of Spain, whereas the person concerned said "Bullsh*t, it's a Sabadell rule, not a Bank of Spain rule", indicating they operated 3 other different accounts else where / other banks with no problem. The bank also indicated to me that if you are English, you MUST supply your National Insurance number

The problem was resolved by removing the person as being named as an account holder.

However - This is as a warning / advice to any others operating an account here that such changes MAY be coming into force. I would be very VERY interested to know whether others have had similar issues - either with Sabadell or with other banks in Spain - i.e. is this a Sabadell issue or indeed a ruling from Bank of Spain?

Please bear in mind I only discovered this two days ago, so such changes may only be starting to take effect now. If you suddenly find your account is blocked and direct debits are being rejected (I had our Autónomo payments rejected and returned to TGSS unpaid for gods sake!!) this may be the problem.

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Posted: Sat Jul 2, 2022 1:34am

Darrin69

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Posted: Sat Jul 2, 2022 1:34am

Just Spain Dario like I said b4 making life difficult for peeps.totally unnecessary and never existed b4 Brexit,life and changes are coming thick and fast for Spain. .yes the people are nice but the people in hi places are going to make life difficult for all none SPANISH, you wait and see,it's getting worse by the mth,new rules here there and everywhere, and all to cracking down on laws/ loop holes that were always there But never implemented. 😉

Posted: Sat Jul 2, 2022 11:17am

Jenni

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Posted: Sat Jul 2, 2022 11:17am

Darrin69 wrote on Sat Jul 2, 2022 1:34am:
Just Spain Dario like I said b4 making life difficult for peeps.totally unnecessary and never existed b4 Brexit,life and changes are coming thick and fast for Spain. .yes the people are nice but the people in hi places are going to make life difficult for all none SPANISH, you wait an...

Read more...

...d see,it's getting worse by the mth,new rules here there and everywhere, and all to cracking down on laws/ loop holes that were always there But never implemented. 😉

Sorry you had this problem Dario, I agree with Darrin 69, things will only get worse for us Brits even if we have done everything correctly and got all the right bits of paper, recently we got a letter from the Spanish Tax saying we owed back tax from 2012 until now, which was crap, firstly we lived in Egypt in 2012 and secondly once we landed in Spain we become fiscal residents and had all tax returns to prove it. My accountant couldn't explain why this had suddenly come up, she said they just pick names out of a hat and then they dont let go. It took us months to clear this up, hopefully its gone now.

Lets face it the Spainish do not want us Brits here anymore, not since Bretix, they are sulking cos we left, Darrin is right the Spanish man in the street is great and helpful the powers that be are not, and after being here for many many years we are returning to the UK in October, I can't stand their red tape a minute longer, at my age I want to do nice things and not having to write letters and fill out forms to justify my very existence.

Have a nice day all

Posted: Sat Jul 2, 2022 6:21pm

Darrin69

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Posted: Sat Jul 2, 2022 6:21pm

Jenni wrote on Sat Jul 2, 2022 11:17am:
Sorry you had this problem Dario, I agree with Darrin 69, things will only get worse for us Brits even if we have done everything correctly and got all the right bits of paper, recently we got a letter from the Spanish Tax saying we owed back tax from 2012 until now, which was crap, firstly we li...

Read more...

...ved in Egypt in 2012 and secondly once we landed in Spain we become fiscal residents and had all tax returns to prove it. My accountant couldn't explain why this had suddenly come up, she said they just pick names out of a hat and then they dont let go. It took us months to clear this up, hopefully its gone now.
Lets face it the Spainish do not want us Brits here anymore, not since Bretix, they are sulking cos we left, Darrin is right the Spanish man in the street is great and helpful the powers that be are not, and after being here for many many years we are returning to the UK in October, I can't stand their red tape a minute longer, at my age I want to do nice things and not having to write letters and fill out forms to justify my very existence.
Have a nice day all

That's a shame to here Jenni you have been a useful contributer on here for many years,I hope it hasn't put you of Spain all together,just keep your place as a holiday home and have the best of both worlds at least then you can drive around as a tourist and have a hassle free life again. For at least 90 days anyway it works for me and would never dream of becoming a resident in Spain anymore after reading the REDICULOUS hoops and expenses that the expats are having to go through it's unbelievable just to live there.why put yourself through that...Good luck.

Can't even imagine how difficult it must be for the ones that can't even speak the language but just about get by. Never mind argue the rights and wrongs with them.good luck to all the expats out there.

Posted: Sat Jul 2, 2022 7:15pm

hartcjhart

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Posted: Sat Jul 2, 2022 7:15pm

Darrin69 wrote on Sat Jul 2, 2022 1:34am:
Just Spain Dario like I said b4 making life difficult for peeps.totally unnecessary and never existed b4 Brexit,life and changes are coming thick and fast for Spain. .yes the people are nice but the people in hi places are going to make life difficult for all none SPANISH, you wait an...

Read more...

...d see,it's getting worse by the mth,new rules here there and everywhere, and all to cracking down on laws/ loop holes that were always there But never implemented. 😉

errmm you contradict yourself,you say didnt exist b4 brexit,then you say the laws were always there?

Posted: Sat Jul 2, 2022 7:18pm

hartcjhart

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Posted: Sat Jul 2, 2022 7:18pm

Jenni wrote on Sat Jul 2, 2022 11:17am:
Sorry you had this problem Dario, I agree with Darrin 69, things will only get worse for us Brits even if we have done everything correctly and got all the right bits of paper, recently we got a letter from the Spanish Tax saying we owed back tax from 2012 until now, which was crap, firstly we li...

Read more...

...ved in Egypt in 2012 and secondly once we landed in Spain we become fiscal residents and had all tax returns to prove it. My accountant couldn't explain why this had suddenly come up, she said they just pick names out of a hat and then they dont let go. It took us months to clear this up, hopefully its gone now.
Lets face it the Spainish do not want us Brits here anymore, not since Bretix, they are sulking cos we left, Darrin is right the Spanish man in the street is great and helpful the powers that be are not, and after being here for many many years we are returning to the UK in October, I can't stand their red tape a minute longer, at my age I want to do nice things and not having to write letters and fill out forms to justify my very existence.
Have a nice day all

they say the Albanian coast is very nice,especially Sarande,cheaper living not in the EU not in the Euro,Iam taking a looksie this December/January

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Posted: Sat Jul 2, 2022 10:59pm

Darrin69

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Posted: Sat Jul 2, 2022 10:59pm

hartcjhart wrote on Sat Jul 2, 2022 7:15pm:
errmm you contradict yourself,you say didnt exist b4 brexit,then you say the laws were always there?

That's because I new dario would come up with the rules we're always there,being in Spain longer than me,and knows a he'll of a lot more than me.,but 5 years in since I bought my holiday home a he'll of a lot has changed since we came out the EU.

THAT I can say with guarantee and is getting worse for expats as you can read hear on a daily basis and especially to try and get residency why bother,them easy days to retire in Spain have well and truelly gone. So don't kid yourself.

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Posted: Sun Jul 3, 2022 7:55am

DarioMartin

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Posted: Sun Jul 3, 2022 7:55am

Darrin69 wrote on Sat Jul 2, 2022 10:59pm:
That's because I new dario would come up with the rules we're always there,being in Spain longer than me,and knows a he'll of a lot more than me.,but 5 years in since I bought my holiday home a he'll of a lot has changed since we came out the EU.
THAT I can say with guarantee and is getting worse for expats as you can read hear on a daily basis and especially to try and get residency why bother,them easy days to retire in Spain have well and truelly gone. So don't kid yourself....

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...

I’m not certain if this ruling was already in or whether it was a recent change by Bank of Spain. Sabadell say it’s a recent change, our business partner says it’s a Sabadell tule - I really don’t know.

We opened the business account some 2.5 years ago now and haven’t had any problems - up until now.

Sabadell DID acknowledge that both our National Insurance numbers were on file and linked to the account already, meaning we must have supplied them when we opened the original personal account in 2014, because I don’t recall doing it recently. So it may be they’ve started reviewing accounts - I just don’t know

I’d really like feedback from anyone else who’s had this challenge - either from Sabadell or any other bank. It may just be as well that this is a residents only thing

Posted: Sun Jul 3, 2022 1:23pm

Crancrank

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Posted: Sun Jul 3, 2022 1:23pm

DarioMartin wrote on Sun Jul 3, 2022 7:55am:
I’m not certain if this ruling was already in or whether it was a recent change by Bank of Spain. Sabadell say it’s a recent change, our business partner says it’s a Sabadell tule - I really don’t know.
We opened the business account some 2.5 years ago now and haven’t had any problems - up until now....

Read more...

...
Sabadell DID acknowledge that both our National Insurance numbers were on file and linked to the account already, meaning we must have supplied them when we opened the original personal account in 2014, because I don’t recall doing it recently. So it may be they’ve started reviewing accounts - I just don’t know
I’d really like feedback from anyone else who’s had this challenge - either from Sabadell or any other bank. It may just be as well that this is a residents only thing

This is not exclusive to Sabadel. I bank with Santander and it has been a requirement to supply them with a uk NI number for over 2 years