Barclays

Offshore investment

For most people offshore investing means placing funds for investment in a country different from the one in which they live.

Investing offshore with Barclays iInvest

Barclays iInvest is our international investment solution. Depending on your circumstances you might be able to use it to invest offshore. We aim to provide:

• Expertise and experience. Barclays has over 300 years of history and expertise in banking, Barclays operates in over 50 countries and employs 147,500 people. Barclays has over £164 billion of international client funds under management (as at 31 December 2011).
• Access to more investments. We can give you access to offshore investment opportunities that might not be available in your home country.
• Reassurance. Your investments will be placed in a well-regulated jurisdiction that is widely regarded as both politically and financially stable.
• Multiple currencies. Many of our investments are available in different currencies and can be held in one account.
• Tax planning. Although we do not provide tax advice we can work with your independent tax advisers to help you structure your investments to optimise efficiency.
• Control. You can select individual investments or have our specialist International Investment Advisers work with you to make investment recommendations.
• Simplicity. You will receive a statement every six months with a valuation showing your entire Barclays iInvest portfolio, including a consolidated tax position. However, any structured deposits you hold will be presented on a separate statement.
• Risk management. As international investment experts, we can help you manage and protect your wealth and assets against all forms of risk.
• Honesty. We will be completely open with you about any risks, fees or commissions. Investment funds should be viewed as a medium- to long-term commitment, that is five years or more, and our structured products range between three and six years. The value and any income from them can go down as well as up. You might get back less than you originally invested.

Case study. See a case study of how an international client might use the Barclays iInvest service for their offshore investments.

You have sole responsibility for the management of your tax and legal affairs, including making any applicable filings and payments and complying with any applicable laws and regulations. We have not provided and will not provide you with tax or legal advice and recommend that you obtain your own independent tax and legal advice tailored to your individual circumstances.

How to apply

Barclays iInvest is available to investors with £50,000 (or currency equivalent) to invest. To find out more choose one of the following options:

Speak to your Relationship Manager

Telephone us on +44 (0)1624 684496^†

Download the Barclays iInvest brochure.

Investment risks. Find out about choosing investments that match your level of comfort and understanding of risk.

Lifestyle and investments. Find out about investments for an international lifestyle.

The following is a fictitious case study based on the types of people we have helped.

Name: Osi

Occupation: Site manager for an oil company in Nigeria

Age: 54

Situation: Lives and works in Nigeria, with his extended family.

Overview
Osi has a successful career in Nigeria. He wanted to create some investments and set up financial management services for his family. Through Barclays iInvest and the Relationship Manager Service, we tailored the following banking and investment solution to his needs.

Stability and reliability
Osi had concerns about his local banks and wanted a banking and investment facility that he felt offered greater reliability and a wider range of options. We set up an offshore facility for Osi in London, one of the world's most stable and trusted financial centres.

Mail service
Osi's correspondence does not always reach him at home. So we hold mail for him to collect from his local Barclays office in Lagos.

Internet banking
The 24 hour¹ online banking service enables Osi to monitor his bank accounts, order account stationery and make payments.

Relationship Manager Service
His Relationship Manager runs Osi's banking according to Osi's instruction. Osi can meet his Relationship Manager when visiting London, or go into the Barclays International office in Lagos for help closer to home.

His Relationship Manager is supported by a dedicated service team. This means that Osi has a direct contact to manage his day-to-day banking. Osi’s Relationship Manager will make regular reviews of Osi's position and circumstances to ensure that Osi is best placed to meet his goals and aspirations.

International Investment Adviser
One of our International Investment Advisers visited Osi at home to discover and understand Osi's needs and attitude to investment risk. Having done this, the Investment Adviser was able to make investment recommendations, selecting investments from a wide range of international opportunities.

Market-leading research and news
Osi can stay up-to-date on international finance and investments by visiting the Barclays online news and research pages.

International banking for his family
Osi's family also benefits from banking services. We opened an account for his son when he started university in London, and provided a deposit structure for Osi's brothers and sisters that enables them to keep their funds separate, but get a higher interest rate than they would if saving in completely separate accounts.