Where can I deposit and international check since I have no bank account here yet?

[mika__ 50]

hi everyone
I just recently moved to the USA from Canada on a IR1 visa. I still have no bank account here in the USA. I just got a check in the mail from my home country canada of my security deposit from my apartment I moved out of before I moved to the USA. I have no idea where I can cash it since its in Canadian dollars....and its about $900 CAN so its quiet abit of money, I also need to cash or deposit it within 2 weeks or its expires (thats what it says on the check which I find odd). Does anywhere know where I can cash a international check without having a bank account? im in CA

I dont have a bank account in the USA to go and deposit it, im not even sure if banks deposit international checks?

The reason Ive been having massive trouble opening an account here due to issues with a SSN. Every bank ive tried to apply to wants a SSN or the physical SSN card (which I dont have). I used to live in the USA on a k1 visa to my ex husband back in 2012, and I had a ssn then under my married name. But when we divorced in 2014 I went back to my home country and back to my maiden name. So now that im back in america my name is legally my maiden name but my previous social security is under my previous married name. Which is causing issues opening a bank account. I dont have my old physical SSN card, I just remember the number. All SS offices are closed to try and resolve this and when I do get ahold of SS office they tell me to mail them my greencard to them in the mail which im uncomfortable doing as it could get lost...im struggling to bring my Canadian funds over to USA since I cant open a bank account. Ive tried, Wells fargo, Chase, Bank of America, Redwood credit union etc...and all wont except me because my social security card doesnt match my current maiden name on it as the card has my previous married name on it. Ive tried making the neccessary changes on the SS site to fix this but a SS agent on the phone said I cant do it online because im not an american citizen and that I must mail them my greencard to fix the name change and get a new card. I have no idea what to do, im weary mailing my greencard but I have no money because I cant open a bank account to transfer my funds that are in my canadian bank account still
 

[Sarah&Facundo 595]

Could you deposit it into your Canadian bank account and wire the funds to yourself  via Western Union or another service like that?

[seekingthetruth 1,248]

8 minutes ago, Sarah&Facundo said:

Could you deposit it into your Canadian bank account and wire the funds to yourself  via Western Union or another service like that?

As an add-on to this, for the OP, does your Canadian bank have remote deposit app for your phone?  Most major banks have it now.  The app will let you deposit the check while anywhere in the world.

[YecaCruz 379]

I've been working at a bank for almost 10 years. We don't cash checks for people who didn't have bank accounts at our bank UNLESS the check itself was from our bank since there is no recourse if something were to cause the check to be rejected. You may not find a bank that would cash a check both for a non-client and another institution's check although I can only speak for the bank that I work at which is a smaller, regional bank.

 

 

The posts above are good ideas!

 

Another thing you could do is sign the check over to someone (like your spouse or a VERY trusted friend), in which case they would in turn sign and deposit it, and then could withdraw the funds for you. there's risk that the bank might put a hold on the funds BUT if everything is good with the check eventually those funds will be released. 

 

Make sure to sign it over correctly which means you sign it then underneath you write "pay to the order of [insert person's name]" then that person would sign it making the check theirs. This makes the check a 3rd party check and, at least at my bank, we only deposited those and never cashed them. 

Edited December 17, 2020 by YecaCruz

[YecaCruz 379]

Check with the bank before you do that just in case they have some weird policy

[Bob in Boston 734]

12 hours ago, mika__ said:

I used to live in the USA on a k1 visa to my ex husband back in 2012, and I had a ssn then under my married name. But when we divorced in 2014 I went back to my home country and back to my maiden name

your ssn will not change, you will still use the old one. You can call social security with a name change. They will either do it over the phone or send you mail requesting the documents necessary. tell them you got divorced and want to go back to your maiden name. easy process