HSBC 'offers' a Passport Account if you are new to a country, without a local credit history. This is advertised world wide. What isn't advertised is that you are locked into a 12 month contract, and in the UK, this also results in a £8 a month fee for 'allowing' you to have a bank account. Having lived in 7 countries around the world, my perception is that the UK has to have one of the worst banking systems, and HSBC, as a world wide recognized bank, should not be allowed to fleece newly arrived individuals in... read full review »