Pakistani Banks in UK

If you’re an expat thinking of opening a bank account in the UK with a Pakistani bank, or if you’ve previously lived in Pakistan and hold an active account with a bank there already, you may be looking for a UK based Pakistani bank you can use.

This guide covers all you need to know. And, because banks aren’t always the best choice if you need to hold multiple currencies in one account, or for sending money overseas, we’ll also introduce Wise. Wise is an alternative provider to Banks that offers multi-currency accounts you can use to hold PKR and GBP as well as around 40 other currencies, with mid-market rate currency exchange and low service fees. More of this later.

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Pakistani Banks in UK

Wondering: Are there Pakistani banks in the UK? The good news is that there are several options for both Pakistani banking products in the UK, and smart ways to send money back to Pakistan from the UK whenever you need to.

We’ll explore 3 popular Pakistani banks in the UK here, plus a quick look at how sending money from the UK to Pakistan (or any of the other 70+ supported countries) can be quick, cheap and convenient, with Wise.

National Bank of Pakistan

The National Bank of Pakistan operates across a broad range of commercial and public sector services in Pakistan, and also has a UK operation through a joint venture formed in 2001. In the UK, the trading name is United National Bank Limited® (UNBL)¹, which is overseen by the PRA and FCA, with 6 UK branches in operation.

There’s no UK representation of the National Bank of Pakistan outside this joint venture, but it may be helpful to know that there is an overseas network with branches and offices in a selection of countries including France, Germany and the US².

Habib Bank Limited

Habib Bank® trades in the UK under the name HBL Bank UK®³, and offers commercial and retail banking services. HBL originally started operations in the UK in 1961, and has a range of personal and business services including current accounts, multi-currency accounts, savings products and more. There are also wealth management products including funds, bonds and equities available for customers looking to invest and grow their money in the UK or overseas.

UBL

UBL®⁴ in the UK offers personal and wholesale banking services. You can open an everyday account, or a savings account, as well as remitting money overseas and accessing financing products and loans. Buy to let mortgages are available as well as specialist savings vehicles and ISAs. UBL has one physical UK branch in London, and also offers enhanced mobile and internet banking for convenience.

Using Pakistani Debit/Credit cards in the UK

If you’ve got an account with a Pakistani bank you may be wondering about whether or not you can continue to use your credit or debit card in the UK.

In general, debit or credit cards issued on global networks like Visa® and Mastercard® are widely accepted in the UK, both at merchants and ATMs. To check if your card is likely to be accepted you’ll need to look out for the network logo on the ATM or by the payment terminal - or simply ask the merchant. Visa and Mastercard are extremely popular, with American Express® also pretty widely available. For other networks you may need to double check before you go to pay.

It’s worth also checking with your bank if you need to inform them of your travel, as overseas card use can trigger fraud alerts. If this happens you may find your card is suspended until you can talk to the bank to have it reinstated. You’ll also want to take a look at whether or not a foreign transaction fee may apply to overseas spending. Where a foreign transaction fee is used, a percentage charge is added to every transaction performed in a foreign currency - which can push up the costs without you realising. In this case you might find you’re better off with an account and card from a provider like Wise which lets you hold a balance in multiple currencies, with no foreign transaction fee to worry about.

Sending money with Wise vs Pakistani banks

Need to send money back to Pakistan - or maybe you’re planning to travel and want a cheap and convenient way to spend in foreign currencies? Meet Wise.

Wise offers low cost international transfers which use the mid-market exchange rate and low, transparent fees. You can set up a payment using the Wise app or desktop site, and your money will be deposited quickly into the recipient’s bank account in Pakistan - or wherever you need to send to, from the 70+ countries supported by Wise.

For overseas spending - in person or online - you could also benefit from a Wise account which lets you hold 40 currencies, including PKR and GBP, with mid-market rates whenever you need to switch from one currency to another, and low conversion fees from 0.43%.

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Pricing/fees: Please see Terms of Use for your region or visit Wise Fees & Pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information

If you’re looking for a Pakistani bank in the UK to open a new account with, or to check if you can continue to use your Pakistan-issued credit or debit card in the UK, this guide covers what you need to know. And it’s well worth remembering that if you’re sending money overseas or spending in foreign currencies, you may also be able to make life easier and cheaper, by checking out Wise for low cost currency conversion with the mid-market rate every time.

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Sources last checked: 15.08.2023