First National Bank (FNB) South Africa
traditional bank
First National Bank (FNB) is one of South Africa's four major retail banks (the 'Big Four' alongside Standard Bank, Absa, and Nedbank) and is the retail and commercial banking arm of FirstRand Group, listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. Founded in 1838 and headquartered in Johannesburg, FNB serves over 10 million customers across southern Africa, with a footprint spanning Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique, Tanzania, Ghana, and Zambia. The bank is widely regarded as South Africa's most innovative retail bank, having pioneered eBucks rewards — a points-based loyalty programme tied to everyday banking spend — and winning consecutive awards for digital banking excellence. Personal accounts range from the entry-level Easy Account to the premium Private Clients suite, all accessible via the FNB App, which integrates payments, forex transfers, investment products, and insurance in a single platform. Non-residents holding a valid South African visa category — including work permits, critical skills visas, and retirement annuity visas — can open accounts in branch or online subject to full FICA KYC. Multi-currency forex accounts are available. Business banking accounts (FNB Business) include transactional, lending, and trade finance services. US persons are accepted with FATCA W-8BEN/W-9 reporting; FNB participates in South Africa's OECD CRS framework. Monthly fees and minimum balances vary significantly by tier; entry-level accounts carry nominal fees under USD 5 per month.
Details
- Headquarters
- South Africa
- Currencies
- 8
- Monthly Fee
- $5
- Non-Residents
- Accepted
- US Persons
- Accepted
- Debit Card
- Available
- Business Account
- Available
Opening Requirements
- •Valid passport (non-citizens) or South African green ID/smart card
- •Proof of residential address (utility bill, lease agreement, or bank statement dated within 3 months)
- •Proof of income or employment (payslip, letter of appointment, or 3 months' bank statements)
- •South African work permit, study permit, or visa (non-residents must hold a valid visa category)
- •SARS tax reference number or declaration of non-tax-residency in South Africa
- •Completed FICA documents (Financial Intelligence Centre Act compliance)
- •Minimum opening deposit (varies by account tier; from ZAR 0 on entry-level accounts)
Restricted Nationalities
Not available to nationals of: iran, north-korea, syria, cuba, russia
Nationality Acceptance Matrix
Who this provider will and will not onboard. Refusals are listed first. Sourced from the provider's own published terms and recent public onboarding reports — confirm with the provider before applying.
| Nationality | Accepted | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| iran | NO | Blocked — South Africa implements UN Iran sanctions; FICA prohibits banking relationships with sanctioned jurisdictions. |
| north korea | NO | Blocked — UN and OFAC DPRK sanctions; FICA compliance. |
| russia | NO | Russian nationals subject to enhanced scrutiny; FNB has wound back onboarding of new Russian clients following international correspondent-banking risk exposure post-February 2022. |
| syria | NO | Blocked — UN Syria sanctions; South Africa's FICA framework prohibits onboarding. |
| cuba | NO | Declined due to USD correspondent-banking risk; OFAC Cuba sanctions apply to USD-clearing operations. |
| south africa | YES | South African citizens and permanent residents are the core customer base with full product access across all tiers. |
| us | YES | US persons accepted; FNB is FATCA-compliant and will report to the IRS. W-8BEN or W-9 required. Valid South African visa typically required for non-resident US nationals. |
| uk | YES | UK nationals accepted; FNB participates in CRS/OECD reporting. Proof of South African residency status or valid visa category required. |
| eu | YES | EU nationals accepted subject to standard FICA KYC and CRS self-certification. Valid South African visa or residency permit required for non-residents. |
| zimbabwe | YES | Zimbabwean nationals widely accepted; large Zimbabwean expat community in South Africa; valid South African visa or permit required. |
| india | YES | Indian nationals accepted; South Africa has a significant Indian-origin community; valid visa or residency documentation required. |
| china | YES | Chinese nationals accepted subject to standard KYC and FICA compliance; enhanced source-of-funds documentation may be requested. |
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Sources & last verified
- Last verified 2026-06-15