(a) No foreign banks shall transact a banking business or maintain in this State an office for carrying on such business or any part thereof, except as otherwise provided in subchapter III of this chapter, unless such foreign bank has:

(1) Been authorized by the laws under which it was organized and by its charter to carry on such business;

(2) Furnished to the Commissioner such proof as to the nature and character of its business and as to its financial condition as the Commissioner may require; and

(3) Filed with the Commissioner an application containing the information required by § 1403 of this title and received a certificate of authority duly issued to it by the Commissioner as provided in § 1403 of this title.

(b) This section shall not be construed to prohibit foreign banks which do not maintain an office in this State for the transaction of the business from:

(1) Making loans or issuing letters of credit in this State secured by mortgages on real property, nor from contracting in this State with a banking organization to acquire from or through such banking organization a part interest or the entire interest in a loan or evidence of debt which such banking organization has heretofore or hereafter made, purchased or acquired, for its own account or otherwise, together with a like interest in any security or in any security instrument proposed to be given or heretofore or hereafter given to secure or evidence such loan or evidence of debt;

(2) Enforcing in this State obligations heretofore or hereafter acquired by it in the transaction of business outside of this State, or in the transaction of any business authorized by this section;

(3) Acquiring, holding, leasing, mortgaging, contracting with respect to, or otherwise protecting or conveying property in this State heretofore or hereafter assigned, transferred, mortgaged or conveyed to it as security for, or in whole or part, satisfaction of a loan or loans made by it or obligations made by it or obligations acquired by it in the transaction of business outside of this State, or in the transaction of any business authorized by this section; or

(4) Issuing letters of credit or otherwise guaranteeing the obligations of the State or any agency or political subdivision thereof.

65 Del. Laws, c. 444, § 6; 71 Del. Laws, c. 254, § 17.