# Open US checking account with foreign address



## expus

Hi I am a US citizen who lives outside the US. I want to know which US banks allow foreign addresses to open regular checking account in the US. Any expats out there can advice me? So far I tried to talk to a few a banks by calling but they say they either dont allow or I see that they want US based driver license etc on their website... I only have my US passport, no state issued ID anymore, as they all expired, since I live in foreign country now. Note: and of course i want to be able to open the account online..


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## Bevdeforges

Several years ago I managed to open a new account in the bank my father was using, shortly after my father took me in to the bank to add my name and signature to his account so that I could take over his finances for him. It was fairly easily handled - but my father was a long-time customer of the bank and it was a medium sized local bank (i.e. all within the same state, but they had bought up a couple of regional banks in the area). I honestly don't believe that it would be possible to do something like this today. But if it is, you'd have to consider that you'd probably need a personal tie to the bank (i.e. like my father putting my name and signature on his account) as well as the ability to show up in person at the bank to open the account (thanks to the Know Your Customer rules in place pretty much worldwide these days).

Depending on what you need or want the account for, you may want to look into opening an account with something like Revolut or one of the other online banks that offers currency exchange and transfer services for expats and others - or Wise, primarily for exchange and transfer services (though they seem to be evolving). 

There appear to be some US credit unions that will open new accounts for US citizens, though you do need to meet certain conditions to join their organization. I'm sure someone will be along shortly to suggest one or more alternatives in the credit union department.


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## MrNiceGuy

I have heard SDFCU (state-department-federal-credit-union) will open accounts for people who are not State Dept employees, but I have no direct experience with it

As already mentioned Wise (formerly Transferwise) and Revolut might be worth looking into. Wise is not a bank but works with Community Federal Savings Bank to provide you with access to the US interbank payment system, so you can make and receive USD payments as if you were a bank account holder. Revolut is somewhat similar (though I know less about them). Both of them are part of the new generation of online only financial firms. You need to check carefully, first to see if they can provide you with the exact services you need, and then if you have the documents required to open an account.


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## expus

i am new to the concept of credit union. i am just an ordinary us citizen living abroad with no ties to any state or federal organization or community. i also do not have any relatives or very close friends in the US. can i not open a credit union account? also what does it mean to have credit union account basically? i did some googling but still not sure so much. if i open one does it mean a lot of paperwork for me because it says something like i will be a member of the credit union and have voting rights etc?? all i want is a checking account nothing more. i do not want to get involved with anything else, participate in something, attend something, and have paperwork that i will need to mail internationally etc etc. all i want is to live my life abroad and since i am obligated to do taxes to US every year i think i deserve a simple checking account in the US too. they make US expat life really difficult


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## Bevdeforges

A credit union is roughly like the old style "mutual" banks you used to see in the US. (Possibly before your time.) Yes, you become a "member" rather than a "customer" but the practical difference isn't that great. However, you aren't required to show up in person at the annual meetings and all - usually you can vote by postal mail or over the Internet.

But practically speaking, you need to consider just what you need a US checking account for. If it's to have physical paper checks, or simply to have an online account you can use to make US tax payments where necessary, you're going to need to look for different things in a bank and in an account. Wise or Revolut may do for most simple requirements as they seem to issue US based bank routing numbers for direct deposit types of payments. 

Depending on the nature of any US tax payments you will need to make, you should look into simply having withholding taken from your US income sources, which would avoid the need to make payments at filing time. If you want to be able to make purchases in the US, that's a slightly different approach - where you will need a US based credit card.

Take a look at SDFCU to see if you can qualify Federal Credit Union in DC, VA, & SC | SDFCU and while you're at it, see if Wise or Revolut might meet your needs, at least for whatever US transactions you're likely to need.


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## Moulard

Unless things have changed membership of the SDFCU has to be done through American Citizens Abroad.









ACA delivers the award winning US banking solution to its members! old pages | Washington, DC |


ACA delivers the award winning US banking solution to its members! - Jump to: FAQS / STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO APPLY For US citizens living abroad, opening and maintaining a US bank account has been a BIG problem. Many US citizens still need and want US banking services to manage US...




www.americansabroad.org


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