We opened a joint account for C. and me today, and a personal account for him, at our local Bank of America branch.

No fuss about his not yet having a social security number. I can send that in whenever it arrives and update their records. (It's not a big deal except for the 1099 with interest.)

My hint, and I apologize if this is common knowledge: find a bank near a university. Lots of non-immigrants, J-1s and F-1s, mostly, near a university. Lots of non-immigrants *without* work authorization, and hence often no need for social security numbers. The banks want student business, so they're not picky about 'all of our members must be citizens' or any nonsense like that, and they've handled immigrants and non-immigrants before.

Thanks, that'll work for me. It's a University town.

Yea...I remember the drama about BoA giving credit cards to illegal immigrants. Some pple were PISSED....

I had an account there before my husband came - so I just added him to my account. The only thing is that the bank charges you if you do not have direct deposit - and my husband cannot work yet.
So, he and I have a joint account - he does not have his own.
But it's better this way for us.

Very similar experience to the one I've had with US Bank, so I'd like to add my recommendation for them! I opened an account with them on my first (week)day here - they weren't at all bothered that I didn't have an SSN, or any kind of proof of address, even (!), they just told me to bring in my SSN so they could update it when I got one. I can't believe how easy it was - it isn't even as though my (now-) husband already banked with them, although he does now as I went in and opened a joint account for us a few days ago. They've also given me a (secured) credit card, although I'm still waiting for the thing to arrive - apparently it was mailed a week ago, but no sign of it as yet...

It's nice when some of this stuff is straightforward & simple to sort out!

The downside is of course that you are now a member of Bank of America.

I think I remember reading that BoA (and Wells Fargo) was also loaning money to illegals. Personally that would piss me off too.

The bank we use here...Regions Bank...didn't have a problem adding my husband once he got here. I think a lot of banks that DO have a problem don't take the time to read their own procedure manuals.

"Loaning money to illegals" just means "doesn't require proof of a social security number, just income." That's really as it should be; the increasing use of a social security number as a national ID card is not only a pain in the ###, but it's a risk for identity theft.

In any case, I don't think it's Bank of America's job to enforce immigration policy; if it turns out to be a bad business decision to lend to illegal aliens, they'll reverse it pretty fast. In the meantime, a policy loose enough that an illegal immigrant could use it is also one less hoop that a legal immigrant has to jump through.

Be careful. We got a letter in the mail from Skank of America telling us if we didn't supply it ITIN or SSN within 60 days, the account would be CLOSED. Obviously the fact my SSN was all over the account had no bearing on that. Whatever. I'm leaving that bank for other reasons but I think they're crappy business people in general. Especially ever since I read the article about how they handled one girl's identify theft on MSNBC's Red Tape Chronicles.

I have more issues than I can explain with those people.
1. They stole the Keep the Change idea from a guy in West Palm. Currently being taken to court.
2. I have to wait 15 minutes to talk to a person if I need any help. And that's just navigating through their sneaky menu that purposely tries to prevent you from talking to a live person.
3. http://redtape.msnbc.com/2007/05/id_thief_bounce.html
4. They told us that my husband didn't need his SSN or ITIN - mine was fine. Cue a letter arriving that they needed it with a copy of his passport. Luckily he had an ITIN - if he hadn't, they would have closed the account. Apparently the fact my SSN was all over the account didn't matter, and I was lied to at the branch.



...yeah I'm with a credit union now

(PS - yes, I should have added this onto the first reply, but it wouldn't let me. )

i too have had a ton of problems with BoA. as far as opening a bank account, simply use your ITIN or SSN, its the law. why support banks that break the law by not requiring ITIN's or SSN's. first thing my wife and i did after getting married was obtain a ITIN for the purposes of IRS filling and the ability to put her on our checking account.

I don't think it's breaking the law not to require a SSN for non-tax purposes.

I'll keep people posted. C. had his passport with him, and we'll add his SSN to the account as soon as it arrives (probably next Monday or so.)


I'm not thrilled with the whole BoA thing, but my credit union wouldn't let me add C. to the account unless I could prove we were married, and since C.'s starting a job, we needed somewhere for him to put the money.

I'm with Wachovia..I will try to just open a joint account there.

http://www.fdic.gov/regulations/laws/rules/8000-8500.html

It happened to me too, w/ Wells Fargo. When we opened the accounts, the agents were more than happy to know we chose them. But a few weeks later, I received mails asking me to supply the SSN or the accounts (savings and checking) will be closed within 10 days. I went to complain since I have supplied the SSN and other documents they asked for when my husband and I opened the accounts. I called their Fraud and Prevention Unit hotline to clarify why I am getting these mails, they said they never had a record in their system that such notices were authorized to be sent to me. I told them we will close all the accounts and transfer to another bank if I receive another one. And I asked the manager who's responsible for the automated mailing and grievances so I can know who to go after. They apologized and the disheartening mails stopped, at least for now. We are now receiving letters stating the interests we earned.

I can attest to this situation having been the same for me last summer with PNC Bank. I went to visit my now fiancée in the US for 2 months between July and September 2006 and we opened an account at PNC so I could deposit the cash I'd brought with me and just carry a debit card, as well as to have an account ready for the future (which is now the present ). They did ask for an SSN but had no problem when I said I was an alien (and not even a resident -- just a stupid tourist!) and had no SSN. I just showed them my ID and that was it. They didn't even require my fiancée to be a co-signer on the account, although we made her so nonetheless.

Lucky..

good to know we couldnt open a Joint account until 2 weeks after ssn was issued..

i've been with BOA since 1995....so it seemed an obvious choice for me. He had a SSN so it was easy. We put him on my acct and got him a secured credit card. One year later (in April) his credit limit was raised and they refunded our money! (That we had put down on the card). We bought a car and now he gets 5 CC offers a week MINIMUM

I have to say i've been VERY pleased with BOA....our martgage is with wachovia, however, i'm considering switching for conveniece...but man, nothing beats online bill pay for me.

meow mix, we received a letter similar to that one from wachovia. it said that if my husband didn't show an ID with his DOB that they'd close the account - which is a joint account. so he did so.

i'm not a fan of boa, those suckers wouldn't issue me a letter from the bank for immigration, and i had a problem with that. other than that - no problems.
we have 2 accounts: wachovia and boa. we would have hsbc but there are none in central florida - only ft. lauderdale and miami.

i wanted more of a national bank so i'm not from FL and i don't know if we'll stay here. hsbc seems a good choice since that bank has branches in brazil - even where my husband is from.

Wachovia doesn't have bill pay then? My Credit Union has online bill pay, and it only has 2 branches in the entire state! Online bill pay is hardly a BOA only feature.

Of course for me BOA isn't an option anyway, as the nearest branch is in Maryland!

We sent them what they demanded, I was just irritated about being told that it wasn't an issue because of my SSN on the account etc, then finding out they lied to me.

good post

Hah. Another reason for me to stay away.

?? to stay away?? stay away from what?

Helpful link. Especially if you read the whole thing:

A taxpayer identification number need not be secured in the following instances: (i) Accounts for public funds opened by agencies and instrumentalities of Federal, State, local or foreign governments, (ii) accounts for aliens who are (a) ambassadors, ministers, career diplomatic, or consular officers, or ( naval, military or other attaches of foreign embassies and legations, and for the members of their immediate families, (iii) accounts for aliens who are accredited representatives to international organizations entitled to enjoy privileges, exemptions, and immunities as an international organization under the International Organizations Immunities Act of December 29, 1945 (22 U.S.C. Sec. 288), and for the members of their immediate families (a list of such organizations appears in title 19, section 148.87 (formerly section 10.30a), Code of Federal Regulations), (iv) aliens temporarily residing in the United States for a period not to exceed 180 days, (v) aliens not engaged in a trade or business in the United States who are attending a recognized college or university or any training program supervised or conducted by any agency of the Federal Government, (vi) unincorporated subordinate units of a tax-exempt central organization which are covered by a group exemption letter, (vii) interest-bearing accounts maintained by a person 18 years of age opened as part of a school thrift savings program, provided the annual interest does not exceed $10, and (vii) Christmas Club, vacation club, and similar installment savings programs provided the annual interest does not exceed $10. In instances (vii) and (viii), the bank shall, within 15 days following the end of any calendar year in which the interest accrued in that year exceeds $10, use its best efforts to secure and maintain the appropriate taxpayer identification number or application form therefor.


Not required in lots of cases, and where it is required, they are permitted to open the account as long as a SSN/ITIN or employer number is given within 45 days. So, Bank of America didn't support any lawbreaking.

Caladan, home of House Atreides!

Where've you been?

Around. C. and I just completed a cross-country drive to move him down here, so we've been setting up the place and his life. Now he's off to Texas for a few weeks to work (though if he doesn't call me in the next half hour, I'm going to kick his ### when he gets back), and then off to the wedding.