How To Open A US Bank Account As A Tourist - Non Resident - Backpack Me

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AUGUST 9, 2015 / POSTED IN NORTH AMERICA, TRAVEL SMART, USA & PUERTO RICO / BY ASHRAY / 272 COMMENTS
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A lot of business happens in the USA. As the largest economy in the world,
this comes as no surprise. If you work with US businesses, chances are, they
would want to pay you through local methods. Some businesses might be
setup to use Paypal or International Wire Transfers, but the former is a pain
to deal with and the latter can be expensive. FRESH FROM THE
OVEN
I work with some US businesses that pay through checks or ACH transfers
NORTH vs SOUTH: Visiting
(eg. Amazon Associates). ACH only works for banks within the US. Checks the so-called Korean
Demilitarized Zone
can be cashed internationally through your bank but the speed and reliability 17 Most Read Travel Articles
of 2017
is notoriously poor. Sometimes it takes over 60 days and costs anywhere
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between $15 to $50. Then there is the risk that your check gets lost in the Instagrams of 2017
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In these types of situations, it makes a lot of sense to have a US bank Sleeping like Koreans (used
to) at Raon Guesthouse
account for receiving payments. Unfortunately, post 9/11, due to a huge
increase in anti-terrorism financing and anti-money laundering laws, it has
VISUAL STALKING
https://bkpk.me/how-to-open-a-us-bank-account-as-a-tourist/ 1/58
become very difficult to open bank accounts in countries where you are non-
resident. This includes the US.
Although it is possible to remotely open a bank account in the US through a

strong banking relationship (example: you already bank with HSBC or
Citibank elsewhere and are willing to place a $50,000 deposit with them in
the US), this is mostly out of reach for small businesses or people who want a
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The only way to open a US bank account in this situation is to do it in
person while visiting the US. And even then, several banks will refuse SEARCH
and the ones which do agree, will be a little hit or miss.
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You could potentially open a bank account remotely by incorporating a FOOD GUIDE!
company in the US and then opening a business bank account but this would
be very complicated in terms of tax filing requirements, legal fees, renewals,
etc.
All these restrictions are mostly because of legal reasons but being able to
verify a person face-to-face makes opening a bank account much easier. Still,
opening a bank account without a valid Social Security Number (SSN) can be
quite a challenge.
FEATURING THE
I had spoken to Citibank earlier about opening an account with them but they
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said I would need to have an average balance of $50,000 with them! Well, BLOGS
that ain’t happening!!
I visited Chase, Santander, Popular Community Bank, and Capital One on my

last trip to New York City. Santander and Capital One agreed to open a bank
account for me whereas Chase and Popular Community Bank flatly refused.
They said that it is impossible for them to open an account without an SSN. It
is fully legal to open a bank account without an SSN, but policies vary from
bank to bank.
Eventually, I decided to go with Capital One because they said that they
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would give me a temporary debit card (Mastercard) immediately so that I ABOUT
would have access to my initial deposit and also the balance maintenance
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harrowing journey with
requirements were lower. Santander needed a $750 average daily balance
Zara’s India Visa (in
realtime)
whereas Capital One needed just $300.
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Mir vilayath Hussain on

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vs SOUTH: Visiting the so-
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Places for DIGITAL
NOMADS in ANTIGUA
GUATEMALA
umar arshad on Why I left

Dubai and won’t come
back, part 1/2
Capital One Bank in Brooklyn
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So, armed with my passport and a copy of my address proof (a telephone bill
FoXnoMad
from India), I went to Capital One. The initial deposit required was $50. At this
Nomadic Samuel
point, it is important to mention that their software system is really not setup That Backpacker
to accept foreign addresses. Even though the rep chose “Foreign Individual” The Professional Hobo
The Shooting Star

as the account category, the system would not accept a foreign address. (it
Tourist 2 Townie
wanted a US address) I also filled a W8-BEN form with my foreign address
details to let the US IRS know that I do not live in the US.
Eventually, she ended up typing in my foreign address with Brooklyn and a

New York zip code at the end of it. Then, she sent an email to the back office
asking them to fix the address on their end. At this point I was worried that
this would never happen and she’ll eventually tell me that they could not open
an account for me.
But the back office updated the address and it was all good! Finally it was
time to activate my online banking access so that I could monitor the account
from overseas. When the rep tried to register me, the activation system would
not work without an SSN. She informed me that I would not be able to use
online banking and I would need to do everything over the phone. She also
confirmed this with the back office. I was dismayed!
I later found out through a friend that there is apparently a work around to
this. The gist of it is that if you do not have an SSN, you can still register for
Capital One online banking by entering 9 9′s. So: 999999999 will help you get
registered for online banking! I decided to try it on their website and sure
enough, it worked perfectly! I suppose the software developers put this in for
people who do not have an SSN (there are many such people, including
many US residents, new international students for example) but they forgot to
document this “feature”.
I was finally fully setup with my new US bank account, all in the space
of a Friday afternoon in New York City. Here is what I got:
- A welcome pack with details of charges, terms, etc.

- 3 free checks to use if I want to pay someone
- A temporary Mastercard debit card which I can use immediately (the
permanent one will be mailed out to my foreign address)
- Online banking access
- $50 that I deposited were available in my bank account (I tried using my
debit card later and it worked)
All I needed to open the account was:
- A visit to the US (this is perhaps the hardest part for most people)
- My original passport and visa (they will take copies at the bank)
- Copy of my address proof from back home (any one of these: utility bill,
bank statement, credit card statement)
- $50 in cash to place a deposit
- A US telephone number (this is not absolutely necessary but I use Google
Voice to forward calls and I believe it will make things easier in case the bank
needs to contact me)
I now have two months to bring my account balance up to the $300 minimum
otherwise I will get charged maintenance fees on my account.
The permanent debit card took a while to show up. I believe they had mailed
it to the incorrect ‘Brooklyn’ address that the rep had entered while creating
my account. I waited for a month, and then, when the card didn’t show up, I
had to call them up and request for another debit card. It took another month
but two months after opening my account, the permanent debit card was
finally delivered at my address in New Delhi. This wasn’t super important
because all this while, I could flawlessly use my temporary debit card (which
had been issued on the spot). The only reason I needed a permanent debit
card was because the temp one didn’t have my name on it (It just said Capital
One Customer) and it also didn’t have a cute golden retriever motif that I got
to choose!
Cute Capital One debit card
Finally I can work with US companies that aren’t necessarily setup to do

business internationally! I can ask them to pay me via check or ACH. ACH
payments clear within two business days so it’s great to see the money safely
in my bank account. I can also withdraw the money via my debit card or just
swipe it at establishments when buying stuff.
HOW TO GET A US BILLING ADDRESS ON YOUR

DEBIT CARD
After a few months, while traveling in the US, I wanted to use my debit card
online. Unfortunately, my debit card was associated with my foreign address
and a lot of US websites (Hulu, T-mobile, etc.) would not accept my debit
card with a foreign address. The solution was pretty simple. I got in touch with
Capital One through their online chat (you get this after you are logged into
your online banking) and asked them if I could attach a US address to my
debit card but keep my physical mailing address the same. The agent told me
that they could attach a ‘temporary US address’ to my debit card for up to one
year. All I needed to do was provide them with the address through the online
chat. It took five minutes and my debit card now has a temporary US address
(I gave a close friend’s address) attached to it. My mailing/physical address
did not change and I can now use my debit card online with a US billing
address for one year. The agent said that if I want to renew the ‘temporary
address’ after a year, I just had to call them or talk to them online and update
it once more. Pretty simple! Time for some Hulu!
HOW TO WITHDRAW INTERNATIONALLY FROM

YOUR US BANK ACCOUNT
The easiest way to do international withdrawals is to use your debit card. But
there are fees associated with this. Capital One will usually charge $2 plus
almost a 3% currency conversion fee. That’s convenient, but expensive. The

Capital One account does not let me carry out international wires through the
online banking system. It also won’t let me do outbound ACH transfers to
another US account. This is presumably because I haven’t provided a US
SSN.
There is a way around this and one that actually results in significant savings!
TransferWise is a service that you can use to transfer money internationally
at better exchange rates than what banks offer. Their exchange fees are
about 0.9% which is a lot less than most banks will charge you. TransferWise
can do an ACH Pull from your account and they support a large number of
currencies I’ve tried transfers to EUR and INR and both were credited in one
business day to the destination bank account and with a fair mid market
exchange rate!
Using this method, you save around $35 on a USD 1000 transfer and almost
$300 on a USD 10,000 transfer.
If you have questions, please feel free to ask in the comments!
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TAGS: BANKING / CAPITAL ONE BANK NON RESIDENT ACCOUNT / HOW TO OPEN BANK ACCOUNT CAPITAL ONE / INTERNATIONAL
BANKING / MONEY / NEW YORK / NON RESIDENT BANK ACCOUNT USA / NYC / OFFSHORE / OPEN BANK ACCOUNT / US
BANK ACCOUNT / USA & HAWAII
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272 COMMENTS
JDN Says
I got mine with BofA in Silicon Valley. Same story/work arounds with SSNs, Zip code. Fortunately, for
me, it was the first bank I approached. I believe in the end of the day, it all boils down to the financial
advisor assisting you. If he/she has the enough patience, and the will, it can happen!
Btw, I came across your blog researching for a Sudamerica trip that I am planing starting with the Rio
Carnaval. You guys have an done an amazing job here. Kudos!
REPLY ON AUGUST 17, 2015 AT 10:21 AM
Vanessa Says
Hey! I was trying to open an account online but it was requesting to be a citizen or permanent
resident, I am in the usa as a tourist, I used to live here with a J1 visa, I have SSN, I used to have
a chase account but had to close when returned back home. Now I really want to open an US
bank account, the thing is I don’t have a proof of address from Brazil here, I would have to ask
my mom to scan to me, or I can use my temporary address which is my boyfriends house? I have
taken my drive license and have gotten some bills on my name to this address… Anyways I am
going to a bank branch (Capital One) of course, since reading your experience I will try going
there!! Thank you very useful post.
REPLY
ON MARCH 1, 2017 AT 3:33 AM
Rodrigo Says
Hi! Good post it is so hard to found information of this, I think with all the globalization is to shame have
this problems or pay for few persons involved in 9/11, however… i am from Bolivia (south America) and I
came to USA for visit family and try to open a check account with capital one 360 because the count
feature is no maintenance fee and minimum balance amount, but I don’t have the proof of my country
address well maybe I can tell to the bank taking advantage of mi uncles address because their are a
USA citizens… It I succes I am gonna post so wish my luck. One question you already try to link your
debit card with PayPal?, your debit card have the Cvc code?, and thank you for your time and pardon
me if I make language mistakes, my native language is Spanish so , sorry. Best regards.
REPLY ON AUGUST 29, 2015 AT 8:50 PM
Ashray Says
Hi Rodrigo
The debit card DOES have a CVV code. I haven’t linked it to Paypal but I’m sure it’ll work easily
with Paypal. The account can also directly be linked to Paypal if required (since it’s a US
account).
Let me know how it goes with Capital One 360! Good luck!
REPLY
ON AUGUST 30, 2015 AT 5:02 AM
rajiv Says
Did you have to apply for TIN #
REPLY ON SEPTEMBER 7, 2016 AT 4:20 PM
Ashray Says
No, it wasn’t required.
REPLY
ON SEPTEMBER 8, 2016 AT 2:26 PM
Carlos Says
Hey Rodrigo. Pudiste abrir una cuenta en USA? Yo estoy viajando en una semana y quiero
hacer lo mismo. Abrir una cuenta allá y así poder hacer compras por internet sin necesidad de
gastar tanto en una tarjeta de crédito.
Fabricio Says
Carlos como estás! En unos meses viajo a miami con intenciones de abrir una cuenta allá
y manejarme via home banking. Como te fue? pudiste abrir tu cuenta?
Por favor contestame, es difícil encontrar buena data sobre esto.
Saludos!
REPLY ON OCTOBER 29, 2016 AT 2:37 PM
Fabricio Says
Carlos comentame algo de tu experiencia por favor. Pudiste abrirla?
REPLY
ON NOVEMBER 18, 2016 AT 10:12 PM
Stewart Says
I was just about to give up when I read this. Too many citizens believe the world doesn’t exist outside of
their shores. I have just been on Twitter with both BofA and Capital One and you can guess their ansa.
No.
Ashray Says
Conversations in person are better because they can check with their superiors if unsure. Since
opening an account for a non resident alien is perfectly legal, there is no reason for the bank to
turn away business. Of course, you need to be a little persistent with the employees but it’s
easier to ask ‘Are you sure?’ multiple times across a table in a bank branch.
REPLY ON SEPTEMBER 4, 2015 AT 11:36 AM
julie Says
Hi!
Very interesting post! I was dreaming when reading it, Capital One would be great for my needs…
But, I just called one of their branches in NY city, they were very nice but told me I would need an
address proof in NY city… ??? How did you overcome this? Did it came on the table at some point?
I just want to be sure I’ll be able to open an account before going all the way to NY… I am not as far as
India, but still!
Thanks a lot !!!
REPLY
julie Says
Oh, and sorry, but a crucial question:

when banking online, for funds transfer, most banks send a security code to validate the transfer
by text message. How is it going for you? Do they send it on your indian number??
Thanks ;)
Ashray Says
Hi Julie
I use a Google Voice number which forwards into my Gmail. So if I get an SMS it lands in
my gmail and also if I get a call it’ll ring in my google voice account. However, they do not
actually send any security codes since online transfers do not work for my account – I
think it’s because of a lack of an SSN. The only way for me to withdraw money is via debit
card so I can either: use it online, swipe it somewhere, or use it at an ATM (even abroad)
to get cash (there is a $2 fee for the cash).
Regarding your other question, when I went to the bank branch the first representative
that I spoke to did say that I would need a local address proof. Then she had to call the
back office and confirm that this was not required if the account was opened as a “Foreign
Resident”. You will definitely be able to open a bank account at one bank or another.
Capital One is a good choice and you could also ask around in other banks like I did. Just
make sure you have an ID proof and address proof on you.
Ram Says
Great and very useful postings !
I returned to India recently after working in the US for around 6 years. I guess Wells Fargo has the
provision to accept foreign residence addresses since I am getting postal mails here too.
REPLY ON OCTOBER 17, 2015 AT 7:05 AM
Fer Says
Hello Ashray,
May i know which account type you opened? I guess it is the Essential Checking one. Now Capital One
offers a Checking Account called 360 Checking which does not have monthly minimum or manteinance
fees, was it because that account was not yet available when you went there?
I am planning to open one when i go to the US, so would you say that with my passport, national ID, my
foreign address proof and a forwarding calls service number will be enough to open one?
Thank you!!
REPLY
ON OCTOBER 22, 2015 AT 3:25 PM
Ashray Says
Hi Fer
The documents you mention should be enough. Capital One 360 and Capital One are separate
banks. I believe the 360 product is from a different bank that used to be called ING Direct USA
before. Apparently it’s an even better bank but I don’t know if you as a foreigner will be able to
open an account there. Still, it’s worth a shot. All you have to do is walk in and ask. If you do
manage, do please post back here so that others can follow your lead :)
REPLY
Fer Says
Ashray, after reading that they were separate banks i decided to check again, i can
confirm that the bank i was talking about is the same as yours (Capital One). ING Direct
was acquired by Capital One, that´s why.
I would like to give a shot opening the only checking account available right now in Capital
One called “360 Checking”, here´s the link:
https://www.capitalone.com/checking-accounts/?
Log=1&EventType=Link&ComponentType=T&LOB=MTS%3A%3ALCTMNE8UU&SubLob
=MTS%3A%3AKV0LVIE8Z&PageName=Fee-Free+Checking+Account-
360+Checking&PortletLocation=3&ComponentName=utility_module&ContentElement=3%
3B%3Cspan+itemprop%3D%22title%22%3EChecking&TargetLob=MTS%3A%3ALCTMN
E8UU&TargetPageName=Checking+Accounts&referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.capitalon
e.com%2Fchecking-accounts%2Fonline-checking-account
It says that this account has no monthly minimums nor maintenance fees and no minimum
opening balance, and i would like to ask you if this means that i can have this account
open forever until i decide to close it.
Thank you!
Ashray Says
They were not run as the same bank, at least that was the case when I visited back
in June ’15. Even the customer support team, etc. is different for the 360 accounts.
Things may have changed now. You should direct your account opening questions
to the bank since I don’t have a 360 account. It’s just a regular checking account.
The article I have written and my own experience are only related to a regular
Capital One Checking Account that does unfortunately have a minimum balance
requirement. If you manage to open a 360 account please post back so that other
readers can go for that option since it certainly sounds better.
REPLY
ON OCTOBER 23, 2015 AT 8:31 AM
Fer Says
Hello Ashray! I managed to call Capital One, and they confirmed me that
“360 Checking” is a new type of checking that is destined to be used within
the US, that means, that it does not allow international wire transfers nor
foreign ATM uses (which means that the debit card cannot be used
overseas). With that said, i can conclude that the normal checking account
Capital One offers (and available for non-us residents) is the “Essential
Checking”, although it allows us to use the card overseas, the fees are quite
high.
I will open one when i go to the US, and post back to tell you my experience.
Thank you!
Ashray Says
The fees are not high for international ATM use. They charge $2 per
withdrawal and the usual 2.5 to 3% currency conversion charge that a lot of
international banks charge. Furthermore, you are charged just the currency
conversion fee if you simply use it as a debit card for purchases – even
abroad. If you are able to use a USD ATM (some countries like Turkey,
Singapore, etc. have these) then you will not be charged the conversion fee.
Good luck with opening the account and once you are through the entire
process it should be worth it!
Brent Joseph Says
Hello all,
I opened an account with TDbank in upstate NY as a visiting national of Trinidad and Tobago in the
Caribbean. I spent all of 20 mins to open a convenience checking account. Need a minimum of 100$ to
prevent monthly fees. Only needed passport and a completed W8BEN(did it while opening acc). I took
my phone bill from Trinidad and Tobago and they used it to enter my home address. I put my legal
address as my miami freight forwarders address. They generated a debit card immediately. This US
address is tied to my debit card so I can order from all online shops that require Us address. I signed up
for online banking and subsequently linked account to paypal(bank account and debit card separately. I
had set up the appointment to open account months before by calling them and telling which branch I
would prefer because of proximity. I took my 11yr old son and we even got sweets and pens form the
assistant manager who open the account. This branch did have a lot of people traffic so I guess they
were glad to get people in there. So far I have had no issues using the account and transfer funds in and
out mostly using paypal. I even was able to link with my online brokerage account with Td ameritrade
and sogotrade. So you folks can try tdbank, they were very accommodating, maybe because of the
banks’s Canadian origin
REPLY ON NOVEMBER 5, 2015 AT 2:50 PM
Ashray Says
Thanks a lot for posting your experience Brent! Looks like TD Bank is a great option for
foreigners trying to open US accounts as well!
Bakhtiar Says
Hello ashrey! I live in pakistan I’m going to visit US in december for 2 months and I need a
mastercard there for shop online and of course I need a bank account for that. I’ve read all
the blogs here and I see there are several banks who provide this opportunity to open
bank account for foreigners. I have some questions its that can I use my pakistan address
as proof and if it not work then I’ll stay in hotel there when I go so do my hotel address
would be enough for that? And and second question is recommend me the best bank for
this with all things what I need.
Thankyou!.
Francis Says
its even easier for people outside the USA to create a non resident bank account
with first century. just follow the link bellow and you are all set.
http://www.payoneer.com/USPService.aspx
Fer Says
Hello Brent Joseph, may i know if the bank will at any time send you any invoice or statements to
the address linked to your card or they ship them directly to your home address? Does it have
any cost to obtain a US address like for example through a freight forwarding service?
Thank you
REPLY ON DECEMBER 5, 2015 AT 9:41 PM
Mike Johnson Says
Hi Brent,
thanks for the information. Question… are you able to trade on your TDameritrade brokerage
account now? I heard that they stopped Trinidadians from trading due to anti money laundering
laws.
REPLY ON MARCH 9, 2016 AT 6:39 AM
Nestor Says
Which branch you did it? Today I went to someone in Broadway & 109th and they told me it’s not
possible to open a new account because I don’t have a US address
REPLY
ON JUNE 16, 2016 AT 12:44 AM
Ankit Pandey Says
Hi I want to open a US Bank Account with my website’s name with the Indian address. I cant afford to go
to US for now. Do you have any idea about this.
REPLY ON NOVEMBER 17, 2015 AT 11:52 AM
Ashray Says
It’s not possible unless you incorporate a business in the US. You should speak to an agency
about that but it’s still very difficult/impossible without going there in person.
Babla Says
Hello Ashray,
Amazing content, thank you for writing all of this for us, you rock. I have a question, I want
to register a company in Delaware and I live outside the US but I have a US address. I
want to open an account with the name of my website, that will be registered in Delaware.
Will I still need the same papers, or less papers? And if I use a virtual office service like
Regus.com would you think they would help me open a bank account for me or I have to
do it myself?
Ashray Says
You would need the EIN of your company and your ID. An address proof should not
be required in this case but it’s best to carry it along in any case. I don’t think
anyone can help you get a US bank account these days. You need to walk into the
bank yourself and try to set it up.
REPLY
David Says
Hello Ashray, I’ll be in NY in Dec. and I’d like to open a bank account to which I can withdraw my Paypal
earnings (when I withdraw to my home country, I’m forced to convert at bad rates).
May I as what branch of Capital One you went to? Cheers.

David
Ashray Says
Hi David
It was the one at 858 Fulton Street. This is in Brooklyn although I’m sure you can go to any
branch. Avoiding Paypal’s horrible exchange rates are definitely a good reason to open a US
Bank account! Good luck! I hope you post back with your experience here too :)
David Says
Hi Ashray, I just came back from NYC and here’s an update. It is extremely EASY to open
a bank account as a non-resident foreigner and no Social Security number and no US
address… at CITI bank; *including* online banking with complete online transfers, etc.
Even better, if you have a CITI bank account in your home country or anywhere else, they
told me I can transfer money to/from my CITI USA account for at no transfer fee as long
as it comes from another Citi account of the same currency. The account opening was
efficient and painless! Only requirement “harder” than other banks is that the minimum
deposit is USD 1,500… not much if you consider the amount you can save via
international transfers when needed (note that the 1,500 is not a cost, but a deposit).
Cheers!
REPLY ON DECEMBER 14, 2015 AT 2:39 AM
Ashray Says
Hi David
That’s awesome! Glad it went so smooth for you. Could you also please share the
name of the bank branch you went to? That would definitely make it easier for
others who are trying to get this done.
I agree, USD 1500 isn’t all that much and Citi definitely has great customer service.
David Says
LOL! I can’t remember the exact branch (I found it randomly walking in, and
I even got lost going back 3 days later), but it’s either the one on the corner
of 7th and 51st St., or the one at the corner of Ave. of the Americas and 45th
St. The helpful manager was similar ethnicity as you I think; South Asian,
and very helpful. Name was Deepra or Deepak or something like that
(female). Hope it helps!
ON DECEMBER 14, 2015 AT 2:27 PM
Ashray Says
Oh, that’s great. So I’d guess it’s this one:

https://goo.gl/maps/tDPD1gdeHjH2
787 7th Ave, New York, NY 10019, United States
Or this one: https://goo.gl/maps/d7kyrLaWFAF2

1166 Ave of the Americas, New York, NY 10036, United States
I think that’ll help people who want to open an account there.
Thanks for sharing your experience!
David Says
Based on the 2 maps you gave, I guess it’s the one on 7th Ave. With brown
building exterior.
ON DECEMBER 15, 2015 AT 12:53 AM
Gabriel Says
Thanks so much!!
Also it’s nice to mention that this bank do not charge foreign transaction fees.
Cheers!
Dilip Says
Hi,
Thanks for all your guidance. I am going to Miami for couple of days next week.
If I am not wrong, did you suggest that, one can’t wire transfer from the non-resident accounts?
I work in Bahamas, and bank charges to wire transfer them to India or anywhere are horrendous. They
charge as good as my Return Miami ticket for transferring 10k.
Thank you.
Crjs Says
Hi!
One thing I didn’t really understand…
I do not live in the US but my boyfriend is American and I could use his address when opening the
account. I would still need to proof my foreign adress?
If he is there with me when opening the account would make a difference?
Awesome website, man!!!!
Ashray Says
If you live with your boyfriend I suppose that address would work. You should probably ask the
bank though because the address I had to give proof of, was the address that I live at. I don’t
know if you can provide someone else’s address since they need to know where you live.
REPLY
will Says
Ashray,
Did they open with an Indian address? I called that branch and they said needs to be a
USA address.
REPLY ON JANUARY 7, 2016 AT 4:17 PM
Ashray Says
Yes, I opened my account with an Indian address. Calling is not really effective, you
need to go down to the bank yourself.
thomascyril2012@outlook.com Says
Hi,
You didn’t state that the online/mobile banking access cannot be done within the first 24 hours. This may
seem like a no brainer to some but not everyone is privy to this piece of vital information unless they go
through the terms and conditions and other documentation thoroughly.
I appreciate your sharing this information. I was asked to provide my passport with the valid visa, a utility
bill and a credit/debit card with my name written on it. In the event that anyone visiting the US doesn’t
have a utility bill with one’s name on it, concession would be given if I provided valid ID of the person
whose name is written on the unility bill. Unfortunately, this requirement would vary from branch to
branch; it flew in Houston but not in Dallas (I called a branch in Dallas).
Thanks once again.
REPLY
Fer Says
Hey Ashray, may i ask if the address linked to your account is your home address or a US address?
Because someone said that he could set the Freight Forwarding address to link to their account in order
to make purchases in certain US stores and i would like to know if that´s possible with Capital One.
Also, may i know if we don´t want any design on the card, how would the basic debit card look like?
Thank you!
Roman Says
Fer, very valid question! I would love to know as well!
REPLY
Ashray Says
I have my home address linked to the account. I don’t know if you can do a freight forwarding
address since you’re supposed to have some bills and stuff linked to your address. Also, the
basic debit card probably is just like the temporary one they give you. Google the Capital One
debit card and it’s the blue one.
Samer Says
Hello Ashray. Am Sam from Malaysia & I would like to ask you something. May I have your email
address or phone number please? Its a long story difficult to explain in public. Appreciated.
Ashray Says
Hi Sam,
I just sent you an email.
Fabricio Says
Hi Ashray. Powerfull info here!

Can U tell me your email pls?
I need clarify some questions.
Thanks in advance!
REPLY
Ahmad Says
Hi,
Great article thanks for all the info. I just have one concern about Taxes, would you have to pay taxes in
any way or declare your income to IRC ? Or maybe there is a certain limit for that?
REPLY
ON JANUARY 23, 2016 AT 11:45 PM
Ashray Says
You would, if you are liable to taxes in the US. You would need to speak to an accountant to
know about that or check the IRS rules yourself.
REPLY ON JANUARY 24, 2016 AT 5:31 AM
Christian Says
Hi Ashray, you star! Thanks for getting all the info out there. I’ll be in the US next month and confident I’ll
be able to open an account more or less like you, but I have one last questions: did they at Capital One
not ask you “why do you want to open a US account?” and what was your answer or what would be a
satisfactory answer? I guess: convenience during my travels could be a valid one. Please let me know!
Many thanks in advance and good luck,
Christian
Ashray Says
Hi Christian
I just explained to them that I often get payments from US companies like amazon that will either
pay with check or ACH. Checks mailed internationally are ridiculously slow and unreliable. So I’d
rather have a US account and get ACH. That was enough for them. They just want to know that
the funds are legitimate for the most part so it’s not really a problem.
Hope this helps!
REPLY
ON JANUARY 26, 2016 AT 5:35 AM
Sebastian Says
Hey – great article! Thank you! The account you opened, was that a personal or business account? I
need one for business but I wonder if things will get more easy if I just ask for a personal account…
Thanks for you help! :)
REPLY ON FEBRUARY 11, 2016 AT 8:46 PM
Ashray Says
It’s a personal account but you could try to open a business account too. The process and
required documents might be different though.
REPLY
ON FEBRUARY 12, 2016 AT 2:52 AM
Benjie Says
I am a non US resident. Can I open a US bank account easily without an SSN say if my initial opening
deposit is about USD 750,000.00? My US mailing address to use will be my brother who is a US
resident. Thank you for any comments.
REPLY ON FEBRUARY 16, 2016 AT 6:30 AM
Ashray Says
You’ll have to ask the bank about that. For large amounts they will most likely require a lot of
additional documentation.
REPLY
ON FEBRUARY 16, 2016 AT 2:40 PM
benjie Says
In addition to my query above BTW I wish to have under Personal US bank account. Thank you…
kevin Says
Is Capital One BANK CARD a credit card ? or a debit card ? because according to AMAZON new rules
In order to sell on Amazon.com, you need to provide an internationally chargeable credit card with a
valid billing address located in a Country Accepted for Seller Registration.
Ashray Says
It’s a debit card. I haven’t used Amazon as a selling platform.
Siva Says
This is awesome website, I almost got all the information i required. Let me tell you my requirement and
then I will ask my question.
I would like to work for a company in US, but from India. My question is:
If I open account as you mentioned above, US company should be able to tranfer salary to US account,
right?
Coming to Tax, do I have to pay tax in India or US? Please clarify.
Ashray Says
You should consult an accountant regarding your tax questions. Every situation is unique.
Jorge Says
my comment was erased? im trying to help people.
Ashray Says
We don’t allow business solicitations through our comments section.
REPLY ON MARCH 1, 2016 AT 5:49 PM
John Says
very nice post
John Says
RAK Offshore is a perfect location for international business operations and asset protection schemes.
Any investor who is searching for an offshore location in the United Arab Emirates to setup Ltd. without
too much cost and fast, should choose RAK Offshore as excellent solution.
For more visit-: http://globalbusinessstreet.com/
Larry Says
May I know validity dates of debit card that Capital One issued to you? Is it good for 5 or 10 year?
Thanks for your highly informative blog. I’m flying to the US before end of March this year on US tourist
visa.
REPLY
ON MARCH 11, 2016 AT 7:38 PM
Ashray Says
The validity is until the end of 2019 so it’s something like 4.5 years. It will come to your foreign
mailing address so getting another one should not be an issue.
Aser Paras Says
Hello, can you top up your US account from a Revolut account as a bank transfer?
REPLY
ON MARCH 18, 2016 AT 10:18 AM
Paul Says
Yes, you can send money from Revolut to Capital One Essential Checking. You just need the
routing number and account number, it takes a few days to arrive.
There is no free way to get it back to revolut though, that I’m aware of.
REPLY ON JULY 12, 2017 AT 7:47 AM
Mayank Says
Hi
Please tell how is wsfs bank in USA Delaware compare to the other banks of USA ?
Pls help
Tony Says
Thanks for the tip on foreign exchange. I am used to sending USD money order by mail to my US bank
to deposit but had no way of transferring anything back (to Canada).
I opened my checking account with NBT Bank in-person (a northeastern bank in upstate NY and VT). It
looks like NBT is used to Canadians coming there to open bank accounts. There is no minimum
balance, no fee and gives a free VISA debit card and 3 starter checks. Billpay not included though.
REPLY
ON MARCH 24, 2016 AT 3:30 PM
AM Says
Hi Ashram
Thanks for this useful information. My situation is different from all the above, so thought I would ask the
question.
I live and work in India.
I don’t earn money in the US and don’t have people paying me in the US. I would like to yet have an
account only for convenience reasons.
I understood the documentation needed to open the account. I wanted to understand better the
following:
1. if I can transfer funds from an Indian bank account to this Capital One account? Will I be charged
anything?
2. If I can transfer money into my Indian bank account from the Capital One account and what the
charges will be?
3. So I guess I can use this debit card to shop online, at shops in India and in shops in the US? What
are the rough charges for each.
Thanks again.
REPLY
ON MARCH 28, 2016 AT 8:39 PM
paintdoggy Says
I am an American citizen living in Romania. I have residence here and do not plan to return to America. I
want to pay my US taxes but must have a bank in US. The advice on this site is rubbish…I had an
account now debit card and all I can tell you if you use one to bank, you will be very sorry.
So here I am…trying to pay my taxes…I can’t spend 2000$ to visit the US just to open a bank account
and will never use a debit card again.
REPLY
ON MARCH 30, 2016 AT 3:23 PM
Ashray Says
This advice isn’t for US citizens.
Dafna Elia Says
Hi Ashram,
Thank you very much for your blog post.
Do you know if this process still work? Did you hear from non US residents that opened a US account
lately, because your article is from August 2015 – 7 month ago…
And one more question, what is the advantage of this account compared to a payoneer account?
Thanks,
Dafna.
REPLY
ON MARCH 30, 2016 AT 7:32 PM
Ashray Says
Yes, it still works. If you are fine using a Payoneer account then there is no particular advantage.
Some people will not pay into Payoneer.
REPLY ON APRIL 1, 2016 AT 3:53 AM
Sammie Says
Payoneer has a whole bunch of shitty fees. They’re more expensive to use than Paypal.
REPLY ON JUNE 25, 2016 AT 12:10 PM
Pingback: Booking a trip to US to open Bank accounts for US Paypal - eBay Suspension & Paypal Limited
Forums
Dmitriy Says
Hello.
Thank you for your post. But I have an urgent question:
I am not resident of the USA (I’m from Europe). I opened bank account in one of the US banks. I signed
up for a DEFAULT PayPal (not business) and linked it to my US bank account.
now I’m selling online codes/subscriptions (for Software products) on the website in Asia region, and
then they send me my payments to my PayPal account, which I then withdraw to my bank account.
Does this counts as my ‘business income’ and I should pay taxes in USA or is it just ‘my personal funds’
which I just want to store in US bank account?
for 2015 I transferred there ~$30,000 and I wonder if I’ll be charged up with tax evading upon my next
visit to USA …..
REPLY ON APRIL 16, 2016 AT 6:24 PM
Dmitriy Says
just to clarify: I’m self-employed, but I do not work in USA (not physically, not in internet zone)
REPLY
ON APRIL 16, 2016 AT 6:29 PM
Ashray Says
You need to speak to a tax specialist. It might be classed as US income by the IRS. This
will depend on your exact setup. Spend a little money and find out for sure, if you have
expenses the tax shouldn’t be too much.
REPLY ON APRIL 16, 2016 AT 7:26 PM
JMcLean Says
I am a non-resident visiting soon next month. I called CapitalOne to verify this, and they said it cannot
be done without a SSN.
REPLY
ON APRIL 25, 2016 AT 6:47 PM
Kn1f3h3x Says
People, don’t be fooled by success stories as they’re rare and rather the exception than the norm.
They just cannot do that, it’s a risk they do not want to take. Why not just open your company/web
business in your country? After trying to get a LLC up and running legitimately, you’ll be very surprised
on how much easier it is when you’re “at home”.
REPLY
ON APRIL 29, 2016 AT 6:33 PM
NellyB Says
What on earth makes you think people can’t want a US bank account for “legitimate” reasons?!
My company is based in the UK, my clients are in the UK and the US. It’s a lot easier for me to
serve the US ones if I have a US bank account.
REPLY
ON JULY 7, 2016 AT 12:56 PM
Bruce - the save your marriage guy Says
It worked! Thank you 1000 times. I went to Capital One in Howard Beach (20 mins from JFK on the
airtran) and opened my account in 90 minutes. I live in the UK and took a UK bank statement, $50, my
passport and my driver’s licence. Like you, I had a US Skypein telephone number to use.
After 3 years of searching and trying, I finally have a US bank account. I’m so grateful for this article.
REPLY ON MAY 3, 2016 AT 6:40 PM
Ashray Says
Thanks for posting your experience, helps shut down some of the naysayers we’ve got here in
the comments section now. Congrats on opening your bank account :) Make sure you bring it up
to the $300 minimum in about 3 months because they start charging $8.95 per month after that.
Pradeep Says
Worked for me. Went to Capital One Bank in Austin located at 1801 E 51st St and they opened it within
30 mins. Thanks a lot for this.
REPLY
ON MAY 4, 2016 AT 7:28 PM
alycia Says
i’m trying to open an account in Us with my husband till now every bank denied me to join with his
account cuz i don’t have ssn number or a permanent residence … with this bank can we join this bank
account together? he will open (he is us citizenship) and i will be on his account even i’m doing right
now the adjustment status …. for ur info do u know if they can ?
Ashray Says
Yes, they can. We added my wife to my account just using her passport as identification.
REPLY
ON MAY 4, 2016 AT 11:22 PM
Karan Says
Hi Ashray
This is really awesome information !
I am an Indian, I work for an international company and I visit the US 4-5 times in a year for short
business trips and having an account here will really be helpful for small needs.
My question : is there any tax implication on opening a account in the US as a non-resident
Ashray Says
Sorry, I don’t know what tax implications exist for your personal situation. You should speak to an
accountant about that.
David J. Says
Hey Ashray,
Great stuff! I’m going to the US next friday and will it a try. It would really help my small biz. Appreciate
your patience in answering the snowball of questions from everyone, that gave me all the details and
answers I need. I’ll post my results here. You’re da man!!
-David from Nicaragua
Osvaldo Says
Ey David, could you open the account? I want to open one so your experience would help me a
lot.
huma Says
Dear Ashray, AWESOME!!! You are doing great. After reading this I will open an account on my next
visit to the US. May chew your brain more then.
Raj Kar Says
Hi,
This is my case.
Passport : Indian normal,
Residence visa : Qatar due to Employment,
USA visa : B1/B2 till year 2020
Quite often I visit USA but for transit only even though every time they give me 6 months stay. I would
like to open a saving account or any other account in USA but I have no reference there. I just need to
transfer US $ 75000 from Qatar to USA for my future travels.
I do have NRI account with Citibank in India. In such regard can Citibank open account for me ? Or
HSBC or any bank in USA ? I can visit USA if required.
Thank you
REPLY ON MAY 20, 2016 AT 7:47 AM
georgia Says
Hi! It is a very useful article. I want to make a question about the needed document of the address proof
(In your case about the telephone bill from India). Was it translated in English? I am a Greek citizen and
i don’t know if is needed to translate the document from Greek to English language.
Thank you!
Ashray Says
It’s difficult to say. I would imagine that if the person at the bank cannot read the address on the
document (since Greek script is different) it would need to be translated. They might not require it
though, sometimes they just need you to fill out a W8-BEN form. The good thing is that if you
need it translated you can pretty much get anything translated in most major american cities so it
should not be a problem although it might cost you a bit.
Kamion Says
Hi Ashray,
Thanks for your useful post. I have successfully opened a bank account in San Francisco. There isn’t a
Capital One branch in SF, so I had to try my luck with a few different banks out here. I blogged the
experience on:
http://sendbybike.com/opening-a-bank-account-in-the-us-without-a-ssn/
Cheers,
Kamion
REPLY
ON MAY 23, 2016 AT 2:51 AM
Ashray Says
That’s awesome! Congrats on opening your account and great work on the writeup!
Tomas Says
Hey buddy,
I couldnt open your link address, im going to SFO in November, which bank could you open the
US account and which address?
Thanks
Fida Says
Thanks Ashray for such an amazing blog, i was wondering if you or any one in this blog can help
opening a US bank account with out a personal visit to US. We i have an LLN registered in state of
delaware and i have an EIN # as well.
Thanks
Ashray Says
It’s going to be almost impossible without a personal visit to the US. However, since you have a
company in the US, you might be able to do it through a contracted lawyer. Still, I wouldn’t bet on
it and many banks will turn you down. Silicon Valley bank tends to work with remote companies
represented by lawyers but they are quite picky and would at least like to see US investors in
your company.
REPLY
ON MAY 27, 2016 AT 4:15 PM
Nahla Says
Very useful post! I was just wandering if I opened the us account successfully, can I link it to PayPal and
then link my foreign card ‘Egyptian’ to PayPal too so that I can transfer money from my card to the us
one? I need the us card to shop stores online that don’t accept international cards.. I don’t have a ssn,
and I ll use my friend’s address in us for the card, hope this will work!
CBD Says
Hi Nahla,
You can link your us debit card with PayPal, but you can’t change billing address to USA
address.
In that case all us shop will ship items purchased to your PayPal registered address. And if it is
non USA address
Your card will be rejected.
REPLY
ON JUNE 2, 2016 AT 2:44 PM
CBD Says
Recently I visited USA and open checking account with Wells Fargo Bank. Minimum balance required Is
$1500.
I don’t have SSN but have permanent address in usa(close relatives)
This bank have international wire transfer inward and outward remittance .So I can transfer funds from
my Indian bank to my account with Wells Fargo online and also transfer funds from USA bank to Indian
bank. No need to visit bank.
Yearly you can transfer $2,50,000 as per RBI policy.
I have debit card of Wells Fargo can be used any ware in the world.
Ashray Says
Thanks for sharing your experience!
REPLY ON JUNE 3, 2016 AT 9:32 AM
Fabian Says
Hi Ashray,
thank you very much for your writeup. I just came back from New York and can confirm: Capital One
opens bank accounts for foreigners without SSN and address in US.
I brought my passport, my ID, and two different utility bills.
When I walked in the Grand Central Station branch, I was told: “This is not possible”
Then I walked into the branch at 46th and 3rd, and they said: “yes no problem at all!”
Indeed the computer system did not accept my address and phone, but the banker directly told me that
they will fix that afterwards for me. We needed a shipping address for the credit card (I chose the kitten
one, because kittens!) in the US, so I was a bit scared it it would work, but I got it delivered to my hotel 2
days later.
Temporary and final credit card (valid 4.5 years) worked immediately. I went back to the branch for the
activation of the card and thanked the manager again. Excellent service.
it is confusing that one branch says no, while the one next door says yes, but keep on trying. Their
system is fully prepared for that (it directly prints out a W8-BEN form for IRS).
I directly activated online banking.
Last step for me is to get a US phone number to fully use online banking. I guess a prepaid sim card
would have done it but I forgot about that, so I will set up google voice.
F Says
Thanks a lot! This worked. Also got declined at Capital One Grand Central branch. Thanks to
your comment, was able to open an account at Capital One 46th St. Thanks again!
Kawser Ahmed Says
Fabian, Thanks for sharing your experience.

But was it a credit card or debit card?
PASTOR BT Says
I am a staff of a religious organization in South America where I reside. Our organization is also
registered in the USA. I am currently in Texas to attend a convention and I desire to open a bank
account that will give me a visa or MasterCard and also allow me to transfer in and out of my account
here in the states. How do I go about that please?
ravi singh Says
hie we got our company registerd in usa as llc but we are facing problem in opening bussiness bank
account and we have one of our indian member added in llc who lives in us .so is it possible to open
bank account there in usa and how?
Pat Johnson Says
I a resident of the USA but my cousin isn’t and he wanted to open a US account. I called several banks
who said it can’t be done without a SSN #. I found 2 banks that did PNC and Well Fargo. I took him to
PNC and it seems as though it was the first time it was been done. We will have to wait 7 days to get the
debit card. At Wells Fargo it was done in 10 minutes, got an instant debit card which he used the same
day and he was able to link his paypal account and do money transfer. You have to deposit $50 for
checking account and $25 for savings. Wells Fargo was the best and the rep was very friendly and
knows what he was dong.
Mario Manuel Says
I want to know provedores to have a debit visa card as i live in angola
sean Says
hi ashray
may i know what type of account you opened with capital one bank? is it “360 checking” account? I am
in LA but there is no capital bank here but they do have capital one cafe that can do banking stuffs
(http://www.capitalone360.com/cafes/losangeles-westwood/) , I am going to give it a try.
Kamion Says
sean, try Wells Fargo on the west coast. I just opened an account in San Francisco last month
while visiting the US: http://sendbybike.com/opening-a-bank-account-in-the-us-without-a-ssn/
sean Says
hi kamion
thanks.
what is the minimum balance required by well fargo to maintain the account so there is no
monthly account maintanance charge here? Captial one is USD 300 which is acceptable
to me but i heard well fargo is USD 1500 to maintain the account which is high to me :-(
Venkat Says
hi ashray,
I am planning to go Texas next month to open a bank account for my company, I am on B1/B2 visa. I
just wanted to know what should I inform at port of entry (immigration counter), I visited US only one
time and my previous company gave me letter to show them up. Since its not official trip, I can fly
directly? If i plan my travel to visit bank, just wondering what kind of questions will they ask? what to
inform at port of entry to enter Texas, USA. please advise me any one on this. greatly appreciated your
help..
Tommy Says
Hi,
@Keith with your content, will I still need to be there physically.

Is there a possible solution to being there physically?
@Ashray What a wonderful masterpiece Ashray. Very valuable information.
Thank you.
Vicks Says
Hi Ashray. Well appreciated for sharing the information. You are amazing. Thanks a lot.
I have few questions below. Could you please guide me on this?
1.What is personal account Vs Business account? Is there any advantage to open Business account.
2.I have a valid SSN. But I dont want to show it. As I have not shown SSN here, do I need to pay tax to
India or to U.S by any chance.
3.Which one wold be a good choice TDBank, CapitalONe, City bank. I read in your post that they wont
charge anything for transferring money from “U.S CITY Bank” account to India “CITY Bank” account?
How come it is possible. Is that true?. If so, then it is called hawala right?
Tomas Says
Ashray,
Can you transfer transfer money from overseas to Capital one bank? You said that the reverse option is
not possible.
I’m planning to open an US bank to avoid some credit card taxes in my country when i travel overseas.
Ashray Says
Yes, international transfers to the bank do work. Moving money out is harder but can be done
either by doing a debit card cash withdrawal abroad or by using ACH pull through a service like
Transferwise.
Komira Says
Hello Guys,
I cannot thank you enough for the amount of very helpful information you provided in this post, THANK
YOU VERY MUCH!
I have one question please, I’m visiting the US next week for a few days, there is no “Capital one” nor
“TD Bank” in the city i’m going to, all i could find is one “Wells Fargo” branch and few “PNC Bank”
branches, when i spoke to them over the phone/live chat they told me that a US address is required, i
don’t live in the US, and i don’t know any one there to use his address, so what do you guys think?
what’s the solution to this case? have you had any experience with the US address requirement?
Thank you once again!
Will wait for your reply impatiently!
Nelly B Says
I have a similar question to the above poster. Has anyone had any luck on the west coast, particularly
Seattle? Most of the banks discussed above are only around the NE. I’ll try Wells Fargo and BoA, but I’d
really like some other options, if anyone has any suggestions.
Sorry if this double posts, the commenting system is playing up for me.
REPLY ON JULY 7, 2016 AT 1:06 PM
Ashray Says
Hi Nelly
You just need to try a few different banks if the first one says No. One of our readers wrote an
article about how he managed to open an account with Wells Fargo on the West Coast.
I’m sure you’ll manage as long as you have your passport, proof of address (might not be
required) and some persistence :)
James Says
Without a Social Security Number (SSN) and physical presence in the United States, hardly you can get
account open in any bank in the United States if you are not a resident, though some banks will require
you to fill out a W-8 form to complete the account opening process. If you are not a US citizen, you will
not be required to have a US physical address, but you will need to present your foreign Passport along
with 2 forms of identification: driver’s license, State ID, or US Passport depends on the bank. Recently I
was able to open MetaBank® account with the assistance and some information I got. You can also get
account open with The Bancorp Bank using the same information.
nazrin aizat Says
hi, can i apply credit card with this account?.
Mahadtwy Says
How can I opened a bank account in the USA without visiting the USA?
Manos Says
Thank you for your guidelines!
I managed to open a checking account today in Wells Fargo (Orlando, FL). I have no SSN, they told me
this is not a problem at all. They needed:
1. My passport
2. A US phone number (I got that through Skype)
3. A US based address in order to send me the debit card (I got that through shipito)
Minimum deposit is 50 USD.
I already have online access.
Benjamin Says
Hi Manos,
Many thanks for your post!
I will be in Orlando in November. Which branch did you use to open your account?
Ben
Manos Says
Hi Ben!
I visited the store at West Winter Park but perhaps you could try any other one in the area.
If you maintain at least USD 1,500 in the account, you are not charged for maintenance
fees!
My best,
Manos
Paul Says
Did they require evidence of the US ShipitTo Address? Or you told them it was a
forwarding service?
Manos Says
Hi Paul!
No evidence for the US address was required.
My best,
Manos
Kawser Ahmed Says
That is the thing I was searching for. Many thanks Manos.
Melanie Heydemann Says
You needed just your passport? What about a second id or your visa, do I have to take that with
me too? Thank u
Manos Says
Hi Melanie!
I also had my national ID with me but I don’t recall being asked for that. I believe it would
be a good thing to have it with you also just in any case.
I wish you my best,

Manos
Ther Says
Hi Ashray,
Your Article is very helpful!

I have a question :are the procedure the same for opening a saving account in the USA?
thanks in advance
Ashray Says
Yes, the procedure should be the same regardless of the type of bank account you wish to open.
Numero13 Says
Hey guys! I went today to try a bank account at Capital One in Brooklyn (356 Fulton St, Brooklyn, NY
11201). and I was unable to get it done. I’m from France, I had everything with me (Two ID : Passeport
and French ID Card, a US prepaid Phone number, 3 foreign proof of address : phone bill and two bank
statement). they told me that it’s impossible to open a bank account without a SSN or an apartment
lease in the USA.
Any advice or similar experience ?
REPLY
ON AUGUST 1, 2016 AT 9:00 PM
Ashray Says
I’d recommend trying a different branch. Some people have had success with Wells Fargo and I
personally got a positive response from Santander. Just walk into a few different banks on the
same day and one of them should work out. Please come back and let us know how it goes.
Good luck :)
Cas Says
I wanted to get into amazon affiliate too, but they can only pay me with checks, or amazon.com gift
cards. Checks are useless in my country, and amazon gift cards can only be spent at the .com site.
Which means: a lot of shipping costs when buying something.
You’d think that a company such as Amazon would be more facilitating to non Americans.
I can’t describe how much this sucks.
Ashray Says
Amazon affiliates do pay via ACH bank transfer so if you open a US bank account, you can work
with them. Yes, checks are super last century.
REPLY
Cas Says
Well, unfortunately, I am not planning to go to the US any time soon.
So that basically means no amazon affiliating for me.
Ashray Says
You could try using a Payoneer card. They do have a system to accept ACH
deposits from the US.
Ruth Says
Ashray or anybody else who found success does your debit card have a visa or MasterCard logo on it.
This is important for Amazon to validate a seller account. Bank account and credit card that is
internationally chargeable or debit card with visa or MasterCard logo. Thanks for this great article by the
way. Very Helpful!!
Ashray Says
Yes, the debit card has a Mastercard logo.
Ruth Says
Thank you so much :)
Eva Says
Hi!
I love your article, I will try opening an account as a tourist this week. I want to start at US Bank and,
thanks to you, I know to avoid Chase. I wonder what else there is in a small town. I have the advantage
of a local address, but no driving license on hand to make the chances square…
nik970 Says
Hello
i ve read your article and found it very helpful.
Idid some search as well regarding non resident accounts and i did found the TD BANK lve chat where
clearly mentions non residents are able to open an acoount without SSIN although their accounts have
bigh monthly charges
https://www.tdbank.com/tdhelps/default.aspx/can-a-foreigner-non-us-or-canadian-citizen-open-and-
operate-a-td-bank/v/39129370/
Regarding the guy from France few weeks ago i could only guess that branch he visited suffer either a
typical lack of knowledge of low level bank employee or tupical dont care / dont want to spend my time
attitude.
I am visiing later this year NY and i will visit Capital One to open an account.
REPLY
Fiona Says
Hi Ashray, thanks a lot for your very useful blog post and responses.
Are there any withholding taxes on your interest income? Did you have to fill in a W-8 Form to avoid
such taxes as a non-resident?
Also, since you live outside of the United States, does your card work abroad? Did you have to put
some kind of permanent travel notice on it?
I was able to open an account with Capital One too but haven’t gotten clear info on those. Thought I’d
ask someone in the same situation as me.
Thanks again for all the info you’ve been sharing here! It’s much appreciated.
Ashray Says
I honestly don’t know about withholding taxes on interest income, I don’t have that much money
in the account for this to be a significant factor. I usually withdraw money from the account and
maintain a low balance so interest income is .. not of interest :P I did however fill in a W8-BEN
form so perhaps there’s no withholding.
Yes, the card does work abroad. If your transactions get denied for any reason (usually because
you are abroad in what they might think is an unusual country) you can log into capital one’s
online banking and chat with them during US working hours. They will help you place a travel
notice on your card. This is not necessary always but only in case you get a declined transaction
(happens sometimes, randomly). I had to do this for some online transactions.
Fiona Says
Wow, thanks a lot for the very fast and informative response! Really appreciate it. Wishing
you all the best!
Paul Says
I’ll Be visiting Washington DC in 2 weeks and I need to open a bank account to receive incomes from
Google Play where I have some apps I’ve developed.
Thanks alot for this article I’ll be sure to spare a whole day to try out Capital One, TD and Wells Fargo,
there are plenty of them near where I’ll be staying.
I’ll be sure to come back and tell you my experience.
Francesco Fontana Says
Paul be aware that Capital One has got branches in only 6 o 7 States. I am an Italian national
and live mostly in EU or happened to travel in other States, My local rep is great, on line is great,
card is great, — don’t know about wiring money abroad, never tried. BUT as soon as I called their
customer service they froze my account. They call it Hold.. If they are not sure it’s you, you’re a
That’s because I had no SSN, and mistaken my cousin’s land line number an identification
process. Plus they never bother to notify the ‘real customer’ (me) by any means, email, letter,
phone, nothing!. Seven week later my account is still on hold. Called a bunch of times. Sent a 10
page fax. No reply, Called with my cousin on a conference call. No way! They want another fax.
IT’S A NIGHTMARE!!
Paul Says
Wow, Thanks, your comment made me do some digging into the top 10 biggest banks…..
I assume the bigger the bank the safer you’ll because maybe the chances of a takeover
are less???
So I’ll try to hit them in this order Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Capital One and Finally
TD Bank which will be my last hope if all the above fails…. I’ll go with this webpage
bookmarked on my phone from their own website where they say it’s possible
https://www.tdbank.com/tdhelps/default.aspx/can-a-foreigner-non-us-or-canadian-citizen-
open-and-operate-a-td-bank/v/39129370/
I may actually consider opening an account in 2 separate banks and maintain them to be
safe from things like that Francesco….. Thanks for the heads up.
REPLY
ON SEPTEMBER 14, 2016 AT 5:52 AM
chen boda Says
Francesco, thank you. these are the things that people must know
Paul Says
I succeed in opening a Bank Account with Wells Fargo Georgia Avenue Branch in Washington
DC.
I was asked to provide a US Address but wasn’t asked for any proof of it. I wasn’t asked for proof
of my home address in Uganda either, but they did put it in the system. They also required a
telephone number and I provided my Google Voice number.
I even set up Internet and Mobile Banking and was given a temporary debit card. The permanent
one arrived at the US address i had listed within a week.
There is a $10 per month fee if I don’t use the debit card at least 10 times in a month or have a
minimum balance of $1500. But this pricing plan comes into effect after 60 days.
I actually opened a Savings account as well alongside the checking account.
The Internet Banking platform allows me to input travel Plans, so I guess this will ensure my card
isn’t rejected at the ATMs back home.
I was also told I could initiate a wire transfer to any account in the world but the fee is $40, I
guess I won’t do that for any transfers below $2000.
From my experience, when you call the branches to ask about opening accounts keep in mind
that the phone call is usually recorded so the representative won’t be at liberty to tell you what
they aren’t sure about and most probably tel you it’s impossible to open the account. But when
physically present at the branch you’ll most likely be assisted, you know these Bankers are
pressured to open as many accounts as possible.
Thanks for the update Paul! How is it working? I am still looking for an alternative. My
account is now back in operation but I discover I cannot make wire transfers from their
web banking. Completely nonsense if you live abroad or travel as I do. Compered to Well
Fargo, minimum at Capital One is much lesser: $300.
Paul Says
All is well, I’m able to transact at the local VISA enabled ATMs, get all my alerts for
transactions through the mobile app and emails. No complaints. I don’t think I’ll
need to wire money, the fee to wire money from WF is $40, i’d have to wire over
$12,000 to make the fee of $40 less than what i’d be charged in currency
conversion over the ATM + $5 Non WF ATM fee.
But i’d say WF is crap when it comes to phone customer service when you call the
branches but is OK when you call directly to the help line
rohit Says
hello , i need one help i am going to visit usa with family as a tourist , i think its not safe to carry cash
money , it is posible to open a bank account in usa, can you help me and guide me which bank is good
and which account is good if open i need to open for just 25 days ,and please guide me how to open .
thanks
Dan Says
Hello, just a quick message to thank you for your advice about opening bank accounts! I am a citizen of
the UK, and I flew to the US yesterday to open two bank accounts. I succeeded in doing so at the
Capital One bank next to Pennsylvania Station and a Citibank at the corner of W 112th Street and
Broadway.
Citi seems to be the best option by far, and I will be using this for business, and using the capital one
account as an account for spending personal money when in the US. The citigold account offers free
incoming wires and discounted outgoing wires. You can also access the whole thing online and also do
free wires between citi accounts anywhere in the world. Plus the fact you have a citi account in the US
will make it much easier to open a citi account in other countries.
It’s also worth pointing out that I spoke to citi on the phone before I came to the US and they said this
was impossible. They are wrong. Just use this blog, make sure to bring two personal IDs and a bank
statement with your home address with you, make sure you have a US mailing address and phone
number, and you should be absolutely fine.
Ashray Says
Thanks for stopping by and posting your experience Dan. I’m sure it’ll help a lot of the readers
here.
Francis Mutie Says
Am a kenyan and living here in kenya,can I be able to open and use a PayPal account?
Tracy Says
Hi, thank you for the detailed post! It helps a lot! I have a question here, since I’m holding two passports
of two different nations. Passport A has a USA visa, while passport B doesn’t. I’d like to open an
account using passport B, is that possible? Does the bank require a valid visa to open an account?
Thanks!
REPLY
ON OCTOBER 13, 2016 AT 8:29 AM
nik970 Says
Yes they need a valid visa or ESTA. In may case the cantacted me after opening the account and
asked for a copy.
nik970 Says
I just want to thank you for the valuable information provided with this article for opening an account.
In October i managed to open an account with CapitalOne Penn plaza next to Madison square garden
without issues.
We used our passport our id,s shown our names in english and a proof of address cooy of bank
statement in english and a US skype telephone number.
The person was very helpful and new about ssn issue and solution.
The same day we received the temporary debit card and 3days later the debit card with our names at
our hotel address.
Immediately had access at their web banking (using your tip for adding 9 9,s for ssn). Although debit
check with photo was not possible as system reads ip and we are not in Usa, i guess by changing
google account and or vpn we may be able to come through but not an issue for us.
Few days later though our bank contact called us requesting to provide copy of our visa and since we
were travelling with ESTA we have emailed copy of them and everything was set.
If you have 500 to open and 5000 average every month you may open a high yield checking account
which offers interest 0,4% first year and then 0,2% after first year. Also no account fees and they even
offer 15$ per month return for other banks atm fees.
That’s very interesting Nick970. Happy for you. Did you check if you can receive or send wire
transfer from your online banking? I am in you’re same position but not allowed to do. Thank you.
Francesco
Nik970 Says
Fransesco idoes not allow wire transfer. Anyhow it says that i ahould contact their
customer service. I dont need to wire transfer any amount for the moment hence i will
check in the future
Thanks Nick. Please keep me posted if you find the way with them to wire transfer.
I understand the customer service thing. My advise, if you have no ssn – make
sure you have all you need to be identified when you call them. I had a terrible
experience with them (sorry to say that). Also be aware they have branches in very
few States. Ciao!
Ashray Says
Thanks a lot for posting your experience here! Glad you were able to get setup in the US :)
REPLY
Ali Says
Hi Mr.Ashray
So What’s The Deal With A DV Lottery Winner (New Commer To USA But Still Not Received Green
Card Or SSN Yet)- So Is That Possible To Open a US Bank Account (At Capital One Or Bank Of
America)- Please Advise
,Thanks In Advance.
Ashray Says
You should be able to open an account at Capital One. However, you might need to show proof
of legal status like an entry stamp or some other paperwork.
Ali Says
Thank You Sir That Helped Me Much
brandon Says
they also now say that they need proof of were you are presently staying in the US. what
documents can one have of that if they are a tourist visiting
Ashray Says
You might want to try a different branch.
Hamidi Khalid Says
Thank you very much for your info. I successfully opened an account with Capital One in less than 30
minutes in Houston Texas.
brandon Says
I went to capital one and was told that I would have to have a residence adress from the US or a official
letter confirming the address that I reside at in the US (ny) presently. If I am a tourist how would I have
that. All other documents I have.
Alpha Says
Hi there. Thanks for the post. Is this the account that gives you really good rewards.
REPLY
Ashray Says
Not really. I don’t think it has any rewards as such.
Brandon Says
If the bank wants a US ad address could i give them the address of a friend that im staying with. Capital
One.
Ashray Says
Yes, you can. It’s usually just to mail your debit card to.
Brandon Says
Thanks.Going to capital one grand central station and madison garden tomorrow.will let you know how it
went
REPLY
Shege Says
I don’t have a US visa so cant travel there. Recently, Paypal stopped and removed bank accounts that
were linked via payoneer (said they were virtual). I have funds in my account and cannot withdraw
without a bank account. Is there any way I can open a bank account online?
REPLY
Ashray Says
No, you can’t open an account online due to bank regulations. It has to be in person. If you have
any American friend you could ask them to help you by withdrawing through their account.
Miha Says
Hi.
I’m just confused avout all the things that have been written here. Because I called like 50
banks and everyone declined me. The problem is always the same – no US pyshicall
address. So I really don’t know, how you succeed.
Anyway, did you open a personal account, or bussiness checking account? Maybe that’s
the difference, because i need a business account, for my company and maybe for this
kind of accounts, regulations are tougher. But you said you needed an account for doing
business, so you had to open business account, right?
Miha
Mariana Says
I just went to Wells Fargo and it was easy and fast to make my account. They just asked me for my
passpirt and driver’s licence and an inicial deposit of U$50. They charge you 3% on purchases made
abroad and U$5 on ATM cash taken when it’s made abroad.
REPLY
Fabricio Says
Hello Mariana,
Could you tell me the minimum balance to get free montly fee?
Thanks in advance!
REPLY
Miha Says
Are you a foreginer? Did you not need to give them an US residental address?
Paul Says
Interesting article. I will apply it when I visit US in next month. Thanks for sharing
Vijay Says
HI,
I dont have a drivers license, is it possible to open a account?
ZantheK Says
I am hoping that someone here can help me. I will be traveling to the USA next year (2017) in August on
a student scholarship. The scholarship providers will only pay my scholarship funds into an American
bank account. I will not be able to travel to the US before I arrive there to commence my studies I am
currently in South Africa. Is there a way I can open an American bank account prior to visiting the USA?
can anyone assist? Thanks in advance :)
Michael Says
Can confirm Wells fargo opened a account for me with little issue with a EU address. Problem for me is
without a USA phone number not many of the transfer options are available via online banking. Seems
google voice and other virtual numbers are no help as they send via short code numbers which only
work with USA carriers AT@T, sprint etc.
If anyone has found a workaround for this i would be interested in hearing about it.
Bob Says
So:
go: Wells Fargo, Capitol One, Citi Bank, TD Bank, Bank of America.
no-go: Chase, US Bank.
As for US phone number: sonetel.com (not free, they will mail txt to you and/or you can use their app.)
As for US mailing address: many mailforwarders.
Mano Chandra Dhas Says
Ashray, fantastic post. Thanks a ton. For those of you who need a USA telephone number, I would
recommend going to CallCentric.com for as little as $1.95 a month you can have a permanent USA
telephone number in the US State of your choice, or for that matter, anywhere in the world. Some
options may cost a little more. You could also get vanity numbers, if you are so inclined. You can really
also use that facility to make inexpensive calls anywhere in the world. I am based in Bogota, Colombia
and work with several USA companies. An hour’s call to Georgia may cost me just about $0.65.
Krisanne Says
I can confirm that bank of america will open an account for you no hassle. Just need two photo IDs
(passport, driver’s license, etc). An american address to mail your card to and an american phone
number. If you’re a student younger than 23 you won’t have to pay the $12 monthly maintenance fee.
You also won’t have to pay this fee if you maintain a daily balance of $1500. The deposit needed to
open the account is $25.
REPLY
There is yet another way to receive payments these days. Besides, by contacting Payoneer, you can set
up a way to have PayPal funds transferred to a Bank Account. Try this link:
https://www.payoneer.com/main
Fabricio Braz Says
You might consider open an account on a Credit Union. They seldom charge monthly fees, and they
always have the best interesting rate for credit. I’ve just open an account at Alliant Credit Union
(alliantcreditunion.org). It takes no more than 15 minutes without ssn, nor local phone number. A final
remark, it also gives me a 5 USD as a gift for opening with them.
Fabricio Braz Says
I forgot to mention, there was no minimum balance nor initial deposit.
Tiago Duarte Says
Fabricio,
did you open it in person or online?
If you opened online, how did you do it? I asks for a SSN and EIN.
norvic Says
Fabricio
how did u do it
they need ssn / US ID
thnx
Chi Hong Do Says
I am a US citizen who is retired. I currently live in Vietnam, my formmer home land. I used to live in US
for a long time, about 20 years.
I would like the US Social Security Administration deposit directly me retirement benefit to my Citibank
Account which I opened in this bank in HCM city instead of sending me the check.
However, The Social Security Administration said that It can not deposit directly to my above acount
because this account is not opened in US.
Now, can I open an account at a citibank in US without having to go back to US (because it is expensive
for me right now)?
The bank I need is Citibank, because it has its branch in HCM city, Vietnam.
Ashray Says
I don’t know anything about bank accounts for US citizens. I do believe that you can
open a Capital One 360 account online.
Beware Capital One doesn’t allow you to wire transfer online. Only at a branch, which they have in just
half dozen States, Plus if you are abroad you’re f***ed up!
Catalina Says
Hi, I actually do have a Capital One 360 account which I managed to open over the phone using a
relative’s address. I do have a SSN because I have worked in the US previously. It was very stressful
but I managed to do it. Now, this account is quite basic, and has limits for deposits (max 5,000) and
since things are going well I need an account with less limits (or no limits). I will be in the US in the
following months, does your Capital One account have these limits? Should I try maybe with a different
bank in case they close my current account because I used a US address?
Catalina, if you asking me, yes my account has got those deposit limits of $5,000 — I guess by month. I
did not go further with details as I was pissed off enough. My account was put on hold — and stayed
frozen for two months, just because they did not believe I was their customer on the phone. Since I do
not have a SSN. Proving I was the man was a nightmare. You might not have that issue as you have a
SSN. I am looking for an alternative and will close CO account as soon as I go the States. I assume I
can’t do it long distance..
Catalina Says
Ciao Francesco, I think I will try with other bank then. I don’t know if I will be able a business
account as I’m only a sole trader? I was reading into their business accounts info(there isn’t
much) and they mention “Included Monthly Currency Deposits” and it says $10,000 for the most
basic one. I have no idea what that means??? If I get more than 10,000 deposited (transferred
from my clients) I will be charged a fee?
Ciao Catalina, I think they mean you cannot deposit more than $10,000 a month and more
than $5,000 as a single deposit. Don’t know what to say, if you are supposed to pay a fee
in the case. Everything ok with the guy who opened the account. My american cousin
endorsed me and I used his address. Other than that their service is nonsense for a
foreigner! What nationality are you?
Ashray Says
Francesco, you can use transferwise to withdraw internationally from your Capital
One account. Also, it does accept deposits through wire transfer so that should not
be an issue.
Catalina Says
I also use Transferwise and it’s really the best rate I’ve been able to find,
even after enquiring specialist services. Ashray, can you please comment on
what I was asking before? Thank you.
Catalina Says
Sono peruviana, ma adesso abito a Inghilterra.
Good luck Catalina! If I find a good option I’ll let you know. Please update me about you, if you find
better banking.. Suerte!
Hi Catalina and Francesco. You can also work with a Payoneer Card. It is owned and operated by the
First Century Bank in the USA. You can use the Card facilities to invoice a client anywhere in the world.
The Bank will provide you with a MasterCard Debit Card. Their Admin charges per month is only $2.00
You can use the Card with any organisation/supplier that accepts a MasterCard or use the Card in any
ATM machine that accepts a MasterCard. You can apply for the Card from anywhere in the world. I also
recently found out that you can link your PayPal account to the Card and transfer funds from PayPal to
the Card at no extra cost. If you send me your Email Address, I can arrange for an invitation to the Card
services. My email address is mcd@coromandel.co
Check your email
Mano..
Catalina Says
Hi Mano, I used to have a Payoneer account until three years ago when I closed it. I don’t trust
that company. My card somehow got cloned and all my money was taken from another country
apparently (it didn’t have a chip back then, although chips were already in place. I don’t know
about now). I called Payoneer, cancelled the card and filled out all the required forms to get a
refund (it’s a Mastercard card and it’s covered by their policies). After waiting for like a month,
they replied saying they could offer me 1/4 of the amount taken as “a good will gesture”. I told
them about Mastercard’s policies and they just didn’t care. I googled about it and found people
who had had the same bad experience and I contacted someone who had got the issue solved
by making a complain to the BBB. So I followed his advice and did it as well. Payoneer paid up
the full amount shortly after that and I closed my account as soon as I was able to open another
one in the UK. I’d said beware of that company.
Ashray – I’ll check Transferwise as well. Thanks for the tips. F
Hi Catalina. Sorry to hear about your bad experience with Payoneer. I work part time as a photographer,
and I opted to use the Card with iStock by Getty, with whom I am an Exclusive Contributor. As you may
know iStock is owned by Getty Images. I trust they will not use fly-by-night operators. I get monthly
payments from iStock through the Card. I have also been paid by Alamy.com and FineArtAmerica.com
through the Card, either through PayPal or through the Bank Account linked to the Card. I have been
using the Card regularly for 4 years now and have had absolutely no bad experience either with the
Card or the Bank.
Please do note that I am not an agent of Payoneer, or the Bank. I am just sharing information on the
excellent experience I have had with the Card Programme.
Catalina Says
Hi Mano, I’m sure that like you there are many other satisfied Payoneer customers, and I just
wish that you never get to experience what happened to me. Just Google “Payoneer cloned card”
and you’ll find different stories, some from 2016. Payoneer is not a bank, it’s a money service
business.
Hi Catalina. Thank you for the information. Payoneer is not a Bank; but it is owned by the First Century
Bank in the USA. When you have a Payoneer Card, it is possible to receive payments through three
Bank Accounts that will be linked to the Card. Payoneer sets up the Accounts through First Century
Bank, Bank of America, or Community Federal Savings Bank – all USA Banks. I have had PayPal
payments moved to my Card Account with no additional charges, from either PayPal or the Card
Account. Everyone knows how notoriously expensive PayPal transactions generally are. Again, I am
only sharing my own pleasant experience.
Christian Says
Just wanted to say thank you Ashray ! This article is so useful. I will try all of this from tomorrow and I
will keep you posted.
Thanks !
Ana Says
Hi Ashray, thank you for the article and the community for sharing your experiences. I live in Venezuela
and I want to sell in etsy the things that I elaborate, I understand that I can receive the payments via
paypal, create the account there but I do not have and account in the USA, how can I withdraw that
money?
michael manu Says
I am from Ghana. I want to be in Ghana and bank with you. can I do business with you?. and is there
any challenges or risks involve when saving abroad?.
Alex Says
How to withdraw from Paypal to my bank account in USD ? (without being taxed)
All my client are online, and they all pay me in USD to my Paypal account.
My current Paypal account is Australian and my bank account is Australian. Paypal forces me to
withdraw currency in AUD at their market rate which is always 2.5% at least, i only need currency in
USD so i am then forced to AGAIN exchange the AUD back to USD and lose even more money. What i
need is whatever setup is required to not lose money on this conversion. For example if i could find a
country where i can open a bank account and paypal account, earn in USD, withdraw that money still in
USD to that bank, then wire transfer that money to Lebanon also in USD then i wouldn’t lose any money
on the conversion. I need to also make sure whatever country i open in doesn’t charge me tax since i
dont live or work there.
I am Australian but I’m currently living in Lebanon. I dont mind traveling to any country and making
whatever arrangements, i just need something that work, find me a solution please. How can i withdraw
USD funds from my paypal account to to a bank account and still keep them in USD?
Note:i deal with $10,000+ monthly volumes
Fabricio Corbo Says
https://youtu.be/uVx5kX7f1Ek
Hi Alex. Try this…
Alex Says
Try what?
REPLY
Ashray Says
You could go to the US and setup a US bank account. Any Paypal account can withdraw in USD
to a US bank account. Then, you could either use this account or use Transferwise to withdraw
from it to your own country at a much more favourable exchange rate using ACH Pull.
Alex Says
thanks for responding! Wouldn’t i be liable with the IRS for US tax? Or am i not tax liable
since I’m not from the USA nor is my company? A lot of my client are from the USA
though, what do you think?
I dont mind flying there.
esfandyar Says
hi
if a forieghner could open an account in a usa bank,how could he or she get new debit card (after the
first debit card expiration) outside usa.
best regard Esfandyar
Ashray Says
The card is mailed to your address so you’ll get it by regular post.
jonatan Says
Similar to your experience: I was in the US as a tourist, with my Dutch passport/ESTA visa. While there I
wanted to open a US account since my parents live there and I do some expenses for them while
abroad, and they wish to pay me back. We figured a US account would be the best option. We went to
CItizens bank in PA (near my parents address) and they said that without a SSN it would be impossible.
As we walked out of the bank the teller called me back to say he found a way around the SSN but it
would not allow me to have online banking. I was skeptical but placing a little faith in the bank whent
along. And surely I have a US bank account but cannot access online banking because it requires a
SSN or TIN. I will try the 9-9s next time I can and let you know if this worked. Unfortunatly, I know live in
PEru and have tried to use the debit card, which has been blocked. I am not sure why that is but
hopefully a phone call could fix the problem. Has anyone else tried the 9-9s as a SSN?? any luck?
Akhil V Says
Just got a checking account opened at Capitol One, Park Ave, NYC. It was effortless. and took all of 20
minutes. They took copies of my Indian passport, bank statement of my Indian bank account and credit
card statement. Didn’t get a temporary debit card though, they said they’ll mail the permanent one to the
US mailing address that I provided. Also was asked to set up internet banking 24 hours later.
Thanks for this post! Helped a great deal.
G. Daniel Says
For all those that can not be in in the USA, the best alternative is the Payonneer card / Account. I have
used this card for 4 years without any problem. So sad about those that their cards were cloned. This is
not exclusive to Payoneer. Any card can be cloned and money stolen. Just be careful where and how
you use your card.
Chen Boda Says
you can also get a u.s number from callcentric if you dont have any u.s number. no verification codes
necesary.
Gregory Says
URGENT Please help me. I’ve just arrived in New York (for one more working day tomorrow Friday
10.3.2017) and successfully opened a Capital One checking and savings account but I can’t register for
Capital One on-line banking using nine “9″s as my Social Security number. (the guy at the bank did warn
me I wouldn’t until I had a s.s.number, I didn’t discuss the nine “9″s with him of course)
I am using a laptop and tried both Chrome and I.E. (also tried after clearing history,cache and cookies)
but it still gives me the following error, “We’re sorry, but we could not find you. Please check your
information and try again.”
Does anyone know the work-around for this please this URGENTLY (I leave the USA this weekend).
kind regards,
Greg
Ashray Says
Hi Gregory
I don’t really know what you can do in this case. I would suggest that you try opening a bank
account at a different bank if you need online banking services. Capital one online banking is
mostly good for viewing your balance and recent transactions and not much else (if you don’t
have an SSN). You could potentially do this over the phone or by looking at ATM statements.
Matias Says
Hi Gregory! What happened with your 9 – 9´s problem?? Could you make it work?? All this
information is great but will be useless for me if I cannot access to my account online. Thank you!
Craig Says
Thank You for this detailed information, i am going to give it a go at Capital One in New York on my next
trip. I am from the UK but I travel all over the USA at least 10 days a month with my work and would love
to have access to a USA account for my us spending and also do a bit of online shopping as i am really
having major issues with my UK cards getting declined. I will let you know how i get on, at least there
are a few branches i can try in New York. Really hope the work around for online banking still works but
not a major issue if not. Thanks again, i really do appreciate the time and details that you have put into
this.
Lloyd Says
First of all a big ‘thank you’ to Ashray and everybody else here who’s advice has helped me get a US
bank a/c.
Earlier this month I walked into a Wells Fargo in Phoenix armed with all the paperwork this blog
recommends and opened a standard checking account with very little hassle.
All they really wanted to see was my passport and one proof of my UK address. Earlier in the day I had
opened a mailbox at a UPS shop for them to send my debit card to. On the day they gave me a
temporary card that I could use until the permanent one arrived (took about a week). Once I had the
permanent card I tried to sign up for online banking but had some problems. However I went to a local
WF branch and they helped me set it up really quickly and there was no need for a social security
number either.
So I now have the account, online banking and even a phone app!
Thanks again.
Michael Howard Says
Had a similar experience to you and ended up closing the account a year later fwiw.
With a foreign address you can’t send wires and without a usa phone number you can’t make
use of surepay or similar money transfer options. People will say you can get cheap USA
numbers to obtain the verification codes but they are short codes and don’t work with any sort of
USA phone number outsourcing service such as telzio. The number has to be a on a USA carrier
such as AT&T otherwise the verification codes get blocked.
Catalina Says
I can recommend getting a magic jack phone. I got it delivered to my sister’s house in the
USA and she set it up for me. Then you can just use the app from wherever you are and
works as a mobile so you can get and send sms from the app. I don’t mind paying the
annual fee as i use the phone to keep in touch with my family at no additional cost for calls
to the USA and Canada.
Ashray Says
Perhaps I just got lucky but verification shortcodes from Capital One work fine with my
Google Voice number. Just another data point to add. A lot of verification codes (even
Uber) don’t work with virtual numbers so it’ll depend on the bank and the system they use.
Wires are a hassle (I haven’t done any) but payments via ACH pull or just using the debit
card online work fine.
Lloyd Says
Just to add; the person I dealt with didn’t ask for a W-8BEN form and, in fact, when I offered it seemed a
little confused as to what it was :-)
Ceka Says
Hello! Thanks for the post! I have tried to read all the comments, I could not find an answer to the
question in my mind. So here I go! I used to live in USA and I have an SSN. I have a visit coming up
next month and I want to open a bank account in San Francisco, just to have a debit card with US billing
address. I have encountered some online shopping problems with my foreign credit cards. I want to put
money when I need, WF to require 1500$ is huge for me. As I recall, such an amount is not required
from people who lives in USA, right? So can I open a bank account with my SSN and use an US
address will they still consider me as a foreign resident?
Lloyd Says
Hi Ceka
In the case of Wells Fargo the minimum deposit to avoid the $10 per month charge wasn’t based
on nationality or country of residence. Everybody pays it it if they don’t maintain an average
$1500 balance or use the debit card 10 times per month (ATM transactions not included).
HTH
Catalina Says
Hi, maybe you should try with Capital One instead. They don’t have a monthly payment to keep
the account. I also have a SSN and used my sister’s US address, but I did it while I wasn’t in the
US (online / on the phone) so they asked me A LOT of questions, like what’s the closest
university to my house and what’s the closest hospital and what street intersects in the corner of
the house, etc. So I was extremely nervous, but got it in the end. Oh, they also asked for a bill on
my name, and I presented a rental agreement between my sister and me. I don’t know if you go
to the branch and try to sign up with a US address maybe they’ll also ask for utility bills on your
name under that address.
Rashmi Says
Hey Ashray, like several others here, I stumbled upon your website when I was looking to open a bank
account in the US. I read this post very many times, meticulously and took inspiration from it to visit 5
banks. Finally, TD Bank near University Place in NYC helped me open an account yesterday! Hakeem
Qasim, the manager at TD Bank was tremendously helpful.
I’m thankful to you for writing this post. I enjoyed reading some of your other posts as well. Happy
journeys and stays to you and your wife!
Moot Says
I was able to just open an account today at Wells Fargo (Wilson Ave, Glendale). Annabel was very
helpful! She just needed my passport and a credit card with my name with a VISA stamp. It was very
fast.
There is a monthly service fee of $10. It can be avoided if:

- maintain a minimum daily balance of $1,500
- qualifying direct deposits totaling of $500 or more
- 10 or more posted debit card purchases or posted debit card payments. Transactions at ATM are not
included
moot Says
I forgot to mention a big plus for Wells Fargo is to be able to wire to/from my home country bank.
Howard Says
Hi moot
Did you give a US address for the account that you will change or you own foreign
address? I went through the same process giving a temp US address then changing to my
EU home address. If your address is not in the states you can not send wires of any kind
confirmed that with them. Can receive and send surepay but need a US phone number on
a US carrier not one of those digital numbers.
Hope you have a better experience than me ended up closing it in frustration a year later.
Moot Says
I just applied for Express Send / remittance service of Wells Fargo. This is limited
to some countries. I also got a tourist SIM prepaid plan (3 weeks expiry) from T-
mobile to validate my adding of Wells Fargo checking account to Paypal.
moot Says
I just discovered that Groove IP (Android only) can receive SMS from Wells
Fargo shortcode. You need to buy credits (~2USD) to enable the feature.
The application right now is pending because for some reason the
beneficiary name (my name) is incorrect (maybe add the middle name). :)
I am also using Abra to withdraw / deposit from / to Wells Fargo / my bank

account in the Philippines.
moot Says
CORRECTION: I just discovered that ABRA does not support Wells Fargo
even if they claim to! They also have very BAD SERVICE!
Rachael Says
Hi there, I have been reading all the questions and answers with interest here and think a non-resident
US account would suit my own purposes as well, so many thanks for the helpful info. Is it possible to
pay taxes in the US as a non-resident as well?
Ashray Says
Hi Rachael
You’d only be required to pay taxes in the US if you were to be tax resident there. Otherwise,
please continue to pay taxes wherever you are normally resident. Hope this helps!
Damien Says
I can confirm that this method still works with Capital One on 750 Third Ave. (46th St.). The process took
about 20 minutes. I installed the Capital One app immediately when the Rep asked me if I wanted
internet banking. On trying both the iOS and Android versions of the app, the iOS version is more
polished.
You are given a Essential Checking account, which has various fees.
I also visited a TD Bank branch on 910 8th Ave in an attempt to open an account, but they told me that I
needed proof of address, even after showing them the link that was posted in this thread. The
receptionist stressed that the non-US person must be a resident, and recommended that I try Santander
T_T.
Dana Says
Maybe someone is interested in opening bank account for business. I found one good company
Confidus Solutions (http://www.confiduss.com/en/jurisdictions/the-united-states/business/bank-account-
opening/). I would like to mention that people have to be careful with building their bank credit history.
praise daniel Says
i had ssn while i was temporarily working in US, i a non resident, and had left US back to my home
country about ten years ago, is it lawful to use that SSN for opening a non-resident account US. I
currently have no US address, is it ok to use my friend’s own.Thank so much for the info on your site.
Subham Kumar Says
Hi Ashray,
I need advice from you i have registered my company in florida agency and i also have EIN no but i
operate my business from India and till now i have not shown my company address in us it is still in
India. Is it possible for me to open a USA bank account without going to USA. if there is online business
account facilty is also available then also it will work. please let me know your Advice.
Ashray Says
Hi Shubham
There might be a way through Stripe Atlas or something like that but I don’t know if any bank can
open an account remotely. Do you have a personal bank account in the US, already? There are
some lawyers who can get this type of stuff done but I don’t know them.
franklyn Says
urgent please I just arrived the states would it be possible to walk into a bank to get an account for a
wire transfer without having to open an account myself and as soon as the money reflects I would be
given the cash
Ashray Says
No, you’re better off using Western Union for that kind of thing.
Vasundara Says
How can I open a current account in any of the Banks in US without my physical presence in the branch.
I am from India but will not be able to travel to US, but want to open a current account. I can visit the
MNC Bank branches that are in India currently, submit whatever documents are required and do all the
formalities here. Kindly advise which bank can give me this facility.
REPLY
Ashray Says
It might not be possible without visiting the US. There are options for corporate accounts (Stripe
Atlas) but none for personal accounts that I know of.
Vasundara Says
I wanted to open a Current / Business Banking Account in a US Bank.
Although, I have my business registered in US but unable to complete all the verification
process physically as I am in India.
Kindly share the procedure, documents required and the other relevant details for opening
a Current / Business Banking Account.
Please, let me know if I can visit any of the Bank branches in India and go ahead with the
procedure.
Daniel Says
Hi! Next week i ll be in NYC to open a bank account.. which branch you suggest? I have an EIN for my
LLC but not SSN neither ITIN.. thanks
Ashray Says
Just walk into a few different banks and see which one works for you. Banks are present in high
densities in Manhattan so you’ll find a number of banks within a single block or two.
daniel Says
Hi Ashray! thanks for your prompt reply! I ve been told i need also an Itin number and an
address in US in order to open an account? is it correct? thanks
Ashray Says
No, that’s not correct. You may need an address to receive mail so a friend’s
address would do. An ITIN is not a requirement.
REPLY
Marissa Says
I don’t know if everyone will have this option available, but have you checked the Transferwise
Borderless account? I was able to open an USD account on my name through them. You can also open
EUR and GBP accounts and receive payments. You can then send the money to your local bank
account.
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26/1/2018 How to open a US Bank Account as a Tourist / Non Resident | Backpack Me

HI, WE’RE A&Z!

We quit the corporate world, sold our

TRAVEL WITH A&Z

Backpack ME’s MEGA Xmas

Although it is possible to remotely open a bank account in the US through a

type in what you're looking for

and the ones which do agree, will be a little hit or miss.

I visited Chase, Santander, Popular Community Bank, and Capital One on my

Mir vilayath Hussain on

Diego Johnson on NORTH

Dolly Singh on 17 Most

Rana Jayant on Best

umar arshad on Why I left

Capital One Bank in Brooklyn

The Shooting Star

Eventually, she ended up typing in my foreign address with Brooklyn and a

- A welcome pack with details of charges, terms, etc.

All I needed to open the account was:

Cute Capital One debit card

Finally I can work with US companies that aren’t necessarily setup to do

HOW TO GET A US BILLING ADDRESS ON YOUR

HOW TO WITHDRAW INTERNATIONALLY FROM

almost a 3% currency conversion fee. That’s convenient, but expensive. The

If you have questions, please feel free to ask in the comments!

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REPLY ON AUGUST 17, 2015 AT 10:21 AM

REPLY ON AUGUST 29, 2015 AT 8:50 PM

Did you have to apply for TIN #

REPLY ON SEPTEMBER 7, 2016 AT 4:20 PM

No, it wasn’t required.

REPLY ON AUGUST 29, 2016 AT 9:40 PM

REPLY ON OCTOBER 29, 2016 AT 2:37 PM

Carlos comentame algo de tu experiencia por favor. Pudiste abrirla?

REPLY ON SEPTEMBER 3, 2015 AT 4:54 PM

REPLY ON SEPTEMBER 4, 2015 AT 11:36 AM

Oh, and sorry, but a crucial question:

REPLY ON SEPTEMBER 24, 2015 AT 8:49 PM

REPLY ON SEPTEMBER 25, 2015 AT 6:33 AM

Great and very useful postings !

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ON OCTOBER 23, 2015 AT 11:56 PM

Brent Joseph Says

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Mike Johnson Says

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Ankit Pandey Says

REPLY ON NOVEMBER 17, 2015 AT 11:52 AM

REPLY ON NOVEMBER 17, 2015 AT 12:19 PM

REPLY ON AUGUST 7, 2016 AT 8:54 PM

May I as what branch of Capital One you went to? Cheers.

REPLY ON NOVEMBER 19, 2015 AT 5:43 AM

REPLY ON NOVEMBER 24, 2015 AT 8:23 AM

REPLY ON DECEMBER 14, 2015 AT 2:39 AM

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ON DECEMBER 14, 2015 AT 2:27 PM