viitav

Went into chase to open a bank account and was told that I need a proof of address to open an account - we’re in an Airbnb whilst looking for a apartment and I have no utility bills lol so I’m unsure what the hell to do.

No social yet as only just landed here on my IR1 on Saturday.

Pulaski

Get an address. Banks are legally required to obtain a verifiable address for every new customer, which means either a paper document such as a utility bill, or something in an on-line database that banks have access to and is indexed using your SSN .... which you don't have. In any case even if you did have an SSN your records would be very few.

It has been reported a number of times by people here on BE that Wells Fargo will take (at least sometimes) proof of your work address or your address in the UK (either meet the above-mentioned legal requirement).

kodokan

Chase opened us a bank account using a work address, on the employment offer letter, and used that one to mail out cards, etc. Once we had a lease a couple of weeks later, they switched it over.

AndyMan74

If you were to use a UK address with Wells Fargo what kind of evidence would they need? UK drivers licence maybe?

Pulaski

I am not sure as I was only reporting others' experience, but I would imagine a UK driving licence should work. On the other hand the branch staff might not be comfortable with that and decline to open the account - bank branch staff can be very hard to predict.

Jerseygirl

Ditto...we also bank with Chase...although it was over 21 years ago.

Pulaski

Any account-opening experience prior to the implementation of the section of the USA PATRIOT Act that governs the opening of bank accounts, is obsolete.

Jerseygirl

That’s why I said it was over 21 years ago.

Nutmegger

Do I recall that you are transferring to your UK company's NYC office? If so, use the office address until you have a residence.

Noodler

I tried to open a Chase account using work address and they said it has to be reseidential. They will accept a letter from your work stating you are employed and residing at XXXX address. That is what I used.

rpjs

We bank with Chase and we were able to open an account without proof-of-address while we were still living in temporary corporate housing in NYC. That was seven years ago.

Pulaski

I wouldn't bet on that being possible again, because proof of address is an explicit requirement of the USA PATRIOT Act before an account can be opened. Which is exactly what Viitav discovered!

ChocolateBabz

We also started out with Chase using hubby's work address, was 9 years ago though maybe they have changed the rules.

DebbieBullen

Same for us

rpjs

Yet the PATRIOT Act was passed long before our experience at the start of 2011.