Courtney

My partner is over in the US and I am in the UK. We need to get a joint bank account for a visa. Is it possible that we can do this whilst I am over here. He already has a bank account over there and I did have one but closed it a few months ago. We have access to a fax so if they need signitures to prove who I am that's fine and they would have my old bank details.

Can we do this do you think?????

Courtney

Pulaski

You are in the UK, and he is in the US, right? .... And you want to open a joint account, while you are still in the UK, right? .... No it probably isn't possible, but he should check with his bank and see what they say.

The problem is that, even if you can find a bank that'll let you be added to an account when you don't have a SSN, then they'll expect to see definitive ID, i.e. a passport and birth certificate, and I doubt that you'd want to mail those to the US for the bank to see. And even if you did I doubt that a bank would take them as evidence of your existance without actually seeing you, in the flesh, too.

sibsie

I've been looking into this (thanks Pulaski) and basically they won't let you open an account remotely. You have to be there. Different banks want different standards of ID. Some will only take a SSN and won't budge. Others will take birth cert, passport, some form of proof that you are legally in the US etc.,

Courtney

Thing is I had a bank account with them and since I closed my account my partner has had quite a lot of dealings with the same lady that opened our accounts and closed mine, so she does know who I am. She would remember that I had shown id etc etc. Ok, well alternatively can I have my name put on my partner's account then do you think??

sibsie

I don't think it's so much a question of who knows you etc., but the changes that came about with the introduction of The Patriot Act and banks policies in order to comply with it.

I've managed to get one bank to open an account for me without my SSN but that has to be done in person on production of suitable documentation and an assurance that I will be providing my SSN within an acceptable time limit.

I wanted to get round it by having my name on my fiance's account but that was a no go too.

sibsie

Another thing I forgot to mention is that if you're not a resident in the US and not eligable to apply for SSN you have to fill in W-8BEN.

I've found that it really varies from bank to bank with some being rigid on their requirements and other being slightly more flexible. Best thing is to have a chat with your bank and see what they say.

Courtney

My partner is going to the bank tomorrow. When we opened our accounts, we did it through my partner's company, so we only had to show passports and that was that. They didn't ask us anything about visas at all, at the time I was only there on a tourist visa waiver. I do realise that it's nothing to do with who you know, it's just that my partner is going to see her tomorrow and thought it might just help in regards to id really. I am wanting to get a partner visa and it will help prove our relationship if we have a joint bank account!!!

Courtney

sibsie

Hi again Courtney. I saw your other thread and you're going for a co-habiting visa or something. The banking changes came about in the US in late October but maybe your purpose for the visa could be as well served by getting a joint account in the UK.

Good luck with it all.

Courtney

Hi sibsie

Yeah I am going to try for the partner visa...do you know anything about it? I have thought about a UK joint account but am unsure as to if I am going to come up with the same problems...ie partner in US. He does have a UK bank account and I do too, but at different banks. Wonder if I can open an account at his bank and try from there????

I applied for a B-2 holiday visa but was refused...I knew nothing about the partner visa until about two weeks ago. We went to see a lawyer in the States back in June and he didn't mention anything about it...wonder if they try keeping it underwraps????

Thanks for your help

Courtney

sibsie

I'd never heard of the co-habiting visa before. I'm wondering now why on earth I've bothered with the K1 when I could have legally entered under another one, got engaged there, lived together and then adjusted status. I've never heard a lawyer mention it either.

But I've had a thought. Just the one mind! If you're going to be travelling under VWP until you have a visa in your hand, wouldn't it be better to prove ties to the UK via a bank account there (joint one) rather than a US one?

Did you get refused at POE as well or just refusal of the actual B2 issuance?

Courtney

I actually got refused for the B2 at the embassy in London. I was supposed to go to the States on xmas day on the visa waiver but decided against it in fear if being sent home. After a few weeks trying to work out what to do I found the co-habitating visa just out of luck on their site!!! We do have a joint tenancy agreement in the States from Sep and they do mention that as proof of your relationship as an example and also mention the joint account. So, I thought that I would get that as well, as the more the better hey? So, I am not going in the VWP now so I thought to just get the US account.

What is a K1? Are you engaged to a US citizen? My partner is from the UK so it all depends on what visa he is on and he is in teh system for an L-1

sibsie

Naturally I rushed over to have a look and it's actually just the B2 visa, with the co-habiting being one of the reasons for it's use. Is there any reason why you weren't included when your partner's visa was arranged? I'm wondering if you were turned down before and are applying for the same visa again if you wouldn't be better off at least consulting with an immigration lawyer. The B2 seems to be all about proving ties in your home country so maybe the joint UK account really would be better for you at this time.

My fiance is a USC, so your visa wouldn't be any good for me.

Courtney

We have no ties to this country, which is why I was refused the B-2 holiday visa...I thought this was different. Do you think that if his company was to write a letter stating that his contract over there is only for two years then thatwould be sufficient evidence of us coming back here? He has nothing here, he sold up everything to go to America. His company told him they would sort me out witha visa and they haven't...six months down the line!!!!

Gross50

I don't think a joint US account would help in getting a B2 visa. If any thing a UK account would help. The burden lies in you proving that you have every intention of returning to the UK. in your case, since you will not be allowed to work in the US, you will need to show that you have enough funds to cover for the duration of stay in the US. Had you been married, it would be a straight forward issue. Waste no more time with opening a joint US bank account.

I'd hate to disappoint you but the appropriate thing to do would have been to make both L1 and B2 applications together. The company misinformed you guys. I don't think the company can do anything other than pay a good immigration lawyer to help you out.

Courtney

Yes, they have misinformed us, that or they just didn't know anything about it even though we went through a US visa lawyer. Ok, well that seems to be that then. His job is for at least two years, we were living together before he was sent there, so why would I have ties and property to come back too? They certainly don't make things easy hey? I am from Australia originally and I know their immigration is strict, but the US is a nightmare and I really don'y know why. Not sure what America has to offer as a country any more than the UK or Australia?????
Nevermind...back to the grindstone!!!!
Thanks for all your advice everyone....

Courtney