Adding a UK bank account

[AnushkaCat]

I live in South Africa (my Paypal account is based there) and I want to add a UK bank account to my Paypal account. The only option on offer is to add a US bank account, which is of no use to me. I really need the moola in the UK! Paypal help is no use and the contact system is down this afternoon, I can't send a message to the help centre. Any ideas?

[kernowlass · Accepted solution]

@AnushkaCat

Paypal is country specific so you have to open a paypal account in the country you reside in and add an address / phone number / and bank accounts from within that country.

You can't use a UK paypal account in another country and you can't add a UK bank account to another countries paypal account.

The only exception is U.S expats can add their bank accounts to other countries paypal accounts (paypal is a U.S company so they allow their citizens to do this).

[marionh]

I have the same problem and want to understand in more detail. 

I live in South Africa but I am British. I have an address, phone number and bank account in the UK. 

I signed up on the UK PayPal system and entered those details i.e. all UK details. 

I am only getting the option to add a US bank account.

I am doing freelance work which is paid from the UK and they pay into PayPal. I want to be able to transfer into my UK bank account. 

Why am I being restricted? Does the system ' know' I am in South Africa?

What options do I have to withdraw this money?

Thank you!

[kernowlass]

@marionh

Yes, if you are logging on internationally then often paypal will limit your account for security reasons to make sure your UK paypal account has not been hijacked and being used by a scammer in another country. Also a country specific paypal account often does not work properly in another country.

You would need to open an account in South Africa and add the info as in my first post.