禁漫天堂

Just open an account.
You can always choose to cash the cheque and leave the account dormant.
No loss and saves a lot of messing around.

Actually the procedures here are complicated and it will take a month at least to have the money in my hand.

Try other banks, but I can't see why they don't want to cash an unknown cheque.

Normally money laundering and Identity issue is big worries these days all over the world. And I bet opening bank account is far more easier in India if we compare with other countries of the world.

I need some cash as soon as possible because I have to pay fees within few days. I can't wait for a month. Additionally, from my own experience, cashing a certified cheque is instant and only requires a passport. That's applied in almost all countries. A certified cheque is the safest alternative for carrying cash from a country to another.

shb27 wrote:

. A certified cheque is the safest alternative for carrying cash from a country to another.

5 CERTIFIED CHEQUES

5.1 Introduction 鈥淐ertification鈥� is the name given to the marking of a cheque by a bank to show that its customer has an existing account with sufficient funds to meet the drawn amount.18Certification is demonstrated by a mark on the cheque, typically a stamp marked 鈥渃ertified.鈥�19 It must be signed by a bank or other financial institution.20 Certified cheques are not a guarantee of payment; items bearing forged endorsements can be returned for up to six years.

It seems you might be working under the false assumption the cheque will be accepted without question but a quick search shows a lot of fraud and attempted fraud using these cheques, so the bank is just being careful.
If you open an account, the bank will take the cheque, wait for it to be honoured by the issuing bank, then credit your account.

Lack of research and/or assumption is a common cause of cock ups.