Egypt is a state located on two continents at once: in Africa (south-eastern part) and Asia. It is one of the oldest countries with a rich and interesting story and culture. Initially, the ancient Egyptian state was located only along the lower part of the Nile, but over time it grew, increasing its territory many times over.

Factors influencing language diversity

When wondering what language its inhabitants speak in Egypt, it is impossible to immediately settle on just one. Of course, Arabic is the official language in the country. However, one cannot overlook the fact that the state, which originally existed as an ancient Egyptian civilization, was influenced by the Roman Empire. When Egypt was part of the Ottoman Empire, the development of speech was also affected by the Islamic conquest. Nowadays, the spread of Western values, the emergence modern technologies also influenced the development of the linguistic abilities of the Egyptians. This is noticeable not only in Cairo, Alexandria and other famous tourist resorts, but also in the most remote corners of the state.

Of course, tourists traveling to this wonderful, hospitable country need to know its location, visa nuances, flight duration and, of course, what language is spoken in Egypt. After all, when you are in another country, it is very important to have information about the correct communication with local residents and hotel staff. And although Arabic is the official language in Egypt, it differs significantly from the Arabic known in other countries. And French and English are very often used by the population in everyday life.

Arabic

In today's speech of Egyptians there are many archaisms and foreign words. What language is used in Egypt on television, radio, print media, jurisprudence, and business communication during negotiations? Of course - Arabic.

Its classical form is based on the Quran as early as the seventh century AD. Knowing it, you can safely and confidently visit most Arab countries.

Egyptian dialects

Egypt is very beautiful in its cultural uniqueness. What language do native Egyptians speak? Mainly in the local characteristic dialect - Masri. It is used by the population to communicate more often in everyday life and in markets. It is also used in folk songs.

Egypt is very rightly considered the “Arab Hollywood”, because the majority of music and films are created here in Arabic. In this regard, residents of countries such as Syria, Tunisia, Algeria are also familiar with Masri, which stimulates its study in the future. Among the various dialects in English, it is the most popular.

Understanding which language is the least spoken in Egypt, we can come to the conclusion that it is Coptic. It is used only occasionally during church ceremonies.

English, French or Russian

It should be noted that from school years, Egyptian youth responsibly study foreign languages. First of all, English is one of them.

Historically, under the influence of its former neighbors, the French language is still widespread in Egypt. In some aristocratic circles, speaking Arabic is not accepted - it is considered a sign of lack of education.

As surprising as it may sound, many Egyptians are also familiar with the Russian language. A large flow of tourists from Russia forces resourceful local residents to study it for more pleasant communication with vacationers and improve the level of service.

In fact, it doesn't really matter what language they speak in Egypt. local residents and vacationers. The most important thing is human relationships leading to mutual understanding, friendliness and responsiveness.

In scientific literature, both in our country and in foreign countries, the term “ancient Egyptian language” is sometimes used, which means the language of the population of Ancient Egypt.

This term is inaccurate, since when calling a language ancient (for example, ancient Chinese, ancient Greek), they mean the existence of the same new, modern language, in other words, the definition of “ancient” creates the impression that we are talking about the ancient stage of living modern language.

With the Egyptian language the situation is different. The Egyptian language became dead already at the beginning of our era, when it was replaced by Coptic, which represents the last stage of development of the Egyptian language and is organically connected with it, but at the same time differs from it so much that in linguistics it is considered an independent language. Coptic is related to the late Egyptian language in much the same way as Italian is to Latin. But the Coptic language is also already a dead language. Currently, the people of Egypt speak Arabic. Therefore, we call the Egyptian language only the language that was used by the population of Ancient Egypt from time immemorial until the 3rd century. n. e.

Since the monuments of the Egyptian language have been preserved over a huge period, estimated at no less than three and a half millennia, it is quite natural to assume that during this time the Egyptian language has changed. Indeed, the monuments of the language show that over the course of more than thirty-five centuries it went through the following stages of development:

• 1. The language of the era of the Old Kingdom (XXXII--XXII centuries BC; in English scientific literature this stage of language development is called Old Egyptian, in French - ancien еgyptien, in German - Altдgyptisch. It would be perfect to designate this period, the Russian term "ancient Egyptian", but since it is incorrectly used to designate the entire Egyptian language, it would be unclear what we are talking about: the ancient stage of development of the language or the language as a whole. Therefore, to designate the ancient period of the history of the language, it is advisable to accept the term proposed the largest Soviet Egyptologist Yu. Ya. Perepelkin - “Old Egyptian”.
• 2. Middle Egyptian, or classical, language (XXII-XVI centuries BC); in English scientific literature - Middle Egyptian, in French - moyen еgyptien, in German - Mittelеgyptisch.
• 3. New Egyptian language (XVI--VIII centuries BC); in English scientific literature -

Late Egyptian, in French - nйоgyptlen, in German - Neuдgyptisch.

• 4. Demotic language (8th century BC - 5th century AD)
• 5. Coptic language (from the 3rd century AD)

The history of the Egyptian people, the creator and speaker of the Egyptian language, begins very early - at the end of the 4th - beginning of the 3rd millennium BC. Such an early beginning of Egyptian history (in comparison, for example, with the history of European peoples) was facilitated by favorable geographical conditions, i.e. climate, soil fertility, abundance of plants, animals, fish, etc. This, in the words of K. Marx, is a “natural wealth of means of life" accelerated the development of Egyptian society in the early stages of its development. Already at the end of the 4th millennium BC. the development of productive forces, an increase in labor productivity, and hence the possibility of obtaining and appropriating surplus product and its exchange led to the emergence of private ownership of the means of production and property inequality, to the possibility of appropriating other people's labor. Egyptian society is divided into classes hostile to each other. The first class society appears - the slave system. At the beginning of the 3rd millennium BC. Slave states emerge in the Nile Valley as “a product and manifestation of the irreconcilability of class contradictions.” From that time on, the history of Ancient Egypt is the story of the three-thousand-year development of the oldest slave-owning society and state and its death under the blows of the invaders. In its development, the Egyptian people created the greatest cultural values ​​that entered the general treasury of world culture. The achievements of the Egyptians include, for example, the creation of the first written language in world history, the soul of which was the sound, phonetic principle. Without a doubt, the Egyptian language developed long before the era of slavery, i.e. long before the 3rd millennium BC. But the language of this ancient period is not possible to study due to the lack of written monuments. In relation to literature, one can wholeheartedly agree with the opinion of Academician. B. A. Turaev, who called this period the time of creation of a “stock of folk literature.” Only with the organization of the state and the advent of writing does it become possible to study the Egyptian language. In its millennia-long development, it went through a number of stages: Old Egyptian, Middle Egyptian, New Egyptian, Demotic, Coptic.

25.06.2018

Foreign banking for non-resident clients in Lately has become a constant source of news. And if some of them turned out to be quite predictable (especially for those who in one way or another used the services of foreign financial institutions throughout recent years), then others will still have to get used to.

If previously banks fought for a future client, offering Better conditions, and clients could afford to choose from a variety of options, now banks carefully select a “suitable” client, taking into account a wide variety of factors - from the jurisdiction of the company to the business history of its beneficiary and the legality of the origin of his funds. Under pressure from international organizations and national regulators in the field banking services non-residents there is a constant “tightening of the screws”.

Nevertheless, foreign bank The counting was and still remains an indispensable tool in international business, since the task of opening a bank account arises for almost everyone who registers a business abroad or expands its borders. Therefore, further – about everything in order.

Why do you need a foreign bank account?

Corporate account V foreign bank necessary for convenience of calculations companies with their business partners (customers, suppliers), accumulation monetary assets, payments mandatory payments, conducting salary projects, use of corporate bank cards, etc. Such an account can be opened either in the same country in which the company is registered or in another country or countries.

One of the most important advantages of opening foreign account it is for a foreign company (and not for an individual) that it is no currency restrictions provided for by Russian legislation for currency residents of the Russian Federation. For foreign companies do not apply responsibilities for notifying tax authorities about the opening of a foreign account, submitting reports on the movement of funds in the account, as well as restrictions on crediting funds to the account.

For citizens personal foreign account needed in case of employment or obtaining a residence permit abroad, ownership of foreign real estate and in many other cases. In addition, many clients simply decide to store and/or invest part of their funds abroad in order to preserve or increase their personal or family capital. Only for some categories of citizens (higher officials, civil servants) opening foreign accounts and using foreign financial instruments prohibited by law.

The main disadvantage of a personal foreign account is its very limited functionality. The currency legislation of the Russian Federation allows residents of the Russian Federation to credit to such an account only those categories of funds that are directly named in the law, classifying all other transactions as illegal. Such restrictions are lifted only if the person loses his status currency resident RF.

Types of accounts

Foreign banks usually offer the opening of checking and/or savings accounts.

Calculated accounts are intended for regular transactions involving frequent crediting and debiting of funds to the account, which is necessary when the company conducts normal operating activities (trading goods, providing services, etc.). Some accounts can operate in settlement mode, but require maintaining a constant minimum balance in the account in a certain amount or placing an investment portfolio.

Savings (investment) accounts are opened for the purpose of saving and/or investing client funds and, as a rule, cannot be used for current settlement transactions.

How to choose a foreign bank?

Currently, choosing a bank to open a current account for a foreign (especially offshore) company is becoming an increasingly difficult task. It depends on many factors, starting with the ownership structure of the company and the type of its activities, and ending with the peculiarities of the policy of the national banking regulator.

Here are just a few questions to find out the answers to when choosing a foreign bank:

• does it work this bank with companies (including from offshore jurisdictions) and non-resident individuals?
• does the bank offer current accounts(i.e. accounts for frequent incoming and outgoing transfers)?
• Will this bank accept a client with this type of activity, with these beneficiaries, with these business partners and payment directions?
• In what currencies can payments be made (this depends on the availability of an appropriate network of correspondent banks) and are the currencies you need among them?
• what are the bank rates?
• what are the ratings, reputation, financial indicators and the prospects for this bank?
• and much more.

Therefore, in order to choose a foreign bank for opening a corporate or personal account abroad, we recommend contacting only those specialists (professional intermediaries and bank agents) who are familiar with the current (and constantly changing!) situation in the field of opening accounts and can objectively assess the chances of opening an account taking into account all factors inherent to a particular client and bank.

In which country should I open an account?

For the purposes of opening corporate accounts for foreign (including offshore) companies, banks can be divided into three main groups:

1. Banks of Europe. Basically (except for Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Montenegro) these are banks from member countries of the European Union, which are subject to the requirements of the pan-European regulator - the ECB. Within this group it is necessary to highlight:

• banks of the Baltic countries (Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia);
• banks of Cyprus;
• banks Central Europe(Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, etc.);
• banks of Western Europe (Austria, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Switzerland);
• other banks (Montenegro, etc.)

Banks specified group continue to be popular when opening corporate accounts for foreign companies. Many of them have Russian-speaking customer support.

However, most European banks (as well as any other) are characterized by increasingly lengthy processing of applications for opening an account, requests from the applicant for various additional information, and also (especially for Western European banks) quite high tariffs. And, most importantly, banks in most of these countries today moved away from the practice of opening and servicing accounts of offshore companies(for example, it is now impossible to open an account in a Latvian bank for an offshore company or for an LP or LLP partnership formed from offshore companies).

Only some banks, despite the general negative attitude towards offshore companies, continue to consider opening investment accounts offshore companies on conditions favorable to the bank (namely, investing in bank products or maintaining a significant minimum balance), of course, provided that the client fully satisfies all other requirements.

2. Banks of Asia(Hong Kong, Singapore).

Asian banks are generally focused on businesses operating in one way or another in the Asian region or with partners from it. They are also characterized by a general trend towards deoffshorization and strengthening of procedures due diligence.

Hong Kong banks today have practically refused to open accounts for residents of Russia and other CIS countries or companies with beneficiaries from such countries. In order to open an account in a Hong Kong bank, a face-to-face interview with the Bank manager in English or Chinese without the help of an interpreter (directly in Hong Kong) is always required. At the same time, banks consider only those companies that have a real office in Hong Kong (it should be borne in mind that such companies are subject to taxation in Hong Kong).

Currently, only Singaporean companies can open an account in Singapore banks, and their directors and shareholders must be residents of Singapore. The director must exercise actual authority over the management of the company and have exclusive access to its bank account.

A relative disadvantage of Asian banks is also more complex communication between the bank and the client, due to the lack of Russian-language support, as well as a significant difference in time zones (which is relevant for the European part of Russia).

3. Offshore banks(Saint Lucia, Mauritius, Seychelles, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, etc.).

Offshore banks are banks in offshore jurisdictions that have traditionally specialized in servicing non-resident clients. However, today such banks not only do not have any significant advantages over banks from onshore countries, but also lose to them - primarily due to their offshore image and extremely limited ability to make payments with certain countries and in certain currencies.

The fact is that most developed countries have a negative attitude towards offshore banks, which complicates the establishment of correspondent relations with them and prevents payments. In particular, for this reason, offshore banks (with the exception of Mauritius banks) have recently experienced difficulties with settlements in US dollars. Therefore, if you need to pay in USD, as well as with American / European / Russian partners, opening an account in an offshore bank is usually not advisable.

On the other hand, the procedure for opening an account in an offshore bank today is practically no different from similar procedures in other banks. As elsewhere, the client is required to submit the required package of personal and/or corporate documents as part of the “due diligence” and “know-your-customer” procedures. An application to open an account may take a long time to be processed. An offshore bank, like any other, will refuse to open an account if the potential client does not comply with the bank’s policies and the client’s risks for the bank are exceeded. During settlement services offshore banks can, just as regularly as regular banks, request supporting documents for a client's ongoing transactions.

We also add that foreign banks should not be confused with banks with foreign capital operating in Russia, which, although they operate under the corresponding foreign brands, are, like any Russian banks, are subject to Russian legislation and the requirements of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation. The foreign banks discussed here are banks located outside the Russian Federation and subject to the relevant foreign regulators. In Russia, such banks can only operate in the form of representative offices officially accredited by the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, which do not open accounts or carry out banking operations.

Procedure for opening an account in a foreign bank

In order to open an account in a foreign bank, you must:

1. Choose a foreign bank.
2. Personally visit a bank office directly abroad, or meet with a bank representative or contact authorized bank partners in your country. A number of banks (in particular, banks in Latvia, Cyprus, Switzerland, Mauritius, Saint Lucia) allow you to open accounts remotely (without going to the bank). In other cases, a personal visit of the future account holder to a bank branch is required (typical for banks in Poland, Hungary, Hong Kong, Singapore, etc.).
3. Fill out bank forms and provide a complete set of documents required by the bank. If necessary, also provide any additional documents and explanations.
4. Wait for the decision to open an account.

Each bank has its own requirements for the form and content of client documents. However, speaking generally, the following is required from the client (opening an account for the company):

Firstly, a set of corporate documents (originals or certified copies - depending on the requirements of a particular bank).

Secondly, information about the activities of the client’s company, including:

• description of the business of the company for which the account is opened (often also copies of contracts and invoices confirming the declared activities);
• data on counterparties for incoming and outgoing payments;
• expected parameters of the account (annual turnover, number and frequency of transactions, etc.).

The activities of the client’s company within the framework of one opened account must be completely understandable jar, legal and more or less homogeneous(ideally, one account – one type of activity). The declared activity must be similar to the existing resident business of the beneficiary of the company.

Thirdly, the client provides information about the beneficial (that is, actual, final) owners of the company. This information includes:

• personal identification documents;
• confirmation of residence address;
• information about sources of income (this can be any documents confirming the legal sources of funds: a certificate from the place of work, employment contract, data about entrepreneurial activity, savings, etc.);
• bank certificates and statements;
• letters of recommendation from significant business partners;
• names and activities of the client’s existing resident (for example, Russian) companies (including links to their websites and other materials);
• a resume with information about education and career (as noted above, it is important that the beneficiary has work/business experience in the field that is declared as the main activity of the company for which the account is opened).

Recently, banks have been paying Special attention not only data about the client (applicant) and his beneficiary, but also about his partners, which should be as understandable and transparent for the bank as the future client himself. For example, if your counterparty is a British partnership (LLP, LP), then the bank may be interested in who and what is behind it, even to the extent of finding out the resident business of the beneficiaries of such a partnership. Further, the presence of a counterparty on any sanctions lists or even just communication with third parties from such lists may cause a refusal to open an account.

The processing time for an application to open an account may currently be from 2 months or more. There is no expedited application procedure. However, there are no guarantees that the account will definitely be opened.

If the application is approved, the client is assigned an account number, means of access to the Internet account management system are issued, bank cards(if necessary).

Compliance. Due Diligence. Know-Your-Customer

These foreign words have long been familiar to everyone who has had to open foreign accounts and fill out bank forms.

Banking compliance is the bank’s internal procedures for identifying and assessing the client’s compliance, based both on information provided by the potential client himself and obtained from other sources. available to the bank sources. The Bank collects and analyzes such information, implementing the “know-your-customer” principle, and, in a broader context, the “know-your-customer” principle. due diligence"(due diligence), used not only in banking practice, but also in business in general.

Compliance with these principles is not a whim of the bank: it is due to the need to comply with the requirements of the national (and for EU countries also supranational) regulators and regulations aimed at combating money laundering and the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT). This work has always been carried out by banks to one degree or another, however, in the last decade, the “rules of the game” have changed greatly towards tightening. For example, failure to provide the bank with the documents required by it confirming the origin of the funds received, or a sharp deviation of the grounds (nature) of payments from those stated when opening the account, may well be the reason for its closure.

A relatively recent innovation is the requirement to indicate banking forms place tax residence the company and its beneficial owners (as well as their tax identification numbers and information about the active or passive nature of the company’s activities) for the purpose of implementing the automatic exchange of information according to the CRS standard.

Another complicating factor was the policy of anti-Russian sanctions. In connection with this, both a Russian citizen and a Russian citizen may be refused to open an account. foreign company, the shareholder or beneficiary of which will be a Russian, one way or another appearing on the sanctions lists.

Considering that banks’ approach to assessing a client’s suitability has long ceased to be formal, when opening foreign account you must be prepared to provide the bank not only with standard information about the company for which the account is being opened, but also

• details of your existing resident business,
• identification and biographical information of the beneficial owners of the company (including detailed work experience),
• comprehensive information about the sources of origin of their funds,
• and other information required by the bank.

Therefore, adaptation to the new rules implies careful and advance documentation of the operations of both foreign and resident businesses, personal income, sources of wealth, taxes paid, and not only when working with foreign account, but also for several years preceding the moment when the need arose to open an account abroad.

Key trends in account opening

So, the choice of reliable foreign banks willing to service the accounts of non-resident companies (especially offshore ones) is currently very limited and continues to narrow. Why? Here are some reasons:

• Refusal from offshore companies. Foreign banks are reducing the share of offshore companies in their client portfolio or refusing to service them altogether (and the criterion may be not only the offshore jurisdiction of the company, but also its lack of real economic substance - such companies are called “shell companies”). In some places this will happen at once, in others in stages. For example, in light of the well-known events related to the self-liquidation of the Latvian bank ABLV in the spring of 2018, many other banks have intensified the purge of their portfolios from “undesirable” clients. In Latvia, the decision to stop servicing shell companies' accounts was made at the legislative level. In the very near future, other countries may follow this example, primarily Cyprus, where the introduction of new requirements for banks is expected in the summer of 2018.
• The reality of business. Preference is given to companies whose country of registration coincides with the country of the bank, or to companies that have a real economic presence in their country (office, assets, personnel), renting financial statements and those who pay in it taxes, as well as having any connection with the country of the bank in which the account is opened.
• Client clarity and transparency. Banks strive to accept clients with a completely clear business, transparent source of income and character cash flows, as well as with fully acceptable (according to a number of parameters) beneficiaries and counterparties.
• Strengthening due diligence requirements. Such requirements continue to increase in relation to both potential and existing clients of foreign banks (in particular, regarding the identification of beneficiaries and documentary evidence of transactions).
• Close to zero chances foreign startup companies (who cannot yet confirm relevant experience of previous activities and indicate counterparties), as well as companies representing “high-risk” business categories (for example, blockchain and cryptocurrencies, unlicensed forex, payment systems, gambling business, dual-use goods, precious metals and so on.). Traditionally, banks are loyal (subject to other conditions) to international trade, transport, forwarding and logistics activities, understandable IT projects, and financial services licensed in EU countries.
• U.S. dollars. The situation with transfers in US dollars has deteriorated sharply (for example, Latvian banks, as well as a number of offshore banks, have completely refused to open accounts in this currency).
• Sanctions. Banks' attention to various sanctions lists and corresponding categories of individuals and companies has increased. The presence of “sanctioned” persons among the declared beneficiaries or counterparties (or any connection with them) will entail a refusal to open an account.
• Clients from Russia. There is almost targeted discrimination Russian clients(a kind of “presumption of guilt” is formed in relation to clients from Russia and other CIS countries). However, even such circumstances do not exclude the use of an individual approach and the search for acceptable solutions.
• Automatic exchange. In September 2018, the “second stage” countries, including Russia, Switzerland, Austria and many classic offshore jurisdictions, entered the practical phase of automatic exchange of information on financial accounts according to the CRS standard. This means that data on personal and corporate bank accounts (primarily accounts of companies with predominant passive income), the beneficiaries of which are residents of the Russian Federation, will be sent to Russia by the tax authorities of countries that have expressed consent to such an exchange.

  It is still premature to predict its results, however, if automatic exchange is fully implemented, it will be possible to talk about a completely different level of transparency tax information in the world.

Given the unstable economic situation in Russia over the past few years, the bankruptcy of large banks and the closure of profitable lending programs, everything more people are beginning to think about storing capital in foreign currencies in other countries. Of course, in terms of reliability, Swiss banks are the most attractive place to open an account, but not everyone can afford it. In this article we will look at how to open an account in foreign bank and which countries offer the most favorable conditions for Russian citizens.

Before looking for how to open an account in a foreign bank, you should clearly understand which factors are your priority and which countries best meet your expected expectations. After all, foreign banks are not always a guarantor of quality and safety, and if you remember, for example, the 2013 crisis in Cyprus, which resulted in large expenses on the part of depositors, you begin to wonder whether it is worth getting into economic systems other states.

But first, we should look at the closest countries of the European Union, and, of course, the leaders in deposits from Russia are the Baltic states. Why is that?

Let's look at their main advantages:

Since these countries relatively recently joined the EU and have not yet had time to properly develop their own economies, it is very profitable for them to attract foreign investment. In this sense, Russia is a great partner of Latvia, where thousands of people open new accounts and make deposits every year. Therefore, the Baltic countries have fairly favorable conditions for Russian citizens and are trying to attract as many new clients as possible.

You can open an account in the Czech Republic only if you contact the bank in person

Separately, it is worth noting that in the Baltic states there is Russian-language service for foreign clients, and it will be relatively easy for you to communicate with employees of the bank with which you decide to enter into an agreement. Also, for example, in Latvia there is special programs for CIS countries, which have very low prices for Banking services and favorable interest rates.

The second most attractive place for opening an account for Russian residents is Cyprus, despite the events of 2013. Today, the country's authorities are demonstrating a fairly good trend in economic development and are trying to convince people all over the world as much as possible that their banks can be trusted. It is still difficult to make long-term forecasts, but this moment companies in Cyprus are still considered good investment partners.

It is also beneficial for Russian citizens to open accounts in the Czech Republic, and over the past few years this direction has become very popular. The state’s economy has noticeably improved, interesting programs have begun to appear, including those aimed at citizens of the CIS, so every year the number of bank clients in the Czech Republic is growing.

How to open an account abroad with Russian citizenship?

It is worth noting that not all countries are ready to cooperate with an individual, which is not a resident of the EU. For example, if you want to open an account in France or Germany, you need to justify why you are interested in this particular country, what the purpose of your deposit is and go through a lengthy interview procedure.

According to Swiss law, no bank employee has the right to disclose information on customer accounts

As for the Scandinavian countries or the UK, it will be almost impossible to open an account here, since they will require a huge number of documents from you and even if you have all the necessary papers, they may refuse, arguing their decision, say, with the unstable financial situation in the Russian Federation.

When opening a bank account abroad, first of all, you should pay attention to Latvia, if we consider EU countries, where you can even make a deposit online through special electronic systems. For example, on the Rietumu Banka website you will find detailed instructions, how to open an account remotely and without unnecessary formalities. Important! You will have to pay separately for this procedure.

So, if you are serious about making a deposit abroad, you should first become familiar with the rules and regulations offered by a particular country. Pay special attention to the difference in conditions for residents of the country and foreigners, as they can differ significantly!

Important to remember: You can only make a contribution in the Czech Republic in person, applications via the Internet bank employees are not considered!

Having chosen a specific country and decided on financial company, you have to go through a complex preparation procedure necessary documents. But do not be afraid, because depending on the country, conditions can vary greatly.

However, there is a standard set of documents that absolutely any bank will require:

1. A document confirming your identity.
2. Place of residence (country and address).
3. Confirmation of legal receipt of funds. In some cases, an oral history will be sufficient, and sometimes documentary evidence may be required if the bank has questions regarding the origin of the capital.

Since 2015, Latvia has tightened the conditions for opening deposits for non-residents of the country

It is important to remember that when opening an account in another country, especially in EU countries, you should initially clarify some points:

1. Does this bank provide guarantees of the safety of invested funds, and in addition, is the state a guarantor of payment of compensation in case of emergency situations.
2. What should be the minimum account balance? This point is especially important, since often this amount is quite decent!
3. Insurance commissions that the bank may require from the depositor.

How to open an account in a foreign bank online?

As previously noted, not in all countries it is possible to submit an application via the Internet, and, for example, in the Czech Republic or England, personal presence will be required. But there are still a number of countries that are ready to consider the possibility of online cooperation, let’s pay special attention to them.
RCB Bank, located in Cyprus, has extremely profitable offer for potential clients, including the ability to apply online. Here you don’t have to collect a huge package of documents, and if you have a foreign passport and money, you can safely contact the company’s website for detailed advice.

It is worth noting that it is much easier to open accounts in less developed countries and distant from Western Europe. For example, online you can open an account abroad in places like the Bahamas, Vanuatu or St. Lucia.

Large Chinese banks are also open to cooperation, offering special profitable programs to citizens of the CIS countries. The main advantage of cooperation with eastern companies is minimum commission for services, which averages 200-300 rubles.

Today, there are three options for applying to open an account abroad:

1. Personal application to the bank office. Then you will need to take with you a complete package of documents in several copies, translated into the official language of the country in which you want to make a deposit.
2. Online application directly to the company website. But it’s worth repeating that not all banks are ready to accept applications via the Internet, and in most cases it will be impossible to get a positive answer!
3. There is also the option of using the services of intermediaries who can do the “dirty” work for you and open a bank account. But, as a rule, this is very difficult and expensive, since the average cost of an intermediary is 7-8 thousand dollars.

You can top up foreign contribution, both in cash and through electronic systems

Important to remember: If you still decide to entrust your money to intermediaries, first be sure to check whether this bank has the option for another person to submit an application! After all, for example, German companies in most cases are ready to communicate exclusively with an individual who wants to make a contribution.

Foreign deposit reporting system

In addition to the complex procedure for opening an account, citizens of the Russian Federation also need to study in detail the reporting procedure to tax service! According to the law, since 2015, every resident of Russia is obliged to promptly report to the Federal Tax Service information about the closure or opening of a foreign account. It is important to remember that this must be done within one month, otherwise you may be subject to a serious fine.

The same goes for annual reports, because you are obliged to provide the Federal Tax Service with information about transactions carried out on the account, as well as changes in details. There are also additional difficulties here, since according to the law of the Russian Federation many financial operations are prohibited and you may be forced to pay a fine in the full amount of the transferred amount!

Interesting, but true. Starting from 2018, a new mechanism of cooperation between Russian companies and foreign firms will be launched, thanks to which the Federal Tax Service will be able to independently control the accounts of Russian citizens and receive statements of their deposits.

Well, let's summarize a little. Opening an account in another country for residents of Russia today is not so easy, but it is possible. The Baltic countries, Cyprus and the Czech Republic are leaders in terms of deposits from the Russian Federation and are ready to attract new clients. Bahamas, China and South Korea They also have programs for cooperation with foreign investors and offer favorable conditions to potential clients.

It is most difficult to open an account in the UK, Switzerland and the Scandinavian countries, but these banks most often have an impeccable reputation.

An additional advantage of opening a foreign account may be having a residence permit in the country with which you want to cooperate.

In contact with

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After simplifying the procedure for opening accounts abroad, given the instability Russian economy, our compatriots have become actively interested in the possibility of transferring part of their funds to foreign banks. The procedure for opening an account in a foreign country financial institution is quite complex. A number of questions arise: in which country can you open accounts, how to choose a bank, how to transfer funds, what documents will foreign financiers require and, finally, how reliable is such placement of funds? We will try to answer all questions in this article.

Avoiding misunderstandings

Many Russians mistakenly believe that branches (representative offices) of foreign banks can be found in Russia. In most cases, the culprits for this misconception among the population are Russian bankers, who actively advertise that their organization belongs to an international group. In fact, foreign banks do not operate on the territory of the Russian Federation. When contacting, for example, Raiffeisenbank, you are contacting a subsidiary of an Austrian financial group, the activities of which are regulated by the Central Bank on the basis of a license issued by it and Russian legislation. Consequently, you will not protect yourself from political and so-called “country” risks. Subsidiaries cannot compare with their “mothers” in terms of reliability, and in order to open an account with a foreign bank, as a rule, it is necessary to visit the country in which its head office is located (for example, Austria, in the case of Raiffeisen Zentralbank).

Can a Russian open an account abroad: legal basis

Ten years ago, to open an account abroad, a Russian citizen permanently residing in the Russian Federation required special permission from the Central Bank, which was very difficult to obtain. Now the procedure has been significantly simplified. the federal law"ABOUT currency regulation And exchange control"(Article 12, clause 1.) allows all residents of the country to open accounts in foreign currency in banks located outside the territory of the Russian Federation. However, some categories of citizens will still not be able to become depositors in foreign banks - the full list of categories is specified in Law No. 79-FZ “On the Ban separate categories persons to open and have accounts (deposits), store cash cash and valuables in foreign banks located outside the territory of the Russian Federation" dated May 7, 2013.

We will tell you in more detail how account opening is carried out in practice.

Procedure for opening accounts in foreign banks

A personal account in a foreign bank can only be opened for saving funds, private investments and subsequent expenses: using the account for business activities is prohibited. The deposit registration procedure usually takes from 1 week to several months. In this case, you can choose 1 of 2 ways:

1. Personally come to the country and visit the bank, taking with you required package documents and filling out registration forms in a foreign language. The bank will check all the data and then inform the foreigner about the possibility/impossibility of opening an account.
2. Contact intermediaries. There are many companies that will help you open an account abroad for a fee (ranging from $200 to $12,000). To work with intermediaries, a potential investor will need to provide certified samples of his signature. The signature can be certified either at the consulate of the state in which the bank is located, or at a subsidiary bank located in Russia (if one exists).

It is important to note that some banks refuse to open accounts unless they communicate with the client at least by phone (Credit Suisse) or hold a meeting in Moscow (Deutsche bank, International Bank of Luxembourg, LGT bank). Raiffeisen Zentralbank insists on an interview with a bank representative and the provision of 2 letters of recommendation from foreign partners of the private depositor.

The most complex procedure for opening an account is used by English banks. A foreigner may be required to pay a lot additional documents, for example, a recommendation on trustworthiness issued by a Russian bank; paid bills for public utilities, in which the actual address and surname of the depositor will be recorded; letter of recommendation from the employer, etc.

You can top up an account opened with a foreign bank either in cash or by non-cash payments. A non-cash transfer is impossible without providing the domestic bank with a notification about opening an account in a foreign bank with a mark from the tax inspectorate and a certificate of tax registration. When replenishing your account with cash, a foreign bank will ask you to provide documents confirming the legal origin of the currency.

You can manage an account in a foreign bank through:

• courier mail;
• fax communication;
• Internet banking;
• bank card;
• checkbook.

Banks protect the funds of their depositors by inventing special codes, ciphers and creating dedicated, secure communication channels.

We see that the process of opening accounts abroad cannot be called simple. Next, we will tell you what you should pay attention to when choosing a bank, and what package of documents may be required.

Minimum list of documents for opening an account in a foreign bank

When choosing a foreign bank, first of all you need to find out how the deposit insurance system works in the country that interests you: the principles of operation of these systems are the same throughout the world, but insurance amounts may differ significantly. You should also clarify what documents the bank will require to open an account (you must select the one credit institution, the requirements of which you can fulfill). As a rule, the minimum list includes:

• a certificate of income for 6-12 months, certified by the tax office.
• notarized copies of the passports of the investor and his spouse.
• certificate of family composition.
• utility bills.
• a certificate from the police stating that the citizen of the Russian Federation has no criminal record and is not under investigation.

If you have an open account in the Russian “subsidiary” of a foreign bank, you can contact the manager of this institution with a request for help in opening an account: existing connections between the parent and subsidiary structures will help speed up the process. A segment manager can help with opening a deposit. Private banking: he will not only recommend reliable bank, but will also tell you what documents should be prepared. There will be no need to pay for his services, and he will be able to provide you with comprehensive advice.

Please note that the minimum deposit amount and minimum balance established by European and US banks for foreigners is 50-300 thousand euros (US dollars). However, in offshore and Baltic banks you can open a deposit in the amount of 100-200 euros (US dollars). Additionally, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the average interest rates in foreign banks.

And in conclusion, we would like to mention one feature of owning an account in a foreign bank - according to clause 2 of Art. 12 Federal Law “On Currency Regulation and Currency Control” every citizen of the Russian Federation must notify within a month tax authorities at the place of its registration on opening accounts in banks located outside the territory of the Russian Federation. At the end of each year, you will have to provide information about the balances on such accounts to tax office. For violation of the law, a fine of up to 5,000 rubles is provided.