Opened bank account / no SSN yet

[breadlover408 24]

I am on a K1 visa and it is currently on AOS and should be due end of Aug/Sept. 

So I opened a bank account so that I could have a debit card to use at supermarket etc instead of carrying cash around. 
 

the bank asked me for a W8/W9 form. 
 

i told the bank that I don’t have a SSN number yet and they said I could open no problem. But I now have to fill a W8 or W9 form. 
 

told the banker W9 needs SSN but because I have been in the use since Dec 2021 for K1, that I am “eligible” for W9. 
 

she however said she will try to send W8 first but I did write an explanation on the form that my visa was processing and requires me to be in the US for 6 months whilst it does. 
 

so I am confused like if if they reject the W8 then I have to fill out W9 but I won’t get SSN till a month or two from now?

[Verrou 1,962]

try bank of america, usually they are more lenient.

back in 2017 i can open BOA without SSN

[breadlover408 24]

2 minutes ago, Misscloud said:

try bank of america, usually they are more lenient.

back in 2017 i can open BOA without SSN

I went to Chase and they said i could open an account without SSN which I did, but now they are asking me to fill W8/W9 tax form.

Technically I should fill out W8 first till I get SSN when AOS is approved. But the system says because I have been in the US long enough, that I should fill out W9?

21 minutes ago, breadlover408 said:

I am on a K1 visa and it is currently on AOS and should be due end of Aug/Sept. 

So I opened a bank account so that I could have a debit card to use at supermarket etc instead of carrying cash around. 
 

the bank asked me for a W8/W9 form. 
 

i told the bank that I don’t have a SSN number yet and they said I could open no problem. But I now have to fill a W8 or W9 form. 
 

told the banker W9 needs SSN but because I have been in the use since Dec 2021 for K1, that I am “eligible” for W9. 
 

she however said she will try to send W8 first but I did write an explanation on the form that my visa was processing and requires me to be in the US for 6 months whilst it does. 
 

so I am confused like if if they reject the W8 then I have to fill out W9 but I won’t get SSN till a month or two from now?

Sorry I could not edit my original post but I forgot to add I filed for AOS in March this year.
So not really sure when they will approve AOS.

[Verrou 1,962]

7 minutes ago, breadlover408 said:

I went to Chase and they said i could open an account without SSN which I did, but now they are asking me to fill W8/W9 tax form.

Technically I should fill out W8 first till I get SSN when AOS is approved. But the system says because I have been in the US long enough, that I should fill out W9?

Sorry I could not edit my original post but I forgot to add I filed for AOS in March this year.
So not really sure when they will approve AOS.

if i were u, i will ask ur spouse to add u on his credit card as authorized user.

and for debit card, wait till u got SSN  if u want to stick with chase

otherwise, try BOA 

 

i have issue too back in 2020 when my husband wanted to add me on his checking account so it will be joint account. i already have SSN even before i met my husband, yet the bank refused to acknowledge my SSN and insisted for me to file for ITIN. i was like, i have a SSN and u wanted me to have ITIN? and they refused to add my name until i sign a form, i forgot what is the form number. 

Edited July 22, 2022 by Misscloud

[breadlover408 24]

1 minute ago, Misscloud said:

if i were u, i will ask ur spouse to add u on his credit card as authorized user.

and for debit card, wait till u got SSN  if u want to stick with chase

otherwise, try BOA 

He has a Discover card but can’t even add a user because they need SSN. 
 

Chase is asking to submit it by 3rd August. 
the bank lady submitted a W8 first with my country’s tax number to see how it goes. But it’s really confusing. 
 

i think it doesn’t matter if you can open in BOA or not. If you open they will still ask for that form? Chase did not need SSN to open an account. 

[Verrou 1,962]

1 minute ago, breadlover408 said:

He has a Discover card but can’t even add a user because they need SSN. 
 

Chase is asking to submit it by 3rd August. 
the bank lady submitted a W8 first with my country’s tax number to see how it goes. But it’s really confusing. 
 

i think it doesn’t matter if you can open in BOA or not. If you open they will still ask for that form? Chase did not need SSN to open an account. 

nope. i use only passport for BOA, thats it. no additional form

like i said, BOA is the most lenient bank that i know to open a bank account

Edited July 22, 2022 by Misscloud

[beloved_dingo 1,979]

Let the W8 process, that is the correct one for your status right now. My husband did something similar to get added to my existing back account (BBVA, now PNC). Once he had his SSN we just updated the info with the bank. No biggie. 

[Daphne . 1,886]

I was able to open a bank account with Wells Fargo when I wasn't even living in the US yet. I did have my marriage certificate and Dutch passport. This was back in 2018 I think, so not sure if they are still that lenient.

[inloveVEN 46]

There is no issue if you fill W8 this is for people foreign people residing in USA . Most of the financial institutions request one. It is more related to taxation to determine if they can do some retentions or not.

Once you get your SSN number you should call them and update your info

[Chancy 6,241]

*** Moved from AOS from K1 Visas forum to Your New Life In America forum, where similar topics are discussed ***

 

[top_secret 2,440]

5 hours ago, breadlover408 said:

He has a Discover card but can’t even add a user because they need SSN. 

 Discover Card is an unusually strict outlier with their requirement of a SSN for authorized users.  'Most' of the big national credit card banks DO NOT require a SSN or anything else for authorized users.  100% certain Chase, Citi, Cap1, FNBO and many others will issue authorized user cards with nothing but a name and a birth date.

[breadlover408 24]

5 hours ago, beloved_dingo said:

Let the W8 process, that is the correct one for your status right now. My husband did something similar to get added to my existing back account (BBVA, now PNC). Once he had his SSN we just updated the info with the bank. No biggie. 

 

3 hours ago, inloveVEN said:

There is no issue if you fill W8 this is for people foreign people residing in USA . Most of the financial institutions request one. It is more related to taxation to determine if they can do some retentions or not.

Once you get your SSN number you should call them and update your info

Thanks so much - 
So apparently they called me up and said they can't process the W8 (although they tried) because I am eligible for W9 / system says I have to fill out W9 since I have been in the US for X days.

But I explained the situation again...and in the end they just said I don't have to submit it now, but only submit it when I do get my SSN number (to which I reminded them soooooooon), and they said they will just hold back some. credit % of my savings account (which I opened up too). I was like ok cool, that's a better optionn.

Because I originally received a letter stating I will get fined if I don't submit the tax form, so I questioned them about that - and they said "oh the fine is actually from us, not the IRS".

Oh well...I guess that's just that.
But yeah I guess they don't understand too much about K1 and AOS...

p.s. - am not even using funds in this card atm - just hooked it up to my Apple account for $0.99 cloud storage fee/month. That's it...LOL!

[breadlover408 24]

3 hours ago, Daphne . said:

I was able to open a bank account with Wells Fargo when I wasn't even living in the US yet. I did have my marriage certificate and Dutch passport. This was back in 2018 I think, so not sure if they are still that lenient.

Thank you for letting me know.

I was able to open up a bank account without SSN, but just that they requested for these tax forms.

I opened up with Chase because my husband uses Chase and it was easier to manage all in one.