How to open an account in Scotiabank from India: Your full guide

Scotiabank is a global bank headquartered in Canada, that offers international accounts to overseas citizens. If you are headed to Canada, learn how to show proof of funds and open a Scotiabank Startright® account before you arrive.

Can I open a bank account in Canada from India?

Yes, if you are heading to Canada you can open a bank account even before you leave India.

Scotiabank’s Startright® program lets you apply and open a bank account online from India. You are also allowed to deposit up to Can$50,000 in a one-time transfer to fund the account.

The purpose of Startright® is to help individuals coming to Canada show proof of funds in the country. Proof of funds and the purpose of the account can be for:

• Education
• Savings & Investment
• Retirement
• Purchasing property
• Purchasing a vehicle
• Renovations

The Student GIC application with Startright® can also help you get your student permit faster for your Canadian institution.

It is required however that once you have arrived in the country to make an appointment at a Scotiabank branch to open a regular chequing account.

The regular chequing account will provide you with a debit card, cheques, online or app bill pay options, and the ability to transfer funds to another Canadian bank. Your Startright® bank account will be dissolved into the new chequing account.

Benefits of opening a Startright® account

• Ability to show proof of funds in Canada
• Peace of mind that your funds are ready
• Reduce multiple transfer fee costs from India
• Easier opening of a chequing account once in Canada
• Reduces the need to carry Canadian dollars when traveling

But of course, to open a bank account, first ensure that you are eligible per the criteria in the next section.¹

What do I need to open a Scotiabank account?

To be eligible for Scotiabank’s Startright® program, you have to meet the following:

• Be at least 13 years old
• You have received approval to enter Canada as an International Student, Foreign Worker, or Permanent Resident.
• You plan to enter Canada within 18 months of submitting your Startright® program application
• You are not coming as a tourist or on a visitor visa

You will also need to confirm that the account is for your own individual use and not to be used by any third party.

If you meet all these requirements, you can move forward with an application. Here is what you will need:

• Your passport
• Date of arrival in Canada
• Your Canadian Visa or Landing Document Number
• Proof of enrollment from the Canadian educational institution, if you are a student

Next, you can apply for the Scotiabank Startright® program online. The application takes 5-10 minutes total and you will be notified of approval within 24 hours.²

How do I open a Scotiabank account online?

Here are the steps on how to apply for Scotiabank’s Startright® program online from India:

1. Gather all your documents and create PDFs as needed
2. Head to the Scotiabank Startright® website
3. Click on Apply Now on the top right corner
4. Select either International Account or Student GIC to open the appropriate application
5. OR you can scroll to the bottom of the page and input “India” as your selected country and click on Apply Now
6. Read through the disclosures and click on Start
7. Enter in your details and upload documents
8. Submit your application

Once you are approved, you will be notified on how to transfer money into your new account.³

If there are any questions, you can reach out to the Scotiabank Startright® representatives:

• Live Chat
• Phone
• Scotiabank branch

How to send money to a Scotiabank account from India?

Scotiabank will provide you with the account details to fund your Startright® account with a one-time transfer of up to Can$50,000. To send money overseas from India, you will need to do an international transfer or sometimes called outward remittance.

Many, but not all, Indian banks offer outward remittances from India. If you have signed up for online banking, you can find it under Transfers on your bank’s online dashboard. Or you can head to a local branch to get the transaction started in person.

But the thing with Indian banks is to watch out for fees. There is an outward remittance fee, plus an exchange rate fee. Both can add up to costing your transfer a lot more than you would expect.

The outward remittance fee is the cost of completing the transaction by the bank. The exchange rate fee is a small fee that is tucked into the exchange rate you get for converting Indian Rupees to Canadian Dollars. Rather than giving you the real exchange rate you see on Google, the banks set their own rate which is weaker. And so, costing you more per rupee converted.

So if you want to save money when sending money to your Scotiabank Startright® account, or any account overseas, check out Wise. Wise only uses the real exchange rate and has one low fee when sending money from India. So you can save up to 3.9x on an international transfer with Wise.

Here is the simple and easy way to send money to Canada with Wise:

From the Wise app

1. Open the Wise app
2. Press Send on the bottom of the screen
3. Input the amount of INR to send
4. Input the receiving currency in Canadian Dollars
5. Review the fee and the exchange rate and delivery date
6. Press Continue
7. Input and confirm the Startright® bank details
8. Pay for the transaction
9. Review and confirm the transaction

From the Wise website:

1. Log into your account on the Wise website
2. Input the amount to send in INR
3. Select Canadian Dollars as the recipient currency
4. Review the fee, exchange rate, and delivery date
5. Click on Get Started
6. Input and confirm the Startright® bank details
7. Pay for the transaction
8. Review and submit the transaction

Manage money internationally easily with Wise

Wise Web/Android/ iOS app is the fast, easy, and cheap way to send money from India to Canada, and around the world.

The best part is that Wise can help you save when sending money abroad. So whether you are paying for university tuition in Canada, sending gifts, or reserving a holiday home, Wise can make sure you don’t spend more than you have to.

And if you are already in Canada, check out the Wise Multi Currency Account. It is a single account that lets you hold multiple currencies at one time, including Indian Rupees. That means you can swipe and spend when you are in India, send money to family back home, or receive money from friends. It's living globally right at your fingertips.