South African bank assists on transgender IDs


South Africa's First National Bank has grown the favourite of the nation's small transgender minority after it helped out a Burundian female male-born refugee getting a bank account. As a transgender refugee in South Africa, identity problems may often be a big hurdle to overcome.

Any person who wants to open a bank account needs to comply with South Africa's Financial Intelligence Centre Act (FICA). This means that proof of residence and/or work address needs to be submitted to the bank of choice. Under normal circumstances this should not be too difficult, except for South Africa's large number of refugees.