Adding new wife to bank account

[RoseAndDaniel 0]

Rose received her social security card in the mail 2 days ago, so we went to my primary bank today to add her to my account. I was informed by the bank that they entered her social security number into the "system" and it came back as invalid. They explained that her social security card was only valid for work and not for opening a bank account. Her card does read "VALID FOR WORK ONLY WITH DHS AUTHORIZATION".

Now, after much discussion, we achieved a compromise. The bank "allowed" me to add her to my account only after I wrote a letter and one of my relatives that banks there also wrote a letter stating that we know Rose and recommend that the bank allow her to become a customer. They accepted her passport as identification only after we provided a certified copy of our marriage certificate and filled out another form stating that she is a foreigner and listed her "permanent address" as her last address in the Philippines. They told me that once she gets her "regular" social security card, then I need to come back and they will remove her from "foreigner status".

I was blown away. I had no idea it would be that difficult to get her on my account after we were married. After that we went to Sam's Club to add her to my account there and almost had to walk away since she had no proof of address in the USA. Fortunately, we had saved the letter from social security with her name and our current mailing address.

I'm just sharing and venting a little. I'm interested to know if others have experienced similar situations. We're moving forward and making progress, but I really thought some of these things would be easy compared to the immigration process.

Daniel

[amykathleen2005 441]

Some banks are hard some are not, you just have to shop around. My husband has a SS card as you described and no problems being added to my account or getting his own.

[Brother Hesekiel 2,235]

A SSC is not even required for that. Find another bank.

[Krikit 1,163]

I have had many similar experiences. As, I am sure, have many others. My husband's bank added me using his SSN and my passport, and told me to bring them my new SSN once it had been issued. After reading many others' experiences, it seems it differs from bank to bank and from branch to branch. The thing I found most annoying was the inability to do anything without having a SSN. SO different than where I came from where it is illegal to request that information.

[Bruin85 9]

My wife also has a SSC like your wife does. We brought it into BofA along with her passport and our marriage certificate and we had no problem adding her to my acct and ordering her an atm card. I've read that, like California, Texas has alot of immigrants, so it's surprising they make it so difficult.

[JimVaPhuong 4,863]

My wife also has a SSC like your wife does. We brought it into BofA along with her passport and our marriage certificate and we had no problem adding her to my acct and ordering her an atm card. I've read that, like California, Texas has alot of immigrants, so it's surprising they make it so difficult.

+1 on this. I also have accounts at BofA. I didn't add my wife to my accounts because she's never had a bank account before, and has no clue how to even write a check. She wanted an account she could use to save money, and we had no problem at all opening a joint savings account. She provided only her Social Security card (with the DHS restriction printed on it) and her passport. This was before she got her green card.

Becoming a permanent resident is a gradual process that takes months, and some bank officers don't seem to understand at what point someone can legally have an account. I remember one person being told that they couldn't open a savings account with a restricted Social Security card because the paltry interest they pay was classified as "income", and "income" equates to working illegally!

[chinese_mutt 11]

Can you get a Driver's license? I have been asked to present DL and SSN only, I've openned two bank accounts in the past year. No problem whatsoever.

[Theunloved 0]

Here in Orange County, California, I could easily opened a bank account with only my driver license and told the teller my social security number, didn't need to bring it in tho.

Some of my friends who didn't even have a social number can do that 2, they just needed their California Driver license, passport and some banks may require to see your school paperwork (I-20s).

Edited November 20, 2010 by Theunloved