They told me to fly to Georgia, welcomed me as a client, then rejected my application
I am a Russian national and a registered Individual Entrepreneur in Georgia, but not a resident. To run a business, I need a business bank account. Since I don't live in Georgia, I hoped to open an account remotely. And if I had to travel, I wanted to make sure that I do not travel in vain and an account would be opened.
So I contacted Bank of Georgia's customer service by email. At first they said it was no problem and sent me a link. It turned out their initial advice was wrong: the first account must be opened in person, and only subsequent accounts can be opened remotely.
A mistake like that costs one day of emailing — annoying, but tolerable. I continued. I asked them directly: "Can I apply remotely and visit the branch only when my application is approved?" I don't see how that question can be misinterpreted. They never actually answered it.
Instead, they told me to come to the branch and apply in person. Earlier they had also written: "Since the legal entity is registered in Georgia, accordingly, the said legal entity is a resident of Georgia." Since my business is legally registered in Georgia, it made sense that they would open an account for it. I trusted them. I bought a plane ticket, booked a hotel, and flew to Georgia.
At the branch in Tbilisi they accepted my documents, and later that day I received an SMS welcoming me as a new client. The next day they sent an onboarding questionnaire. I completed it and sent it back. The day after that, I received an email saying my application was rejected. What happened to the welcome-as-a-new-client? Another mistake?
I can accept a mistake that costs me a day of emailing. But this time I lost real money — flight, hotel, lost working days — because I relied on their written advice. I sent a formal complaint to the bank, asking them to review their support team's responses and reimburse my expenses. Their answer was that their information was just "advisory" and "did not guarantee" anything.
I think the bank has taken a convenient position: whatever their support tells you is just "advisory." If you trust their representative and lose money, that's your problem — they "did not guarantee" anything.
Based on my experience, I do not consider Bank of Georgia as a reliable and responsible partner. I have filed a complaint with the National Bank of Georgia and am waiting for their decision.