Swedbank

Swedbank is the largest bank in Latvia. It is said to have the best online banking system of all the Latvian banks and to be the most expensive to deal with. So I tried to open an account there.

The first time I tried to open an account the pleasant service person told me that I needed to bring my marriage certificate to open the account. This would prove that I had permission to live in Latvia. I explained to her that the official residency permit I handed to her already states that I have permission to live in Latvia. She would not budge. So I walked out with no account.

The second time I tried to open an account just after New Year’s. the service person told me that my residency permit expired in less than 186 days so I would need to provide her with all my documentation that showed I had permission to live in Latvia. She said that if I had come to them in June I would not have needed this. Of course this was total bullshit so I walked out again with no account. Swedbank does not need all my living permission documentation nor do they have a right to it. That is why I have a renewable official residency permit. The Latvian government has already researched me and gone through all my documentation.

It is clear that Swedbank employees are not well trained to open accounts for foreigners. Maybe they do not want accounts from foreigners. Regardless, there are banks that are less expensive to deal with more interested in handling your money.

So I would recommend staying away from Swedbank. It is a waste of time and energy.