I doubt its an address issue, that's very easy to overcome with your employer confirming that they rented the serviced apartment for you. The HKMA guidance on address proof (albeit from 2008) is that its issued within the last 3 months and its reliable, e.g. a utility bill.
However, you are from a sanctioned territory and hence have a high risk tag and that means they will ask you for more than the standard info. If you share a name with a sanctioned individual, you are more stuffed and (if you are worth the trouble) the banks will ask you for more verification on your identity and personal info.
Its tricky but I would ask to speak to the branch manager, explain your circumstances and what they need - the front line staff do the basic AML and CTF training which is a more a tickbox mentality and I doubt they understand the risk based policies that require an informed judgment.
Final tip, try the Chinese banks rather than the Western banks (just don't ask me why!)
Did you check out the link I posted before with the article that talks about other people with similar experiences?
If you get a paywall. paste the link into a new private window and you can view without registering. Firefox has this feature and presumably other browsers do...
And, the lawyer? You should be able to get free consulation to find out if they help you.
HK banks refuse accounts to poor and ethnic minorities | South China Morning Post
It's worth a read.
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Aneesah, from Pakistan, has been denied a bank account five times. She has been in Hong Kong for two years ...
She took her passport, Hong Kong ID card and her mobile phone contract - as proof of her address - along to the bank. But the bank representative she spoke to said that was not enough and asked to see her tenancy agreement. Aneesah said the agreement was in her husband's name, not hers.
...
Aneesah tried to open an account at five banks but was blocked at each, so she gave up.
You're not comparing like with like. There's a big difference between Pakistan and Syria. There are no sanctions in place against Pakistan. As has already been mentioned on this thread, the big problem for the OP is that he originally comes from a sanctions country and HK banks aren't exactly known for taking "out of the ordinary" circumstances into account. It's probably easier for them to say no immediately than delve into the OP's background to evaluate what risk he has as a customer.
Last year HSBC in the UK were in the press for closing existing accounts belonging to Syrian passport holders. Unfortunately for the OP, things won't get any easier no matter where he tries to open an account.
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HSBC closed accounts for students in UK belonging to Syrians.
Exclusive: ‘Shameless’ HSBC shuts Syrian refugees’ bank accounts in Britain - Business News - Business - The Independent
Anyway, I will still use my US account to get my salary paid in, my company found a solution, they will move me to another country....
Well, this is HSBC leak in European Newspaper.
Banking Giant HSBC Sheltered Murky Cash Linked to Dictators and Arms Dealers | International Consortium of Investigative Journalists
Wondering poor people cannot open bank account to get their salary, and thefts are able to bank very easy...
Why are you writing such rubbish about things you clearly don't understand? HSBC declined to open you an account with them. Get over it. I'm starting to think HSBC realised you're a few sandwiches short of a picnic and said no for that reason.
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[QUOTE=bibbju;3073209]Why are you writing such rubbish about things you clearly don't understand? HSBC declined to open you an account with them. Get over it. I'm starting to think HSBC realised you're a few sandwiches short of a picnic and said no for that reason.
Really I dont understand??!!! SORRY.... If someone came to work and cannot get a bank account and had to leave his work, what you say about it??
When you DAMN have this feeling, then I will see how you will act....
Naughty HSBC, tsk tskOriginal Post Deleted
but nothing illegal that I can see, right? nudge-nudge, wink-wink
HSBC, seemingly trying to fill the void left by BCCI.
Last edited by Claire ex-ax; 09-02-2015 at 01:38 PM.