Bank accounts
#1
spiggle meister
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2003
Location: Manchester-Surrey-Coventry-Hampshire-West Yorkshire, now Woodland Hills,CA!
Posts: 103
Bank accounts
Hiya, ok more questions! From what I've read on here so far opening a US bank account can be a major headache. Is there anything in particular that can help/hinder our application? Also another thing I'm not sure on is whether or not I will be allocated a social security number as I will have a H4 visa - if I don't will this hinder our bank account application (my husband I assume will get one as he's the one with the job!)
Ta
Ta
#2
Forum Regular
Joined: Dec 2003
Location: Nottingham to Chicago
Posts: 34
Re: Bank accounts
Hi
It does depend on what state you are moving too as to the SSN question. I moved to Illinois a couple of months ago on a H4 visa with my hubby on a H1B. He has had no problem with getting an SSN however when I went to see the lovely people at the social security office they informed me that in Illinois they no longer issue SSNs to people on H4 status.
Re bank accounts - my hubby opened a bank account at Bank One. I then became a joint name on the account once it had opened - as I was the one without the SSN.
Hope this helps!
Cheers
Kite
It does depend on what state you are moving too as to the SSN question. I moved to Illinois a couple of months ago on a H4 visa with my hubby on a H1B. He has had no problem with getting an SSN however when I went to see the lovely people at the social security office they informed me that in Illinois they no longer issue SSNs to people on H4 status.
Re bank accounts - my hubby opened a bank account at Bank One. I then became a joint name on the account once it had opened - as I was the one without the SSN.
Hope this helps!
Cheers
Kite
#3
spiggle meister
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2003
Location: Manchester-Surrey-Coventry-Hampshire-West Yorkshire, now Woodland Hills,CA!
Posts: 103
Thanks, thats good to know! Did you have any problems with the opening of the account? What kind of info did the bank require?
#4
Forum Regular
Joined: Dec 2003
Location: Nottingham to Chicago
Posts: 34
Originally posted by crazi_daizi
Thanks, thats good to know! Did you have any problems with the opening of the account? What kind of info did the bank require?
Thanks, thats good to know! Did you have any problems with the opening of the account? What kind of info did the bank require?
#5
Re: Bank accounts
Originally posted by crazi_daizi
Hiya, ok more questions! From what I've read on here so far opening a US bank account can be a major headache. Is there anything in particular that can help/hinder our application? Also another thing I'm not sure on is whether or not I will be allocated a social security number as I will have a H4 visa - if I don't will this hinder our bank account application (my husband I assume will get one as he's the one with the job!)
Ta
Hiya, ok more questions! From what I've read on here so far opening a US bank account can be a major headache. Is there anything in particular that can help/hinder our application? Also another thing I'm not sure on is whether or not I will be allocated a social security number as I will have a H4 visa - if I don't will this hinder our bank account application (my husband I assume will get one as he's the one with the job!)
Ta
#6
spiggle meister
Thread Starter
Joined: Dec 2003
Location: Manchester-Surrey-Coventry-Hampshire-West Yorkshire, now Woodland Hills,CA!
Posts: 103
cool, just checking, better to be prepared! thanks
#7
Forum Regular
Joined: Dec 2003
Location: Nottingham to Chicago
Posts: 34
Re: Bank accounts
Originally posted by ladyofthelake
I'm an H4 visa too, and to be honest you don't really need a SSN yourself. Your husband can use his SSN for joint bank accounts, mortgages, insurance etc. The only time I have to quote a SSN is when getting medical treatment, and then it's my husbands number as he is the main insurance policy holder anyway. It's no big deal not having one and in most instances where you are asked for one, they either just accept you don't have one, or try using other methods of ID.
I'm an H4 visa too, and to be honest you don't really need a SSN yourself. Your husband can use his SSN for joint bank accounts, mortgages, insurance etc. The only time I have to quote a SSN is when getting medical treatment, and then it's my husbands number as he is the main insurance policy holder anyway. It's no big deal not having one and in most instances where you are asked for one, they either just accept you don't have one, or try using other methods of ID.
#8
Re: Bank accounts
Originally posted by Kite Chick
Lady - Can I just ask if you are a H4 holder and don't have an SSN, have you managed to get a US driving licence?
Lady - Can I just ask if you are a H4 holder and don't have an SSN, have you managed to get a US driving licence?
#9
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2003
Location: Arizona
Posts: 961
Re: Bank accounts
Originally posted by ray6
Driving licence and banking rule are a lot easier in Florida
Driving licence and banking rule are a lot easier in Florida
#10
Re: Bank accounts
Originally posted by effi
Do you own a dodge by any chance?
Do you own a dodge by any chance?
With Turbo
Why do you ask?
Last edited by ray6; Jan 8th 2004 at 9:49 pm.
#11
Just Joined
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 10
We have recently arrived in the US and we setup a bank account once I had a SSN. My wife was added straight away as joint holder without a SSN. This is in Texas.
However, we didn't have any letters etc from utilities so couldn't prove our address. Instead we used the UK address on our UK driving licenses as proof of an address and set this as our permenant address, then set the mailing address as our US address. We used our passports as secondary ID.
However, the bank warned us, because we are not US citizens we had to fill out extra forms to prove we aren't internationl terrorists etc (Since October 1st 2003). These forms then get submitted to some government body to check. If they are not happy they freeze your nice new US account.
Also, if they don't look at the forms and approve them within 5 days then the computer freezes your account automatically. Guess whats just happened to us
We are living off our quickly depleting UK account at the moment unable to touch any of the cash in the new account.
Apparently the Government Dept that checks this stuff is backlogged.... great news for us.
They really love the red tape here.
However, we didn't have any letters etc from utilities so couldn't prove our address. Instead we used the UK address on our UK driving licenses as proof of an address and set this as our permenant address, then set the mailing address as our US address. We used our passports as secondary ID.
However, the bank warned us, because we are not US citizens we had to fill out extra forms to prove we aren't internationl terrorists etc (Since October 1st 2003). These forms then get submitted to some government body to check. If they are not happy they freeze your nice new US account.
Also, if they don't look at the forms and approve them within 5 days then the computer freezes your account automatically. Guess whats just happened to us
We are living off our quickly depleting UK account at the moment unable to touch any of the cash in the new account.
Apparently the Government Dept that checks this stuff is backlogged.... great news for us.
They really love the red tape here.
#12
Thanks for the warning Limbo. I've only managed to find one bank in my area who will open an account before I have my SSN so I'll have to watch for that.
#13
I was able to open an account here in Phoenix with Wells Fargo without a SSN, and it was incredibly easy. I just needed to fill in a form and deposit $100. Only thing I couldn't do was have access to online banking until I had the SSN. It took one simple phone call to get that instated once I had my SSN. I'm a permanent resident though, and I don't know if that makes a difference. I didn't show my green card though as I didn't have it then...I just showed my passport.