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# Opening a bank account

You will generally require:

- Letter of authority/power of attorney from your organisation to allow you to open a bank account in the organisation's name - try to take this with you - it may be the only document you need.
- Certified copies of the legal documents which define your organisation - useful to have anyway if your organisation needs to register in the country.
- Details of the signatories to the account including their names, positions, sample signatures and signing authority (sole or joint signatories, limits on amounts etc.). These details are normally entered into a form provided by the bank. However, you may be able to open a bank account more quickly if your head office can provide you with a letter with these details in advance.

It will take time to collect all the signatures on the documents - so it is worth completing all paperwork for the widest possible range of accounts even if only one or two will be opened to start with.