Lawyer
Expert in corporate and international corporate law. Has extensive experience in supporting the acquisition of financial licenses in Ukraine, as well as business incorporation in the EU, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, the UAE, and key Asian jurisdictions.
Opening a bank account in Luxembourg
Luxembourg has the status of one of the leading financial centers in Europe. Its stable economic environment, favorable tax climate, focus on international banking and specialized legislation on bank secrecy and confidentiality of contributions make Luxembourg an attractive jurisdiction for opening a bank account by individuals and legal entities.
However, opening an account in a foreign jurisdiction can be a difficult challenge for unprepared depositors, given the differences in legal, tax and financial subtleties, not to mention cultural, business and language barriers.
The company “Prikhodko and Partners” has many years of experience and relevant expertise to support the opening of bank accounts in foreign jurisdictions, and within the framework of this article aims to answer some of the relevant questions for depositors.
What are the types of accounts in Luxembourg?
First of all, it is worth paying attention to the general types of bank accounts. Of course, in each of the 135 banks represented in the Luxembourg banking market, the direct types of accounts available for opening, the corresponding service packages and, most importantly, the tariffs may vary. However, most accounts fall into one of the following categories:
- Current (settlement) accounts – opened for everyday activities: crediting salary payments, making payments, etc.;
- Savings / deposit accounts – intended for accumulating funds, often with interest income or with more limited withdrawal costs;
- Corporate accounts – accounts intended for business entities, legal entities, companies and freelancers. The opening procedure is often more stringent and requires additional checks and documents.
Please note that the specialists of our company “Prikhodko and Partners” provide legal support for opening all possible types of accounts, including current, deposit and corporate.
What are the general requirements for opening an account in Luxembourg?
To open an account, the depositor will need:
- A valid identity document (passport or ID card);
- A valid tax identification number (TIN, Tax Identification Number, etc.) and confirmation of the person’s tax residency;
- A valid document indicating the depositor’s current residential address (relevant certificate, lease agreement, etc.);
- Valid documents confirming the source of origin of funds: certificates of income received, tax returns or other documents confirming the legality of funds;
- To open a corporate account – the company’s constituent documents, documents allowing the identification of beneficiaries, an extract from the register, documents confirming the origin of funds planned to be invested, etc.;
What is the procedure for opening an account in Luxembourg?
First of all, we recommend contacting our leading specialists from the Prikhodko and Partners team for comprehensive support and effective completion of all stages of the bank account opening procedure, however, below we will list the main points that must be considered in order to obtain the desired result.
- Get acquainted with the banks available on the market and their offers and specialized procedures for opening accounts;
- Choose a bank and account type that is acceptable in terms of cost, requirements and opening procedure for the depositor;
- Prepare the necessary package of documents determined by the legislation of Luxembourg and the selected bank;
- Submit the collected documents to the selected bank – usually in person, however, some banks allow opening accounts online or via mobile banking;
- Go through the verification and due diligence procedure – before opening accounts, banks conduct identification of the person and verification of the sources of origin of funds. This can be done online or through the personal presence of the depositor;
- Wait for the bank’s decision;
- Correct the documentary deficiencies found by the bank and re-submit the documents in case of a negative decision.
Sign the contract, activate the account, get details and a card (if necessary), in case of a positive decision; - Deposit the minimum amount into the newly created account (if necessary) – some banks require a minimum deposit to activate the account.
What are the potential pitfalls when opening an account in Luxembourg?
- Client risk: Luxembourg banks assess clients very carefully: origin of funds, origin of the client, type of activity. The bank may refuse to open an account or impose additional restrictions on the final account balance if it determines the client’s profile to be too risky;
- Non-residency: although non-residents are allowed to open accounts, additional requirements and checks are often imposed on them;
- Tax consequences: when opening an account in a foreign jurisdiction, one should not forget the requirements of the legislation of the country of residence – reporting on foreign accounts, timely declarations, etc.;
- Mandatory compliance with EU standards: Luxembourg banks are obliged to comply with European Union legislation – in particular, regarding bank secrecy, automatic exchange of information, minimum initial balances, etc.;
- Additional control for legal entities: if the account is opened by a company, the bank will require additional documents on activities, ownership structure, business plan, etc.
At the same time, we draw your attention to the fact that the lawyers of “Prikhodko and Partners” take into account all possible risks in advance and provide the client with the necessary mechanisms in the legal sphere to minimize them.
Conclusions and practical advice
- Before choosing a bank in Luxembourg, it is worth contacting and familiarizing yourself with the price list of bank commissions, minimum balances, requirements for non-residents in specific banks;
- Update and prepare a package of documents in advance: passport, confirmation of address, certificates of income and origin of funds, tax number, etc.;
- Make sure that the sources of funds are confirmed;
- Familiarize yourself with the account closing procedure: conditions, possible penalties, whether there is a procedure for switching to another bank;
- Do not consider a bank account as a means of tax optimization, this may lead to negative legal consequences;
If in doubt, contact the professional team of Prikhodko and Partners for consultation and assessment of your situation in an international context.
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