Top 3 Countries for Opening a Non-Resident Account

Published:
March 11, 2025
75

In case you do not live in the boundaries of Europe, it can be complicated to create an account in a fiscal institution. Nevertheless, this process can be carried out successfully. Various states and monetary organizations have diverse demands which make it crucial to comprehend the primary tendencies affecting this course of action.

FSPs can ask for different papers and demand you to put forward the reasons for creating an account as a non-local, among which are working, studying, or possessing real estate within their territory.

You might explore EMIs or virtual banking offerings that focus on accounts for people who do not live in a specific country and offer a simplified application procedure.

This guide will make you go over the primary nuances and look at the best states for making a non-resident account in a fiscal organization.

Principal factors for non-local

There are some critical aspects to take into account when thinking about establishing a relationship with the EU on monetary offerings as a non-local. Such aspects would weigh heavily on your overall experience and guide towards making an informed decision according to what suits you best financially. Here are a couple of major ones:

  1. Fees and Charges: Get to know all the other related costs of the service, including monthly maintenance, transactions, currency conversion, withdrawals from ATMs, and others. This may make you understand them more easily concerning the overall affordability of the service;
  2. Benefits and Interest Rates: Assess the benefits that the service provides through interest rates on savings, cash back opportunities, overdraft options, or any other perks. Such features will definitely impinge on a larger part of your financial experience and satisfaction;
  3. Accessibility and Management: Think about how simple it is to set up and manage the service. In this respect: is an online application possible? It should outline digital management features, user-friendly mobile interfaces, and great client support quality that one may expect from the financial giver;
  4. Legal and Regulatory Frame: Get to know the legal and regulatory setting of the nation and provider. Factor in protection directives on data, fiscal compliance obligations, and presence/absence of deposit guarantee schemes for safety;
  5. Provider Flexibility for Non-Locals: Look at the provider’s policy regarding non-local clients. For instance, some may require evidence of EU residency and an European TIN to create an account; the others may have easier options for people outside the EU and make opening an account simpler.

The finest nations for creating non-local accounts

The first nation to begin with is Lithuania. It has emerged as a booming fintech center, attracting both entities and individuals looking to establish a payment account in Europe. Conventional fiscal organizations typically require documentation such as proof of address, account statements, and residency permits, complicating the process. Currently, the country leads the EU in the number of operational EMIs, offering an efficient and budget-friendly licensing framework for fintech organizations. This access includes participation in the EU digital banking market and the SEPA payment system.

Another good option is Estonia, which is well-known for its pioneering e-residency program that allows global access to its digital services and facilitates online account creation. The e-residency card acts as an identification tool for fiscal organizations involved. However, it’s important to note that fees in the country can be on the higher side compared to other EU nations. Additionally, the country has fewer physical branches and ATMs than many of its European peers, which may limit access to cash and face-to-face banking options.

The last one is Germany which presents an attractive choice for non-EU individuals seeking security and access to the EU online banking landscape. It features a broad array of monetary institutions catering to various needs, with many offering online accounts for non-EU customers, making the process more straightforward.

However, establishing a virtual banking account here may pose some challenges. Banks often request multiple documents, including proof of address, income verification, and credit history. Some may not accept foreign passports and could demand evidence of regional registration or a German address.

Conclusion

Eventually, creating a non-local account can be a complicated procedure but taking into account the demands of diverse jurisdictions will make the course of action much easier. The choice of an ideal country for such a process is an initial step which is one of the most compulsory ones. The appropriate nation guarantees security and simple access to the online banking environment.

Related insights

The Top 10 Crypto-Friendly Countries (2025-2026)

The global barriers that previously existed for the location of the businesses incorporation and investments in the area of tokens, exchanges, custody, and blockchain-based products have been minimized. This is more important today than it was a few years ago, as digital assets will cease to be a specialty or appendage with the financial industry…

Read more 26.12.2025

How to Get a Crypto Exchange License in 2026

By 2026, cryptocurrency exchanges function under direct financial supervision in most jurisdictions. Regulators no longer view this sector as experimental. Exchanges are classified as supplier companies working with client finance. As a result, licensing terms apply in the same way as in other financial segments. Operating without a license is generally considered a violation of…

Read more 26.12.2025

How to Choose the Best Gaming Licence for Your Business

The gaming licence that will best fit your needs is definitely a major strategic decision you will have to make in the dynamic world of online gaming. With different jurisdictions, regulatory models, prices, and compliance obligations, this decision impacts your image, access to the market, legal situation, and development over time. The iGaming environment is…

Read more 16.12.2025

Best iGaming Licenses 2025: Guide to Choosing an iGaming License

If you are starting or expanding your online gaming enterprise in 2025, selecting the best iGaming license would be definitely one of the most crucial decisions from a strategic point of view that you will make. A proper license is not just a legal necessity: it determines how you can access different markets, be relied…

Read more 15.12.2025

The 5 Levels of Forex Broker License

The​‍​‌‍​‍‌ regulation of the global currency market is divided into five levels, with licenses being the main factor that affects brokerage operations and trust. Level 1: Top-Tier Jurisdictions (Strict Regulation) Top licenses are accompanied by strong laws, oversight, and consumer protection, which are enforced by high capital and continuous supervision. Firstly, Level 1 jurisdictions are…

Read more 13.12.2025

Obtaining a license for an investment fund (UIF, ZPIF, AIF)

Regulators are tightening their control over collective-investment vehicles in numerous jurisdictions. Although the names vary from market to market, the general pattern is the same: before a fund can begin operations, managers must complete a comprehensive authorisation process. The approval procedure for Unit Funds, Closed-End Unit Funds and Alternative Funds is usually lengthy, document-heavy and…

Read more 11.12.2025

How to Choose a VASP License: A Guide for Crypto Businesses

By the end of 2025, a more strict and disciplined structure has been established in the token-asset market. A few years ago, improvised approaches were prevalent, but they are no longer effective. The standard for how businesses handle token instruments has increased, and regulators now keep a careful eye on this market. Instead of being…

Read more 09.12.2025

Launching a FinTech Company or Neobank in Latin America

The​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ economic sector of the Latin America region is one of the most promising of the financial services industry at the global level today. The region offers the perfect environment with such factors as a high number of unbanked people, increasing mobile adoption rates, and evolving regulatory frameworks all converging there and acting as the…

Read more 02.12.2025

Fintech, payment, e-money, MSB and banking licenses — a guide to different types of licenses

Over​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ the past decade, the finance world has been significantly changed by the wave of fintech companies that are global in their operations, use advanced technology, and are direct challengers to the regular banks and fiscal formations. Because of the major variations in authorizing conditions within separate regions, businesspeople are often confused with the options…

Read more 01.12.2025

Full banking license or e-money license? Here’s what you need to know

After​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ deciding to enter the fin-services domain or wanting to expand the reach of an existing fintech enterprise a basic strategic decision comes up—between whether to opt for a full banking authorization or obtain an e-money license. Both ways open the doors to doing regulated financial business. Still, the choice significantly affects the range of…

Read more 29.11.2025

How Artificial Intelligence Is Reshaping the Financial Services Industry

The arrival of AI in money endeavors is no longer a matter of speculation but rather a reality reshaping the methods, the competitive tactics, and the continuous evolution of commerce. Fin-institutions across the board are seeing AI modifications to the business strategies as legislative compliance is becoming fully automatized and credit granting is enhanced through…

Read more 27.11.2025

Exploring the Pros and Cons of Shelf Companies in the UK

Perhaps you relish a thought of starting a business in Great Britain. Then, buying a shelf company could be the first thing coming to your head. Being already incorporated, such “ready-made firms” have never been used. They’re waiting for their owner who can put them to work. It could be you.  For some entrepreneurs, such…

Read more 13.10.2025