Form for opening a bank account without SSN
Jul 10th 2003, 6:14 pm
#16
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Oct 2002
Location: Wales, UK
Posts: 1,216
Kariml.............cool on the degree :-)............Funny how it varies from state to state. Pete had no problem getting a debit card.......of course for the amount of money he deposited they were ready to kiss his feet, lol.........We went to my local bank to get everything. Sometimes having the manager know you and having a small town bank (a rarity these days) helps.
Previously when we tried another bank the employee was quite rude about insisting that she could not open an account without a SSN. I even called our Ex-Pats Dept here where I work to try and get asisstance because we seemed to be hitting a brick wall at the time. The girl in the Ex-Pats Department (we have a lot of employees that come in temporarily from overseas) told me that it is a big problem everytime she tries to assist an employee in opening an account. She goes through one main bank here in Atlanta and has to liason with a certain person each time because no one else understands what she is trying to do and insists it can't be done.
Cheers,
Leslie
Previously when we tried another bank the employee was quite rude about insisting that she could not open an account without a SSN. I even called our Ex-Pats Dept here where I work to try and get asisstance because we seemed to be hitting a brick wall at the time. The girl in the Ex-Pats Department (we have a lot of employees that come in temporarily from overseas) told me that it is a big problem everytime she tries to assist an employee in opening an account. She goes through one main bank here in Atlanta and has to liason with a certain person each time because no one else understands what she is trying to do and insists it can't be done.
Cheers,
Leslie
Jul 10th 2003, 6:18 pm
#17
Howling at the Moon
Joined: Oct 2002
Location: Incline Village, NV
Posts: 3,742
Originally posted by Scout
Kariml.............cool on the degree :-)............Funny how it varies from state to state. Pete had no problem getting a debit card.......of course for the amount of money he deposited they were ready to kiss his feet, lol.........We went to my local bank to get everything. Sometimes having the manager know you and having a small town bank (a rarity these days) helps.
Previously when we tried another bank the employee was quite rude about insisting that she could not open an account without a SSN. I even called our Ex-Pats Dept here where I work to try and get asisstance because we seemed to be hitting a brick wall at the time. The girl in the Ex-Pats Department (we have a lot of employees that come in temporarily from overseas) told me that it is a big problem everytime she tries to assist an employee in opening an account. She goes through one main bank here in Atlanta and has to liason with a certain person each time because no one else understands what she is trying to do and insists it can't be done.
Cheers,
Leslie
Kariml.............cool on the degree :-)............Funny how it varies from state to state. Pete had no problem getting a debit card.......of course for the amount of money he deposited they were ready to kiss his feet, lol.........We went to my local bank to get everything. Sometimes having the manager know you and having a small town bank (a rarity these days) helps.
Previously when we tried another bank the employee was quite rude about insisting that she could not open an account without a SSN. I even called our Ex-Pats Dept here where I work to try and get asisstance because we seemed to be hitting a brick wall at the time. The girl in the Ex-Pats Department (we have a lot of employees that come in temporarily from overseas) told me that it is a big problem everytime she tries to assist an employee in opening an account. She goes through one main bank here in Atlanta and has to liason with a certain person each time because no one else understands what she is trying to do and insists it can't be done.
Cheers,
Leslie
They gave me cheque book, debit card etc no problem.
I'm in NV so it could be something to do with that - although you'd *think* a lot of this stuff was governed by Federal banking law?
Jul 10th 2003, 6:39 pm
#18
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 48
If you can, wait for the SSN
Hi,
Opening a bank account with Bank of America (BoA) in California without a Social Security Number (SSN) is easy enough. However, if you are eligible for a SSN (e.g. have a work visa) I would VERY strongly recommend that you wait until you receive the number before opening the account.
Obtaining the SSN is easy enough by visiting a local SS office, you can phone a special telephon number in 1-2 days for the SSN number, but better to wait for the card - the bank will probably want to see it.
If your spouce is eligible for a SSN, but you're not, open the account in their name once they have the SSN. It's easy to add you as joint account holder once you have a SSN.
The problem I experienced was that BoA seems to have mulltiple databases that contain your details. If they don't enter all the information for a new customer at the start, it takes them many months of manually re-entering the SSN for each database. I suspect BoA are not alone in this.
In my case, it took them over 18 months to get then all correct; you never new when another would pop up. This even included not issuing a year end Tax Statement because that particular database didn't have my SSN.
Good Luck!
Opening a bank account with Bank of America (BoA) in California without a Social Security Number (SSN) is easy enough. However, if you are eligible for a SSN (e.g. have a work visa) I would VERY strongly recommend that you wait until you receive the number before opening the account.
Obtaining the SSN is easy enough by visiting a local SS office, you can phone a special telephon number in 1-2 days for the SSN number, but better to wait for the card - the bank will probably want to see it.
If your spouce is eligible for a SSN, but you're not, open the account in their name once they have the SSN. It's easy to add you as joint account holder once you have a SSN.
The problem I experienced was that BoA seems to have mulltiple databases that contain your details. If they don't enter all the information for a new customer at the start, it takes them many months of manually re-entering the SSN for each database. I suspect BoA are not alone in this.
In my case, it took them over 18 months to get then all correct; you never new when another would pop up. This even included not issuing a year end Tax Statement because that particular database didn't have my SSN.
Good Luck!
Jul 10th 2003, 6:47 pm
#19
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Oct 2002
Location: Wales, UK
Posts: 1,216
BoA was one of the Banks here in Atlanta that insisted you couldn't open an account without a SSN. Anyone here see any consistency? lol
Cheers,
Leslie
Cheers,
Leslie
Jul 10th 2003, 6:53 pm
#20
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2003
Location: NY
Posts: 458
I used my ITIN to have my name added to USC husbands accounts at Chase Manhatten Bank.
Jul 10th 2003, 7:17 pm
#21
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 48
I think each state can have quite different laws for many things, including banking regulations to a degree. So, BoA in CA can operate almost completely seperately from BoA in GA.
An example, our credit cards were originally secured cards, i.e. open a savings account & the balance is ur credit limit. My wife was offered her card several months before me (credit ratings are a whole other thread). Her BoA secured savings account was issued from BoA in Texas (don't ask me why...), whilst mine was issued in CA. This made it a bit of a pain to manage in CA. Think we eventually had to close the savings account by telephone banking, rather than from a local branch (after it was upgraded to a normal credit card).
We have also found amazing inconsistencies in the product/procedures knowledge between BoA staff. It's not a good sign when you have to tell them how it actually works... Try to deal with a more senior member of staff if possible, they're usually slightly better.
To be honest, banks in the US probably aren't any worse than those in the UK. You wouldn't believe the hassle we had opening a few simple current accounts with The Royal Bank of Scotland. RBoS have very good on-line banking capabilities & we still have open accounts in the UK through them.
An example, our credit cards were originally secured cards, i.e. open a savings account & the balance is ur credit limit. My wife was offered her card several months before me (credit ratings are a whole other thread). Her BoA secured savings account was issued from BoA in Texas (don't ask me why...), whilst mine was issued in CA. This made it a bit of a pain to manage in CA. Think we eventually had to close the savings account by telephone banking, rather than from a local branch (after it was upgraded to a normal credit card).
We have also found amazing inconsistencies in the product/procedures knowledge between BoA staff. It's not a good sign when you have to tell them how it actually works... Try to deal with a more senior member of staff if possible, they're usually slightly better.
To be honest, banks in the US probably aren't any worse than those in the UK. You wouldn't believe the hassle we had opening a few simple current accounts with The Royal Bank of Scotland. RBoS have very good on-line banking capabilities & we still have open accounts in the UK through them.
Jul 10th 2003, 9:39 pm
#22
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2003
Location: Louisville, KY/Germany
Posts: 526
There are state laws as well as federal governing the banking system, however it really seems to be inconsistent in state as well. I called several banks today in Kentucky just to see what they would say and most said they would not open an account without a SSN. Like previously said, a lot of bank tellers are ignorant of these laws and regulations. In my opinion, it would be easier to just try and add your name to your spouses account. The spouse has established a relationship with the bank already they most likely will be more willing to help out.
Jul 10th 2003, 10:15 pm
#23
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Joined: Oct 2002
Location: Wales, UK
Posts: 1,216
Adding a Pete's name was not an option for us at the time. We were not yet married and the transfer of that amount of money could have been construed as a gift to me and thus taxable. I say "could have" because I never could get a straight answer out of the IRS concerning what we were trying to do. I did have two different CPAs (one the Comptroller of my Company) tell me not to do it that way. Once you are married, different tax rules and regulations come into play and it's not so important.
This is the type of stuff that drove me nuts while waiting for the K1 Visa to come through and is still bugging me. It's bad enough we are twisted every which way by the BCIS, but then we have other things to consider like financial matters, the IRS and tax treaties, Driver's Liscense, Insurance, etc........and everything is compounded by the fact that the love of your life is not an American Citizen.
I HATE RED TAPE!!!! lol
Cheers,
Leslie
This is the type of stuff that drove me nuts while waiting for the K1 Visa to come through and is still bugging me. It's bad enough we are twisted every which way by the BCIS, but then we have other things to consider like financial matters, the IRS and tax treaties, Driver's Liscense, Insurance, etc........and everything is compounded by the fact that the love of your life is not an American Citizen.
I HATE RED TAPE!!!! lol
Cheers,
Leslie
Jul 10th 2003, 11:06 pm
#24
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Form for opening a bank account without SSN
Hi All
> Obtaining the SSN is easy enough by visiting a local SS office, you can
> phone a special telephon number in 1-2 days for the SSN number,
Not any more. You need your SSN you either wait for the card or write or go
into an SSA office.
Take care,
Mike
> Obtaining the SSN is easy enough by visiting a local SS office, you can
> phone a special telephon number in 1-2 days for the SSN number,
Not any more. You need your SSN you either wait for the card or write or go
into an SSA office.
Take care,
Mike
Jul 11th 2003, 2:45 am
#25
Life is good!
Joined: Mar 2003
Location: was Sydney AU, now NY, NY
Posts: 46
Re: Form for opening a bank account without SSN
As I mentioned in another thread, I went to Bank One on my second day in the US to have my name added to my wife's checking account. Naturally, I don't have my SSN yet.
The woman I spoke to was knowledgeable and helpful. She looked at my passport and Australian driver's licence (for ID) and asked me to sign the W8-BEN form and a standard bank form. Then she said that my debit card would be in the mail within a week and that I should come back and give them my SSN when I receive it.
It really was as simple as that.
Anthony
The woman I spoke to was knowledgeable and helpful. She looked at my passport and Australian driver's licence (for ID) and asked me to sign the W8-BEN form and a standard bank form. Then she said that my debit card would be in the mail within a week and that I should come back and give them my SSN when I receive it.
It really was as simple as that.
Anthony
