dazeychain

For anyone else who's just arrived, and is waiting for Social Security issues to be sorted out but still wants to get a bank account, I went to the Bank of America today and opened a bank account today...all they needed were two forms of ID, so I used my passport and Visa Credit Card and that was it! I had tried to go to US Bank, but they wouldn't open, or even add me to my husband's account without a SSN. So B of A are my new friends.

I was quite surprised to hear that you have to pay for many banking services over here though! I am only allowed to take my own money out 3 times a month for free, and then I have to pay per withdrawal! Quite funny, but I'm using it as a savings account so it doesn't matter.

Anyway...that's all.

Peace,

D.

Careybear

Oh Dazey.....honey you should have looked around first that's terrible you shouldn't have to pay!!! You should have looked into a local credit union...they are usually better than banks and easier to get loans and usually smaller and friendlier and less fees too usually!! Also, flagstar, 5th 3rd bank and comerica and others have free checking accounts with no minimum balance and no per check fees .....i wouldn't stay there...i'm sure other banks will take 2 forms of id....i've never heard of a bank asking for a social security number but i don't think about it cuz i have one...

Carey...
hope other than that your stay here in the u.s. has been a good one!!

L D Jones

dazeychain wrote:
    >
[ ... ]

    > I was quite surprised to hear that you have to pay for many banking
    > services over here though! I am only allowed to take my own money out 3
    > times a month for free, and then I have to pay per withdrawal! Quite
    > funny, but I'm using it as a savings account so it doesn't matter.

US banks generally have so many fees I am surprised that one is not
charged a fee to physically enter a US bank branch. You might consider a
credit union in the future.

Dawn B.

dazeychain wrote:
    > For anyone else who's just arrived, and is waiting for Social Security
    > issues to be sorted out but still wants to get a bank account, I went to
    > the Bank of America today and opened a bank account today...all they
    > needed were two forms of ID, so I used my passport and Visa Credit Card
    > and that was it! I had tried to go to US Bank, but they wouldn't open,
    > or even add me to my husband's account without a SSN. So B of A are my
    > new friends.
    >
    > I was quite surprised to hear that you have to pay for many banking
    > services over here though! I am only allowed to take my own money out 3
    > times a month for free, and then I have to pay per withdrawal! Quite
    > funny, but I'm using it as a savings account so it doesn't matter.
    >
    > Anyway...that's all.
    >
    > Peace,
    >
    > D.
    >
    > --
    > Posted via http://britishexpats.com

Well, congrats on the new bank account! When you do get your Social
Security number, you might want to think about changing banks. I know B
of A are your new friends, but there are MANY other banks out there that
have accounts you can use with no fees. Don't let B of A give you any
wrong impressions! I have a checking account with a bank here in
Michigan and I don't pay any fees for writing checks, I have no minimum
balance requirements, and I have a debit card with the Mastercard logo
so I can use it anywhere that accepts Mastercard and the money is
automatically taken out of my account. It comes in really handy at times!!

Careybear

Which bank do you use Dawn? Do they check your credit before they give ya the mastercard debit card? I'd like to go there if they don't...

Carey

dazeychain

Cool :-) Thanks for the ideas. When you're not from here, it can be quite hard to find all the available options, so I'm grateful for your input.

Peace,

D.

PS - I thought Credit Union meant money-lender...*blush*

Steggy

"Dawn B." wrote:
    >
    > dazeychain wrote:
    > > For anyone else who's just arrived, and is waiting for Social Security
    > > issues to be sorted out but still wants to get a bank account, I went to
    > > the Bank of America today and opened a bank account today...all they
    > > needed were two forms of ID, so I used my passport and Visa Credit Card
    > > and that was it! I had tried to go to US Bank, but they wouldn't open,
    > > or even add me to my husband's account without a SSN. So B of A are my
    > > new friends.
    > >
    > > I was quite surprised to hear that you have to pay for many banking
    > > services over here though! I am only allowed to take my own money out 3
    > > times a month for free, and then I have to pay per withdrawal! Quite
    > > funny, but I'm using it as a savings account so it doesn't matter.
    > >
    > > Anyway...that's all.
    > >
    > > Peace,
    > >
    > > D.
    > >
    > > --
    > > Posted via http://britishexpats.com
    >
    > Well, congrats on the new bank account! When you do get your Social
    > Security number, you might want to think about changing banks. I know B
    > of A are your new friends, but there are MANY other banks out there that
    > have accounts you can use with no fees. Don't let B of A give you any
    > wrong impressions! I have a checking account with a bank here in
    > Michigan and I don't pay any fees for writing checks, I have no minimum
    > balance requirements, and I have a debit card with the Mastercard logo
    > so I can use it anywhere that accepts Mastercard and the money is
    > automatically taken out of my account. It comes in really handy at times!!

That is true, also in Arizona. But do not forget: you have
to pay for those checks:))

And what savings accounts are concerned........the interest
is really horrible..........but OT of course:)
--
steg

C'S Wife

My husband has been in this country for almost 3 weeks. He applied
for his social security number the Monday after his arrival and it
arrived in the mail one week after his arrival. Pretty fast!! The
next Saturday (one week after he got his SSN) we went to my bank to
add him to my accounts and we were refused because his social security
number was not confirmed (not sure of their wording) and that we have
to go back in 4 to 6 weeks and we should be able to add him on then.
Irritating as hell but we'll go back then. Good luck everyone!

Donna

nathan barley

My wife got me a Target credit card, and a Barnes & Noble platinum credit card the other day, and she didn't require a SSN to add me to either.

Even though I'm not listed with a SSN, will these cards start to build up my credit rating here?

Thanks for the advice on Bank of America, and I agree, charges for breathing on your account here suck :P

Margaret

You think the fee thing is bad in the U.S., it was worse in Canada. I
dealt with one particular bank for over 10 years and for every cheque
I wrote I was charged a fee. On my husband's here, at least no
chequing fee. Every ATM withdrawal on another bank was $1.25. (in
Canada).

Hey, just thought I'd throw in my 2 cents worth.


L D Jones wrote in message news:...
    > dazeychain wrote:
    > >
    > [ ... ]
    >
    > > I was quite surprised to hear that you have to pay for many banking
    > > services over here though! I am only allowed to take my own money out 3
    > > times a month for free, and then I have to pay per withdrawal! Quite
    > > funny, but I'm using it as a savings account so it doesn't matter.
    >
    > US banks generally have so many fees I am surprised that one is not
    > charged a fee to physically enter a US bank branch. You might consider a
    > credit union in the future.

meauxna

Cool, now you can get the money out from the mattress!

For an alternative to credit unions (which *are* your best deal) check out Consumer Banks, like Washington Mutual. They offer a truely free checking and savings account.

For more info on saving banking fees (which are my enemy) and other good consumer tips, check out www.clarkhoward.com to see what my guru has to say.

cindyabs

If you aren't the one that opened the account, but were simply added on as an additional cardholder then the credit isn't established in your name, but rather in your wife's. IF your wife AND you opened a joint account, then you're establishing a credit history.

NC Penguin

I believe that without having your SSN, any activity on the above cards will not contribute to your credit history in the US.

Once you have a SSN, call the card providers and give them your SSN. Then, this may assist with you building up credit. In fact, your wife's activity on the same cards will go on your credit history too. This is my belief.

I'm going to apply to get my credit report and see how it looks. I've been here for seven months now. It's going to be interesting but probably brief reading.



NC Penguin

jeffreyhy

LD,

I can enter my bank for free, but I do have to pay a fee if I use the teller! (Bank One)

Regards, JEff

jeffreyhy

Carey,

A bank should have to ask for a SSN, or an ITIN, at least for a savings account or an interest-bearing checking account. Low as that interest rate might be, the bank does have to report interest earned of $10 or more to the IRS every year!

Regards, JEff