First National Bank (FNB), South Africa Dangerous to International Students.

I strongly advise international students in South Africa to avoid opening an account with First National Bank (FNB). Based on my current experience, banking with FNB can seriously jeopardize your immigration and study plans. I am a final-year international PhD student at the University of Cape Town (UCT), and I urgently require three months of verified bank statements for my student visa renewal—a standard requirement by embassies and visa facilitation centres. To my shock, FNB informed me that my Easy Savings Account statements had been switched to quarterly statements without my knowledge or consent. I never requested this change. As a result, I am now unable to access verified monthly statements for November, December, and January, which has already led to a visa application rejection. When I contacted FNB to explain the urgency of my situation—emphasising that I am currently outside South Africa and even offering to pay any associated costs—the response was nonchalant, dismissive, and completely lacking in empathy or urgency. For an international student, this is not a minor inconvenience; it is a serious administrative failure with potentially life-altering consequences. Visa renewals are time-sensitive, and a bank’s inability—or unwillingness—to provide basic verified documentation places students at risk of losing their legal status and academic progress. This review is meant to serve as a warning and lesson to fellow international students: FNB is unreliable and unsafe for students who depend on timely and verified bank statements for visa purposes. Based on my experience, FNB is the worst bank I have dealt with in South Africa. Name: Modupe Adebawo Email: *** Telephone:+***