Banks in US

[zeezawrydan 1]

What are banks in US that will allow to enroll the spouse even without an SSN?

Thanks guys!

Hi there! I hope it's not late but you can try Bank of America. I got a campus edging account with no SSN last yr when I was just visiting.

They just needed my passport... I got it for free and have 5 yrs expiration

Try Bank of America!

[Brandi n Michael 8]

We were only able to add me when I didn't have an SSN to Alliant credit Union (by the way they suck but it works in the mean time) If you can add yourself to Chase without an SSN I would recommend it as they will help you get credit when you get your SSN via just regarding your banking with them builds credit.

Brandi

[Matt and Evieve 1]

I'd say each branch of each bank seems to handle it differently and if he got one answer at one bank, try another branch. That's what I did and we were finally able to get an 'international checking account' jointly at Chase.

Oh really? My husband went to BOA again today but told the same thing. I'll tell him to try other branches.

[Matt and Evieve 1]

Hi there! I hope it's not late but you can try Bank of America. I got a campus edging account with no SSN last yr when I was just visiting.

They just needed my passport... I got it for free and have 5 yrs expiration

Try Bank of America!

My husband went to day but was told it is not possible. They want to see me in person for identity purposes. Matt said, he has the photocopy of my passport showing the same family name that he has but they won't allow him

[amykathleen2005 441]

Amtrust or Ohio Savings.

[villaspurs 65]

It seems like the problem with BOA isn't the lack of a Social Security number/card, it's that you aren't there in person. We added my husband to our accounts before he was here, but we had to show his passport and some other paperwork. It definitely had to be done in person. I believe they have cracked down on this in the past few years (four or five, maybe?), so that may be where you are running into problems. Thus, some of the other banks here may still have the same conditions--you can be added without a Social if you are there in person.

[Darryl1 0]

None sorry to say that we could find. Even after she received her SS# we had to wait for almost a week while Homeland Security checked her out before PNC bank would add her. The lady that helped us said that when they run the SS# it showed it was a new issue to resident alien and automatically triggered a check through DHS. She apologized and said it was a federal law that they have to do it this way. You might as well get use to things like that. When we changed our phone to both our names and showed her Permanent Resident Card it triggered "security alert". They called someone and said "yes I am looking at her right now", "No she does not have her SS card on her possession". Then informed us that we must go home and retrieve her card and return. I said but doesn't it say on the document you receive with your card to never carry it on your person. The lady said I know but this is what they requested. So I drove 10 miles home, retrieved the card and drove 10 miles back. After saying she was looking at her, the SS card and the Permanent Resident card all three in person they added her to the account. I told the lady that if this 4ft 9in women is really Bin Laden in disguise then they must have cut his legs off to hide him. Sometimes you have to laugh to deal with the frustration. I honestly do not know how a person that is here illegal can function without getting caught. Maybe it is this way here because it is a rural area with not a lot of immigrants. Maybe in a city where there is more immigrants it is different.

[Matt and Evieve 1]

Thanks everyone for all the suggestions. We will definitely try some of the banks mentioned.

[zeezawrydan 1]

It seems like the problem with BOA isn't the lack of a Social Security number/card, it's that you aren't there in person. We added my husband to our accounts before he was here, but we had to show his passport and some other paperwork. It definitely had to be done in person. I believe they have cracked down on this in the past few years (four or five, maybe?), so that may be where you are running into problems. Thus, some of the other banks here may still have the same conditions--you can be added without a Social if you are there in person.

I agree. Silly me didn't realize you're not in the country yet. Being there personally is a big factor.

That is exactly what we did when we had to open a new account in both our names... I just showed my passport and marriage certificate and of course I was there in person...doesn't matter without an SSN as long as you have government issued ID.

PS: Marriage certificate was needed when we specifically requested to put my married name instead of my maiden name.

It is a standard procedure, all banks has same rules, if you want to add somebody in your account he/she should be there in person.

But you can always try... Who knows.. right?

Good luck!

Edited January 1, 2011 by zeezawrydan

[Tahoma 2,291]

I opened a joint account for my then-fiancée and myself at my local Wells Fargo bank branch while my then-fiancée was still living in 'Pinas.

My then-fiancée emailed me two picture IDs. One ID was the biographical page of her passport. I forget what the other ID was.

The representative at Wells Fargo opened the account based upon her two picture IDs. He also had me sign for my then-fiancée.

When the ATM cards from the new joint account arrived in the mail, I sent one to my then-fiancée in 'Pinas. She used it at a minimal charge to withdraw cash from any cash machine in 'Pinas.

After she arrived in the U.S., and after we got married, and after she got her Social Security card in her married name, we went back into the bank and changed her name on the account to her married name, gave the bank her Social Security number, and she signed for the account.

The end.