Banking

 

Getting a bank account on Bonaire has been a test of patience (of which I have none) and tenacity (I do have lots of this).

It all started in March with a call to the bank.  We were told that we would get an email within one week to tell us what we needed to open an account. It's not like the States.  

The email outlined the documents required and a list of questions for the application to get an account opened. Documents included social security payments, pay stubs showing monthly income, passports, residency papers (which we have not received yet), reference letters from our US banks signed by an officer of the bank, proof of address not older than 3 months,  and notary deed of property owned on the island.

Questions asked to complete the application included: How much will be wired to the account on a monthly basis? Will you deposit cash in the account? What is the highest amount that will be given out from the account? What is the highest cash amount that will be withdrawn?

The question that really chapped me was: Why do you need a bank account? Really?

By now, it is April.  We have sent documents to the bank multiple times and been promised an appointment at the bank to get an account. I have emailed weekly to urge the bank to open an account for us. The bank finally scheduled an appointment to sign the application.  The application is about 30 pages and must be signed or initialed on at least 15 of the pages. 

The application is sent to Curacao to the central bank.  It is supposed to take two weeks for approval.  I email the banker weekly.  Each week the email gets more insistent and curt.  Four weeks go by and no account.  I threaten to go to another bank (there are several to choose from) to get an account.  We are so far down the road with this bank that we have no intention of starting this whole dumb process again! The banker answers my rude emails pleasantly but with no account open.

In the meantime, we are having to pay bills with cash (which after 4 months on the island is running out), stand in lines to pay bills (because we can't pay online without a bank account) and have not been able to make service purchases that we need for the house. With a bank account everything can be done electronically.

It is now mid-May. The banker has gone on vacation for a week and I get automatic replies to my hate mail. Upon his return, he finally notifies me that an account has been opened.

You would think our troubles were over... they are not.  We fill out the online application for our account to do online banking.  It, too, must be approved before we can use it.  It might be several weeks.  We were also informed that our bank cards that allow us to use the ATM and debits will not be available for two weeks (which means a month in bank speak).

We now have a bank account. We have no way to access it, our wire transfer from our US bank will take 3-7 days, we don't have bank cards or online banking.