Moving to San Diego,CA USA
Aug 23rd 2017, 11:46 pm
#16
Joined: Dec 2001
Location: Dixie, ex UK
Posts: 52,439
Re: Moving to San Diego,CA USA
For opening a bank account you will need the following:
1. 2 pieces of ID - one of which must be a government issued one with a photo - your passport or driving license should work and they must be in English;
2. An address. Banks and branches seem to vary on this one. If you have a US address, then great bring the lease or whatever along, If you don't then you can use your work address so bring something with that address on it with your name. A verification of employment letter is perfect. You can sometimes use a friend's address. It has been suggested on BE that you can get a PO mailbox and just make it look like a regular street address. However, I have heard from colleagues in the last few weeks that some banks are checking the address online and not accepting these addresses. It really should be a proper residential address. At a push some banks will use your UK address provided you have a utility/tax bill to prove it is your address. Bear in mind that the address is needed to get the account approved, once it is approved you can change it. The approval is done instantly in the branch and is a federal requirement for opening the acccount.
3. Unless you have your social security number you can only get non-interest bearing accounts.
4. Most banks will charge for having the account and most of them will waive the fees if you are getting your salary paid in by direct deposit. You should ask for an account that does this.
Hoenstly, you shouldn't have too much trouble getting a bank account but sometimes you get junior staff that can't cope with a foreigner. Either ask to speak to a manager or go to another bank/branch.
1. 2 pieces of ID - one of which must be a government issued one with a photo - your passport or driving license should work and they must be in English;
2. An address. Banks and branches seem to vary on this one. If you have a US address, then great bring the lease or whatever along, If you don't then you can use your work address so bring something with that address on it with your name. A verification of employment letter is perfect. You can sometimes use a friend's address. It has been suggested on BE that you can get a PO mailbox and just make it look like a regular street address. However, I have heard from colleagues in the last few weeks that some banks are checking the address online and not accepting these addresses. It really should be a proper residential address. At a push some banks will use your UK address provided you have a utility/tax bill to prove it is your address. Bear in mind that the address is needed to get the account approved, once it is approved you can change it. The approval is done instantly in the branch and is a federal requirement for opening the acccount.
3. Unless you have your social security number you can only get non-interest bearing accounts.
4. Most banks will charge for having the account and most of them will waive the fees if you are getting your salary paid in by direct deposit. You should ask for an account that does this.
Hoenstly, you shouldn't have too much trouble getting a bank account but sometimes you get junior staff that can't cope with a foreigner. Either ask to speak to a manager or go to another bank/branch.
(i) Your name
(ii) Your address
(iii) Your date of birth, and
(iv) a "government issued ID number", for which the default is a US Social Security Number, and if you don't have one (yet) that is the thing that inexperienced bank branch staff are most likely to get wrong, because an SSN isn't required either by the USA PATRIOT Act, or the IRS (unless the account pays interest). ..... A passport number is sufficient for non-interest-paying accounts, as is a drivers license number - but many bank branch staff aren't aware of that fact.
Last edited by Jerseygirl; Aug 25th 2017 at 4:52 pm. Reason: Requested by Mr P
Aug 25th 2017, 12:39 pm
#17
Forum Regular
Joined: Dec 2011
Location: Poway, CA
Posts: 115
Re: Moving to San Diego,CA USA
Wise words. I work for Sony in Rancho Bernardo who are affiliated with The North County Credit Union (previously SSDEFCU). They were invaluable in getting me a credit card when nobody else would and getting me started in establishing a credit history.
Sep 10th 2017, 1:35 am
#18
Just Joined
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 25
Re: Moving to San Diego,CA USA
Enjoy San Diego, it's pretty great
