They asked me for my UIR number. They never did this before. Even though I opened an account last year.
Yes. I have accounts with Huanan, Mega, Cathay and Post Office. You need your NI (national insurance) number. I don’t know what a UIR number is but I’ve never been asked for it.
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You are lucky they are not demanding your non-existing American Social Security number. 
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UTR sorry.
Just give them your NI number. That’s what I’ve always done. I didn’t know there was a difference to be honest but I’ve never paid taxes in the UK.
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I haven’t heard of a UIR number. It appears to stand for “unique investment reference” and refer to investments? Is that definitely what they asked for, or was that one thing among several options?
If it’s the taxpayer identification number (TIN) they’re wanting, that’s normal under CRS and would be your NI number in the UK, but from what I understand you only need to provide that if you have current tax liability in the UK (e.g., rental income).
If you’re solely resident in Taiwan, I don’t think you need to complete that bit (the bank employees may need some convincing, but it’s in the smallprint of both the forms and the CRS rules). I didn’t anyway - just told them I was solely resident here, didn’t fill it out, and all three banks accepted that.
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Had this happen now twice. Even when I’ve given my passport showing I’m not American. 
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It is UTR. Unique tax reference.
I was explaining that I don’t have a current tax liability.
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I think you have at least two options as the TIN if you’re from the UK then, presumably UTR for people who’ve been self-employed and NI number for those who haven’t.
It worked for me to just say I didn’t have tax liability in the UK or anywhere else in the world. Might need to insist a bit more…
IIRC, at least some of the forms had a table with several rows where you’re supposed to list the relevant countries and TINs. I just wrote Taiwan and my ARC number in each table and nothing else.
That is what worked for me previously.
He changed the words and said it doesn’t matter about current status. If you have ever paid tax in the Uk then you have to provide it. I wanted to check the fine print but my wife was getting flustered so I went home and found the number.
I have a UTR because I own a property.
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Are you forced to open an account at that bank or that branch? For me, that would be one of those situations where I’d go to a different bank/branch/employee. I’m pretty sure that particular employee is wrong/applying the rules incorrectly. You can check the boring CRS rules for what constitutes a reportable person if you want, but they only appear to cover current tax residency:
Who is reportable?
The CRS seeks to establish the tax residency of customers. Under the CRS, financial institutions are required to identify customers who appear to be tax resident outside of the country/jurisdiction where they hold their accounts and products, and report certain information to our local tax authority. They may then share that information with the tax authority where you are tax resident.
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It is the one my company made me open. I think the guy is bullshitting.
Well this is stressing me out now. The guy asked if I am tax resident in another country.
I checked nope.
He wanted me to check yes even though I am not a tax resident in the UK.
After going back and forth, he said I need to check yes if I have ever paid tax in the UK. So I did. And I gave him my Uk tax number.
After reading up on CRS, it seems part of the procedure is for the banks to ask customers to make a self declaration.
Have I just declared that I am a tax resident of the UK?
To be clear, I don’t have any UK income. I am a Taiwan tax resident. I’m just worried that I’m going to get trouble in the future because I checked that stupid box.
Just go ask them to correct it. It wouldn’t matter IMO, as UK isn’t like the US where you need to file and potentially pay taxes abroad. HMRC isn’t going to go after you IMO.
I think the guy was getting the US and UK confused tbh. This is what American’s have to do when opening bank accounts with FACTA (Thanks Obama)
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Yes. I need to go back. I have done my taxes properly in both places, but I just don’t want any kind of hassle going forward.
I think the fact I changed the form against my better judgement is also making me feel uncomfortable.
AFAIK, it just means that they’ll share that information (i.e., your holding an account there and presumably the balance) with the tax administration/MOF/whoever here, who will then share it with HMRC in the UK. I can’t imagine that it would affect your lack of tax residence in the UK or that you’ll get in trouble.
As you/we said already, I’m pretty sure the guy was just bullshitting/wrong.
I would possibly just have lied there, on the basis that (i) he’s wrong and (ii) it’s none of his business. (Though it’s an easier lie for me, because I’ve never properly worked in the UK - I basically left right after finishing studying and never went back.)
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They did the same to me. They forced me to check that box which I in the end did and I filled in a bullshit number. D0NK3Y133742 iIrc.
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I was going to leave it but it is doing my head in. Like me moaning is probably doing yours in.
I’m going to ask them to change the paper to reflect that I am only a Taiwan tax resident.
If they won’t do it, I’ll close the account.
Onto the third person.
Everyone is so confident until I start asking questions. Then they disappear for ten minutes only for a new person to return.
They won’t let me change my answer. This is crazy.
The problem is that the more I argue the more they think I am lying.
Do you have a picture of the forms? IIRC, each bank has different ones, but it should say on them under what conditions you’re obligated to complete that information under the CRS. Maybe you could point them towards that text.
They just let me add some text saying I am a tax resident of Taiwan only.
Asked them for a copy
They said nope
We are arguing over that now.
I shouldn’t have given them my TAx number for Uk.