[Kostas]

I tested today the workaround with the PayPal US address + European credit card. Total failure!
I get the following message:

The amount of this transaction exceeds your remaining sending limit and cannot be processed at this time.
* You will need to add and confirm your bank account. Once your bank account has been added and confirmed, you can continue this payment. Add your bank account information below.

Actually, I got a PayPal account with a sending limit of $0!

Obviously, creating a new PayPal account with US address but no bank account is useless!

I did some google search and found this hilarious dialog with PayPal Customer Service:

I'm trying to pay with a debit card through Paypal, and I linked it, but I haven't linked a bank account yet. I'm trying to buy something through a site which only accepts Paypal, and my sending limits are $0.00. How can I raise the sending limit without linking a bank account?

If your'e in the US, adding and confirming a bank account is the only way to raise your sending limit (requirements can vary by country). We extend the opportunity for some use of PayPal for most customers prior to having their identity confirmed further, but this limit is a protection to PayPal, as well as financial institutions and to recipients of funds.
Thanks,
PayPal Jason

This is a crock! It has nothing to do with security! Paypal (eBay) just wants to get their fingers into another account, just in case the Paypal debit card balance goes over!

Spoiler:

If Paypal did their job right, ALL payments would be INSTANT, thus making it impossible to go into the negative! But, you guys piss around and wait 2 or 3 days on "pending" payments, and people go over their balance and you guys get stuck with the tab.
Let's stop bullshitting the PAYING customers!
I've been using eBay/Paypal for over ten years and now my account is useless because you jerks want me to tie a bank account into my Paypal.(by the way, prooving I've spent at least $10,000 using the service!!!)
How is that making anything more secure for me? If anything, it's just exposing me to more threats, now you (or another thief) can take money out of another account without any fore-warning or permission from me...then ask questions later, just keeping my hard earned money tied up for days!
We tried using my bank account, remember Paypal? You guys screwed that up too. You decided to charge my debit card, which I selected, then 3 days later removed the pending charges fromk my card and took it from my bank...without having to give me a straight answer...cause YOU HAVE CONTROL!!!
I can't wait until another company gets this idea going, we need an alternative to Paypal.

Any time Paypal decides to cover their ass or gain more control, they change policy and scream "SECURITY REASONS"!

Adding a bank account confirms for us that the account holder on file has access to the financial records that were added to the account. Additionally, while we don't know everything that your bank knows about you, when you register a bank account, you're providing that financial institution with information about yourself like a valid address, your social security number, etc.
By acknowledging the deposits we send to that bank, the account holder has demonstrated they've provided enough of an identity verification to the bank that they were allowed to open an account.
This makes our service more secure because our customers have demonstrated further proof of identity. Also, limiting the amount that can be sent on a PayPal account until additional proof of identity is provided absolutely protects us, our customers and the banks and credit card companies registered to PayPal accounts. If someone somehow gained access to your checking account number and your PayPal account, would you prefer to lose everything or have the damages limited?
The other thing that you're missing here is that we ask for A bank account for the purposes of identity verification. We do not say we need THE bank account where you transact and maintain a balance. See if your bank will let you open a separate business or personal bank account, or see if another bank in your community will let you open a free checking account.
We don't require a minimum monthly balance at PayPal...we simply want the assurance that our account holders are who they say they are when registering and that they've proven their identity further at a financial institution.
Finally, I'm asking Get Satisfaction if your post can stand with the obscenity removed. This is a violation of the rules of Get Satsifaction and this is a civil environment. As you can see above, there is a simple solution that should meet your needs in terms of confirming your identity further.

Thanks,
PayPal Jason