U.S Bank Account
Oct 11th 2007, 10:55 pm
#16
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Joined: May 2006
Location: Beautiful California
Posts: 90
Re: U.S Bank Account
i like Washington Mutual 
my husband waited until he was here going through processing before we set up our joint account.
my husband waited until he was here going through processing before we set up our joint account.
Oct 12th 2007, 5:53 am
#18
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 70
Re: U.S Bank Account
Thanks for your info, i will contact them and see how i get on. I have also heard that if you are rejected by banks a few times this goes like a black mark against you, thats just my luck instead of worrying that i have no credit rating for when we move over, i probably will have black marks against my name.
Oct 12th 2007, 7:39 am
#19
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 52
Re: U.S Bank Account
I'm guessing that is you are all above board most banks will deal with you, particularly if your company will be depositing your wages directly. Seems like everybodies experiences are different though - I was warned away from the smaller banks towards the big ones for exactly the same reason tinalise found the smaller ones to be better. Go figure!!
Oct 12th 2007, 12:38 pm
#20
Gone but not forgotten. RIP
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 1,570
Re: U.S Bank Account
Can someone please give me some advice or point me in the right direction.
First of all i am a u.s.c living in the u.k and have done for the majority of my life, i am in the process of moving back to the states with my family and getting all relevant documentation together.
But i am having bother opening a U.S bank account without being in the states. I have a S.S.N and passport. I have phoned the The Bank of America and US HSBC, but still no luck!
I have heard that people open accounts, but how do they do this and what bank did they use.
Just that i cant afford to travel over there at this time.
Thank for any hel given
cheers
First of all i am a u.s.c living in the u.k and have done for the majority of my life, i am in the process of moving back to the states with my family and getting all relevant documentation together.
But i am having bother opening a U.S bank account without being in the states. I have a S.S.N and passport. I have phoned the The Bank of America and US HSBC, but still no luck!
I have heard that people open accounts, but how do they do this and what bank did they use.
Just that i cant afford to travel over there at this time.
Thank for any hel given
cheers
Oct 12th 2007, 3:21 pm
#21
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Joined: Aug 2004
Location: MA, USA
Posts: 92,170
Re: U.S Bank Account
Edit: I'm not crazy, there's three brances of HSBC in Boston. - Federal St, High St, Congree St area.
Last edited by Bob; Oct 12th 2007 at 3:23 pm.
Oct 12th 2007, 3:31 pm
#22
Militant Ginger
Joined: Feb 2007
Location: Wrong Side of the Hudson River
Posts: 2,311
Re: U.S Bank Account
I think a lot depends on who you bank with in the UK and who you approach in the US.
If you bank with HSBC in the UK contact their International Division by phone - they should be able to get you all the forms you need and you can fill everything in BEFORE you go to the US and when you get there you will, in theory, have everything pre-approved and ready to go. Takes a few weeks though so if you are leaving soon just wait and walk into a bank there.
Failing that - I walked out of an HSBC branch in the US with a bank account, temporary check book and the ability to transfer funds same day I got a US address. I believe you will get pretty much the same service from any of the US national banks - forget the smaller ones.
Oh....HSBC have an account specially designed to help build up a credit rating quicker but I didn't pursue it so can't tell you much about it.
If you bank with HSBC in the UK contact their International Division by phone - they should be able to get you all the forms you need and you can fill everything in BEFORE you go to the US and when you get there you will, in theory, have everything pre-approved and ready to go. Takes a few weeks though so if you are leaving soon just wait and walk into a bank there.
Failing that - I walked out of an HSBC branch in the US with a bank account, temporary check book and the ability to transfer funds same day I got a US address. I believe you will get pretty much the same service from any of the US national banks - forget the smaller ones.
Oh....HSBC have an account specially designed to help build up a credit rating quicker but I didn't pursue it so can't tell you much about it.
We ended up closing it and going with Bank of America.
Oct 12th 2007, 5:35 pm
#23
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 70
Re: U.S Bank Account
Just an update and to let peeps know what i have found out, maybe this can help someone in the same situation.
I have made an appointment to see an advisor at the royal bank of scotland, appeared to be very helpful. They said that they are part of citizen bank in the U.S and i can open up a dollor account and a royal bank account and that way i can transferre funds whenever it suits me.
Although i still havent had alot of my questions answered at this moment like, credit score ect. i hope to find this out at the appointment, hey they may even have a better idea, maybe wishful thinking there!
Thanks for all help given, cheers, it means alot.
I have made an appointment to see an advisor at the royal bank of scotland, appeared to be very helpful. They said that they are part of citizen bank in the U.S and i can open up a dollor account and a royal bank account and that way i can transferre funds whenever it suits me.
Although i still havent had alot of my questions answered at this moment like, credit score ect. i hope to find this out at the appointment, hey they may even have a better idea, maybe wishful thinking there!
Thanks for all help given, cheers, it means alot.
Oct 12th 2007, 6:25 pm
#24
Gone but not forgotten. RIP
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 1,570
Re: U.S Bank Account
Just an update and to let peeps know what i have found out, maybe this can help someone in the same situation.
I have made an appointment to see an advisor at the royal bank of scotland, appeared to be very helpful. They said that they are part of citizen bank in the U.S and i can open up a dollor account and a royal bank account and that way i can transferre funds whenever it suits me.
Although i still havent had alot of my questions answered at this moment like, credit score ect. i hope to find this out at the appointment, hey they may even have a better idea, maybe wishful thinking there!
Thanks for all help given, cheers, it means alot.
I have made an appointment to see an advisor at the royal bank of scotland, appeared to be very helpful. They said that they are part of citizen bank in the U.S and i can open up a dollor account and a royal bank account and that way i can transferre funds whenever it suits me.
Although i still havent had alot of my questions answered at this moment like, credit score ect. i hope to find this out at the appointment, hey they may even have a better idea, maybe wishful thinking there!
Thanks for all help given, cheers, it means alot.
I asked at Bank of America this lunchtime.
If you have not lived in the USA for years and years they want you sat in front of them when you open the account. They also want you to have proof of residence, SSN etc etc with you at the time.
Oct 12th 2007, 7:01 pm
#25
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 70
Re: U.S Bank Account
hey i know, tried to open an account with the bank of america. Gave a u.s address and my ssn and got a e-mail asking to give them a phone, which i did lol, the guy at the other end probably thought i was off my head when i explained that i couldnt come into the branch as i was in scotland.
I have spoken to a few american banks now and they all say they will open an account for me only if i go to their branch.
So as i was saying maybe the royal bank of scotland/ citizen bank of america can help, fingers crossed. I will tell all when i know more!
I have spoken to a few american banks now and they all say they will open an account for me only if i go to their branch.
So as i was saying maybe the royal bank of scotland/ citizen bank of america can help, fingers crossed. I will tell all when i know more!
Oct 12th 2007, 7:09 pm
#26
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Re: U.S Bank Account
Oh and by the way on the note of HSBC, after speaking to them today and they did ask where i would be moving to, i did state Massachusetts. Their reply was "oh we dont have many branches in Massachsetts, we have more branches in the west than in the east" or something similar to that.
That was the best advice they could give me and " once you are in the U.S you can open an account"
That was the best advice they could give me and " once you are in the U.S you can open an account"
Oct 12th 2007, 7:11 pm
#27
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Re: U.S Bank Account
Oh and by the way on the note of HSBC, after speaking to them today and they did ask where i would be moving to, i did state Massachusetts. Their reply was "oh we dont have any branches in Massachsetts, we have more branches in the west than in the east" or something similar to that.
That was the best advice they could give me and " once you are in the U.S you can open an account"
That was the best advice they could give me and " once you are in the U.S you can open an account"
Oct 13th 2007, 12:07 am
#28
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Joined: Aug 2007
Location: Maine
Posts: 2,043
Re: U.S Bank Account
Oh and by the way on the note of HSBC, after speaking to them today and they did ask where i would be moving to, i did state Massachusetts. Their reply was "oh we dont have any branches in Massachsetts, we have more branches in the west than in the east" or something similar to that.
That was the best advice they could give me and " once you are in the U.S you can open an account"
That was the best advice they could give me and " once you are in the U.S you can open an account"
This time my husband opened an account with a local bank as soon as he arrived, and just used UK credit/debit cards till the US bank account was up and running.
It will take you months to build up your credit rating anyway.
BTW if you're transferring funds check the rates with people like InterchangeFX, World First, Moneycorp, XETrade before you get your bank to do a transfer direct. If you phone around you should be able to get better exchange rates. You will have to open a trading account with whoever you use, which is worth doing now while you have lots of documentation to show where you live, who you are, etc, rather than waiting till you're in the US.
We just got $2.037 to the £1 from InterchangeFX.
Oct 13th 2007, 2:31 am
#29
Militant Ginger
Joined: Feb 2007
Location: Wrong Side of the Hudson River
Posts: 2,311
Re: U.S Bank Account
Not a bad observation. Over in England we take our banks for granted, whereas these small jobbies in America can fold over and take your money with 'em.
Small banks = more risk.
Yes, I know Rushman, I'm observing another 'thing about America that isn't as good as England.'
But I had authentic pizza for lunch today and DAMN that stuff in England doesn't measure up!
Small banks = more risk.
Yes, I know Rushman, I'm observing another 'thing about America that isn't as good as England.'
But I had authentic pizza for lunch today and DAMN that stuff in England doesn't measure up!
Oct 22nd 2007, 11:53 pm
#30
Just Joined
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 27
Re: U.S Bank Account
Oh and by the way on the note of HSBC, after speaking to them today and they did ask where i would be moving to, i did state Massachusetts. Their reply was "oh we dont have any branches in Massachsetts, we have more branches in the west than in the east" or something similar to that.
There are actually relatively few on the West Coast.
Their website has a branch locator.
Regards
Sunil