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Current Accounts

In order to keep things official, there’s just a few documents we’ll need from you. Whether you’re a new customer of PTSB or an existing customer whose personal identification documents are not up to date, you’ll need to provide us with some documentation such as:

  • Proof of ID (to comply with anti money laundering legislation)
  • Proof of address (to comply with anti money laundering legislation)

We may also need extra documentation if you're switching your account or if you're looking to open a Student Account.

Refugees and asylum seekers (international protection applicants) resident in Ireland

Whether you have just moved to Ireland, are seeking asylum or have recently been granted refugee status, you have a right to a Basic Payment Account  and we want to help you open your account. 

There are a few documents we’ll need from you to prove who you are and where you live. You will find a list of documents we can accept below, but first we want to let you know what documents we cannot accept to open a Current Account:

Documents we are unable to accept

We regularly receive documents that we are unable to accept. Please note that we cannot accept the following:

  • Receipts
  • Invoices
  • TV Licence
  • Littlewoods bills
  • Direct Debit setup letters
  • Welcome/renewal letters
  • Mobile Phone bills
  • Motor Tax
  • Revolut Statements
  • Staff ID cards

Acceptable forms of ID

You can use any one of the following:

  • Your current valid passport
  • Your current valid Irish, UK or European driver’s licence (with photo)
  • Irish Government Travel Document
  • Temporary Residence Certificate (TRC) – Suitable for asylum seekers/refugees
  • Irish Residence Permit (Stamp 4) – Suitable for asylum seekers/refugees

All of the above must be in your own name.

Note: If you’re not able to provide an original at your local branch and you’re sending in documents by post, you must provide clean legible copies of 2 forms of identification or 1 certified copy of identification from the list above.

Documents can be certified by:

  • A Garda Síochána/Police Officer
  • Practicing Chartered and Certified Public Accountants
  • Notaries Public/Practicing Solicitors
  • Embassy/Consular Staff
  • Regulated Financial or Credit Institution
  • Justice of the Peace
  • Commissioner of Oaths
  • Medical Professions (doctor)

Acceptable forms of proof of address

You can provide any one of the following:

  • A utility bill (dated within the last 6 months) e.g. gas or electricity bill
  • A bank or building society statement (dated within the last 6 months)
  • Your Notification of Determination of Tax Credits for the current year
  • Your original household, health or motor insurance documents (must be less than 12 months old)
  • If you're applying for a Student Account you can also use a letter on headed paper from your college confirming you are a student of that college and confirming your home address. This letter must be dated and signed by the College Administration Office
  • Correspondence from the Direct Provision Centre/Emergency Reception & Orientation Centre confirming your residency and the date you commenced residency. This is suitable for asylum seekers/refugees and must be dated within the last 6 months
  • Correspondence from a Government Department (e.g. Department of Justice, Department of Social Protection, the International Protection Office (IPO)) that includes your full residential address (includes Labour Market Access Permission Letter). This is suitable for asylum seekers/refugees and must be dated within the last 6 months

All of the above must be in your own name and address.

Note: If you’re not able to provide an original at your local branch and you’re sending in documents by post, you must provide originals of 2 of the documents listed above.

Explore Account in-app

Photo Identification

  • Passport
  • Irish Driving Licence
  • UK driving licence

Your Photo ID needs to be in date within 30 calendar days for all in-app applications

Proof of Address

Utility Bills:

  • Bord Gais Energy
  • Eir*
  • Electric Ireland
  • Energia
  • Sky
  • SSE Airtricity
  • Virgin Media*
  • Vodafone*

*only broadband & home phone bills, mobile bills not accepted

Bank Statements:

  • AIB
  • Bank of Ireland
  • KBC
  • Ulster Bank

Revenue:

  • Employment Detail Summary
  • Tax Credit Certificate
  • Self-Assessment Form
  • Statement of liability

Address ID requirements vary depending on the document you choose to use (Utility bills and bank statements must be dated within the last 5 months. Revenue documents must be dated within the last 11 months.

Verifying Your Identity

We verify your identify through our in-app current account application. In some instances, your application may be referred to one of our branches, and in most cases, this happens because photos of identification or selfies fail due to poor quality. Here are some tips to help before you start your in-app application.

Tips for taking the perfect selfie

  1. Make sure you are in a well-lit room, and the camera on your mobile device is clean
  2. Where possible, avoid using a flash when taking your picture
  3. Only you should be in the picture - do not allow anyone else in the selfie
  4. Re-take a selfie that has a blur or slight out of focus – blurred photos can distort verification
  5. Keep close to the camera, ensure your entire face is clearly in the picture, and no part of your head is cut off in the selfie

Your documents

  1. Your photo must be off an original form of identification (such as driving licence or passport)
  2. Keep your document in a flat surface, make sure its fully visible and the information is readable
  3. Ensure your document is not damaged
  4. Don’t have anything else in the photo (such as background items around your document when photographing)

If you're switching your account

As well as the documents above, if you're switching your account from another bank you'll need to provide bank statements for the last 3 months from the account you're switching from (1 of which must be an original).

If you're looking to open a Student Account

As well as the documents above, if you're opening a Student Account you'll need to provide proof that you’re attending a third level institution. This can be a dated letter of acceptance, invoice or receipt from your third level institution.

If you are a tax resident outside of Ireland

OECD Common Reporting Standard (CRS)

In line with the OECD Common Reporting Standard (CRS), financial institutions are obliged to collect and review information to identify the tax residence or multiple tax residences (if any) of their customers. As PTSB is a financial institution we are therefore required to collect certain information from our customers.

If you/the Account Holder have a tax residency/or multiple tax residencies outside Ireland / United States of America, we are required to report the following details in respect of the account to Revenue: name, address, date of birth, place of birth, account number, jurisdiction(s) of residence, Tax Identification Number (“TIN”), account balance and interest payments. Revenue will report this data to the tax authorities of each relevant participating country.

You will be required to provide this information to open an account.

You can find more information on the Revenue website.

Signed declaration

As part of our application process you’ll need to sign an application form. This will be provided to you in the branch.  Please read all information that is provided to you carefully and sign all relevant documents.

If you're applying for a credit facility

If you want to add an overdraft to your current account, we’ll require proof of income. These are the documents you’ll need to do that:

  • 3 months’ bank statements from your main current account (the account where you lodge your salary). The last entry on the statement should be no more than eight weeks prior to the application. In certain circumstances, 2 recent pay slips may also be required
  • If you’re self-employed, you’ll need confirmation of tax affairs from an accountant

Proof of PPSN (Personal Public Service Number)

We are obliged under the Credit Reporting Act 2013 to collect and verify your PPSN. PTSB will collect your PPSN for all credit applications of €500 or greater.
You will need to provide any one of the following documents as proof of your PPSN during your application:

  • Payslip
  • Notice of Tax Credits, Tax Assessment, Employment Detail Summary (P60), P45 or Statement of Liability (P21)
  • Medical Card/Drug Payment Scheme Card
  • Correspondence from the Department of Social Welfare or the Revenue Commission which includes PPSN

Please note, we cannot accept your Public Services Card as proof of PPSN

Employment permanency

If you’ve been in your current job for less than 12 months, we’ll need a letter from your employer confirming permanency or a Salary Certificate (pdf, 166KB).

Proof of immigration status

If you’re not an EU citizen and are applying for an overdraft facility, you’ll need to provide proof of your immigration status. This means you’ll need to prove you’re legally entitled to reside and work in the Republic of Ireland, by providing a Stamp 4, 5 or 6. You may need further documents that we can discuss at the time of your application.

Documents we are unable to accept

We regularly receive documents that we are unable to accept. To speed up your application, please note these documents that we cannot accept:

  • Receipts
  • Invoices
  • TV Licence
  • Littlewoods bills
  • Direct debit setup letters
  • Welcome/renewal letters
  • Department of Social Protection letters
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