How ANYONE Can Open A Bank Account In The United States 

Are you interested in opening a bank account in the United States? Even if you do not have a Social Security number or are undocumented, you can have a bank account in the US. We show you step-by-step how to open a bank account in the US, even if you don’t live there or have no documents.

What do I need to open a bank account in the United States?

At a minimum, the law requires the bank to obtain the following information when you open an account:

Name and Date of Birth

To confirm the name and your date of birth, banks usually require at least one of the following documents:

• Valid passport
• Driver’s license issued by the government (they accept licenses from other countries)
• consular identification
• Birth Certificate / Certificate

Note: People who live in states that issue licenses for undocumented immigrants can use the license as proof of identity.

Proof of address

To open a bank account, banks and credit unions (known in the United States as credit unions ) will require at least one proof of physical address.

This can be a utility bill (from the electric, water, cable, internet, etc. company), a lease, or a current driver’s license that shows your address.

If you live in the United States, this will be relatively easy to achieve. If you want to open a bank account but don’t have proof of address, there are other options available that we’ll show you later.

Social Security number or ITIN

An identification number means one of the following:

• Social Security Number (also known as SSN)
• ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, also known as Tax ID )
• Alien Identification Card Number
• Any other government-issued document that proves your nationality, such as a passport or foreign driver’s license.

Note: Not all banks will allow you to open an account in the United States without a social number or ITIN. Although it is recommended to process your own ITIN or Tax ID, below you will find a list of banks that allow you to open an account if you do not have a social security number.

ITIN: what it is and how to get it

Don’t have a Social Security number and want to open a bank account in the United States? You can obtain a bank account with a “Tax ID” or ITIN (for its acronym in English: Individual Taxpayer Identification Number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number)

The ITIN is used by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to process taxes. You do not need to be a legal resident of the United States to have an ITIN.

The process to obtain your own ITIN is simple:

1. You fill out the W-7 form, available in English and Spanish.
2. You present proof of identity, such as a passport or driver’s license, along with a federal tax return.
3. You send the application by mail and wait for your ITIN to be processed.

Banks that allow you to open an account in the United States without a social number

Some large and reliable banks (such as Chase, TD Bank, or Bank of America), will allow you to open an account in the US by presenting two pieces of identification. One of these may be an ITIN and proof of a US address.

According to the information collected, all you need to open an account with TD Bank is to visit a branch of the bank with your passport to a branch.

Although you can try to open a bank account online, they will usually ask for additional documentation. So if you live in the United States it will be better to open your bank account in person.

The option is Bank of America. Depending on the branch and state, it is possible to open an account with just your passport and an address in the United States. You do not need to show a utility bill, to have your own account you just have to show a letter received by mail at that physical address.

Citibank bank also offers solutions for people who do not have documents in the United States.

There are also some institutions, such as Latino credit unions, that do everything they can to make the process easier for immigrants and people without documents.

For example, Self-Help Federal Credit Union, which has branches in California, the Chicago metropolitan area, Milwaukee, and Florida, accepts the following forms of identification:

• valid driver’s license
• Passport
• Matricula consular (identification card from a Mexican consulate)
• Residence card

Another financial institution known for helping undocumented immigrants, the Latin Community Credit Union in North Carolina, accepts:

• The government-issued ID of ANY country
• Valid ITIN or Social Security number
• Proof of current address

Identification requirements vary from bank to bank, but it is possible to open a bank account in the United States even without living in this country. Language won’t be a barrier either, as many banks have Spanish-speaking staff.

Other banks with which it is possible to open an account in the United States without having documents

As we have said before, nothing is guaranteed. However, these banks may allow you to open an account in the USA without a social number:

Alliant Credit Union – allows you to open an account with additional documentation, for example, a passport

Bank of America – allows you to open an account without social or ITIN, but you must open the account in person

Chase – possible to open a checking and savings account without ITIN. They require a valid photo ID. In addition, they will give you a welcome bonus.

Citibank – possible to open an account with a foreign passport and address document. No SSN or ITIN needed

HSBC – existing international customers can have a US account added

PNC – no ITIN or social number is required

TD Bank – one of the easiest to open an account without documents

US Bank – allows you to open accounts without a social number

Wells Fargo – in some states, allows you to open an account without social security

Can I open an account in the United States if I am not a resident or do not have a social security number?

It is not necessary to have a social security number to open a checking or savings account.

To open a checking or savings account, the law requires the bank to verify your name, date of birth, address, and identification number.

An identification number can be a social security number or an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN). To obtain an ITIN, you must fill out a form and send it to the United States Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

If you do not have a social security number or ITIN issued by the United States government, some banks accept your passport number as an identification number. Some will also accept an alien identification card number or identification number on a government-issued document.

Even though it is possible to open a bank account in the USA without a social number, nothing is guaranteed. Banking regulations are constantly changing.

Why do banks allow non-residents to open bank accounts?

There are many reasons why banks allow you to open a bank account in the United States as a non-resident and undocumented person.

For example, people who visit the US frequently want to reduce bank and card fees when investing or spending in the country. Another reason: if you earn money online and receive payments from an American company.

Banks also allow foreigners to open accounts as this makes it easier to buy real estate or make other types of investments in the country.

The good news is that it is possible to open a bank account in the United States without having a social security number. However, not all banks accept these types of clients, and the requirements may even change from state to state.

Other ways to open an account in the United States without having documents

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Business accounts in the United States for non-residents

Another option if you want to have a checking and savings account in the United States is to open a company in the United States and obtain a business account. This option is convenient if you want to start your own business and receive payments in the United States.

You will be surprised how easy it is to register a business in the US, and it is incredibly affordable.

When you incorporate a company in the USA, you will be given a company identification number, called an EIN ( Employer Identification Number ). This is similar to a social security number but for businesses.

After you have an EIN, your options for opening an account are more varied, so it will be even easier to open an account in the United States.

This method makes it possible to open a bank account and you do not need to visit the United States.

TransferWise Borderless account

The TransferWise Borderless account or account without borders is another good option to open an account in the United States without having to travel or physically visit.

The TransferWise borderless account is an online account that allows you to keep money in more than 40 currencies. You can make and receive payments from your account, and some users are eligible for a free debit card.

The Transferwise Borderless account also gives you access to a bank account in the UK, Europe, and Australia, making it a great option if you work online, or simply send and receive money from multiple countries.

Payoneer

Payoneer is a financial services company that provides Internet money transfer and digital payment options. By signing up with Payoneer and completing a verification process, you get a virtual bank account in the US.

Nobody will know that it is a virtual account and you will be able to send and receive money through electronic transfers. However, they do have some transaction fees that you will need to pay every month.

Meeting someone in the United States

If you know someone you trust in the United States, you can ask them to open a bank account and deposit your money in this account. You could also ask him to register his own US company and ask him to open a corporate bank account that you can use.

However, this method is not recommended since, although you will have a bank account in the USA, another person will have full control of your money.

Hire a lawyer

In some cases, you will also be able to hire a lawyer to open a bank account in the US, but the tax filing process will be more complicated and the lawyer’s fee can be expensive (the price of this service usually starts at $2000).

Do you need help opening a bank account in the United States? Do you know of other ways that work to open a bank account? Leave us a comment with your doubts and suggestions and we will help you solve them.