One wrong step when applying can cost you money and put an end to future attempts. We figure out how to act competently.

London, 2025. In a bar, two entrepreneurs are discussing not a new round of investments, but the prose of life: international settlements.

— Did you hear that Sergei's account in Europe was closed? I ran through a couple of large transactions, requested additional documents, and that's it — blocking. "What did he want?" I tried to get through myself where a guide was needed. It's like storming Mount Everest alone.

If your business works with foreign clients, partners, or employees, then an account in a foreign jurisdiction is not a luxury, but a necessity. It is needed to:

• Accept and send international payments without wild fees and currency controls.
• Keep funds in a stable currency.
• It is easy to make purchases and invest abroad.

But here's the harsh reality: opening an account for a non-resident on their own has become an almost impossible task. Sanctions, compliance, KYC/AML, stacks of documents, and total distrust of outsiders have turned the process into a minefield.

The first thing that comes to mind is to go to a classic bank. This is the main mistake. Today, traditional banks are the most difficult and unfriendly option for non—residents. They may require a personal visit, even if your company is in Hong Kong and the director lives in the Baltic States. Their compliance departments are afraid of any hint of risk.

A modern and working approach is EMI (Electronic Money Institution). These are fintech companies licensed to provide payment services. They are more flexible, faster, and have a much better understanding of the needs of digital and international businesses.

Marina, the owner of an IT company, decided to enter the EU market.

"I thought it was simple: I chose a well-known bank, uploaded the scans online. A week is a failure. The second bank is again refused without explanation. The third one just didn't answer. I lost two months and, most frustratingly, a contract worth 100,000 euros."

Marina's problem was not the business, but the approach. She lacked qualified staff who would understand how European compliance works. No one prevents you from walking this path yourself, but the cost of making a mistake is too high.

By contacting consultants, Marina received more than just "help with paperwork." They explained the main thing to her: her type of business doesn't need a bank, she needs the right EMI. The specialists selected the jurisdiction, prepared the documents and competently presented the business model to the payment system.

The result: the account was opened in three weeks.

Imagine that you are applying. You pay consultants or a service for the preparation and submission of documents — this is called the cost of onboarding.

1. The money is not refunded. If the bank or EMI refuses, you lose that money. No one will give you a guarantee of opening an account.
2. The reason for the refusal is not disclosed. You remain in the dark about what exactly you did wrong.
3. You are entering a "grey area". There is an unspoken single database, or, more simply, a "digital footprint." Failure in one place significantly reduces your chances of success in another. Every next attempt will be more difficult.

One incorrectly filled out document, an incomprehensible description of the beneficiary's sources of funds (UBO), or simply an incorrectly chosen jurisdiction — and you are not just wasting time, but spoiling your "credit history" in the eyes of financial institutions.

Professional support is not about filling out questionnaires. It's a strategy.

1. Business analysis. Consultants understand your model: IT outsourcing, e-commerce, SaaS — each niche has its own successful and unsuccessful jurisdictions.
2. The choice of jurisdiction and institution. It is not a bank that is selected, but most often an EMI that is loyal to your type of business and the citizenship of the beneficiaries.
3. Turnkey training. They collect a package of documents that answers all possible compliance questions even before they are asked. They describe the sources of funds, the structure of the company, and explain the essence of business processes.
4. Escort. They negotiate, respond to additional requests, and bring the process to the receipt of banking details.

In a world where international finance has become a quest, the winner is not the one who tries to break through the wall alone. The winner is the one who knows the rules or hires a guide who knows them.

Proper support turns the lottery into a manageable process. And there is always a team behind the scenes that ensures that your first step into the international market will not be your last.