Comment by terminalshort 9 hours ago
In the US you can just tell the bank an address and they will type it in the computer. They make zero effort to verify it. They will even print a piece of paper with that new address on it that you can take down to the DMV and get an ID with that address printed on it. Is this a lot different in the UK?
As the parent said, you need proof of address to open a current account that can be used for day-to-day payments.
A savings account you don't need proof of address but I think most will ask for your NI (social security) number. Some will send snail mail to the address you provide to enable withdrawals.
Some do, some don't. Traditional banks will ask for a proof of address (and only accept a council tax bill, utility bill or rental contract). Some new online banks like Revolut will allow you to get around that step.
At the end of the day, somebody has to take your word for it and type it into the computer. The only questions is who has access to the records of which computer to cross-verify them.
The fact that the system is not 100% consistent 100% of the time is a feature, not a bug.
That's not the case in the UK. You need a utility bill (gas, electric, council tax, bank statement) or an existing bank customer to verify your identity. It's only in the past 5-10 years that electronic statements have been accepted. Meeting customers in person is becoming less common, so I worry for, say, women whose husbands handle all the bills.