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how to open a bank account once we arrive in the us

B

bonno

Registered Users (C)
Hey everybody
My family and I are going to Washington at the end of this month. It's our first trip to activate our green cards. My husband who is a teacher has to come back to France and come back in July in the US.
I'll be staying with my baby boy in Washington, we're thinking of settling down there.
I have 2 questions thought
1) Can i open a bank account once i arrive in the states with the immigrant visa i have? Do i need other documents( i understand that the gc will be sent within 5 weeks.)
2) About the social security card do i have to go to a social security center or there is no need for that.
I am kind of confused...

Thank you
 
bonno said:
Hey everybody
My family and I are going to Washington at the end of this month. It's our first trip to activate our green cards. My husband who is a teacher has to come back to France and come back in July in the US.
I'll be staying with my baby boy in Washington, we're thinking of settling down there.
I have 2 questions thought
1) Can i open a bank account once i arrive in the states with the immigrant visa i have? Do i need other documents( i understand that the gc will be sent within 5 weeks.)
2) About the social security card do i have to go to a social security center or there is no need for that.
I am kind of confused...

Thank you
Click to expand...

Yes, you have to go to the SOcial Security Administration to apply for a SSN, the card takes about 1-2 weeks to arrive.

Most banks require you to have a SSN to Open an account.

All the best
 
You don't need a SSN to open a bank account but it might be easier if you have one. You need a passport and/or DL.

To obtain a credit card and start to build up a credit history you probably need a secured credit card, which means you have to deposit an amount and that is the credit limit you can use., until aprox 2 years from the date you got your credit card, it will be unsecured and you get your deposit + interest back. (if you pay off your credit card as you should)
 
why would you open a bank account in the USA????
-banks here are not providing any kind of service as banks in other countries do ...
here FOR EXAMPLE you do not get any kind of interest on savings
even regular checking account is gonna cost you to keep it open (every month you pay ''maintenance fees '' for such account AND IF YOU SAY USE YOUR DEBIT CARD OFTEN YOUR FEES COULD EASLY TOP 100+ A MONTH !!!

every overdraft FROM YOUR ACCOUNT is 35 dollars out of your pocket - I ALREADY EXPLAINED THAT HERE ON THIS FORUM- SO I DO NOT WANT TO ELABORATE MORE - ITS JUST A SCAM THEY ARE RUNNING HERE IN ALL OF THE BANKS (BOA,CHASE,CITI ETC.)

''on line'' banking WITH ALL OF THE BANKS HERE IS JUST SO CHAOTIC YOU NEVER ACTUALLY KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY YOU HAVE ON YOUR ACCOUNT -STATEMENTS ON LINE ARE DELIBERATELY CHAOTIC - TRUST ME ON THAT I HAVE BANK ACCOUNTS IN SEVERAL COUNTRIES SUCH AS UK,CANADA ETC AND US BANKING SYSTEM USES SOME REALLY FUNNY SOFTWEAR FOR ON LINE BANKING
TO GET A CREDIT CARD HERE FROM THE BANK ITS JUST A SUCH A LONG SHOT IT SIMPLY NOT WORTH IT -TO PUT IT SIMPLE -YOU WON'T GET IT FOR YEARS

LOANS OR CREDITS FOR EDUCATION OR TO BUY A CAR OR (GOD FORBID) A HOUSE IS JUST BIG NON NO FOR NEW IMMIGRANTS SO ...ALL IN ALL YOU BETTER OPEN BANK ACCOUNT IN CANADA (A LOTS OF AMERICANS DO EXACTLY THAT - THEY GO ON WEEKEND TO SAY MONTREAL JUST SO THEY CAN OPEN BANK ACCOUNT )- YOU CAN SEND ALL THE CHEQUES VIA MAIL OR GET THE MONEY OUT OF ANY ATM JUST LIKE WITH THE ANY OTHER AMERICAN ACCOUNT

THATS MY ADVICE FOR EVERYONE - US BANKS - JUST FORGET ABOUT THEM
 
Do you really hate the US so much!

My accounts are very clear and although I don't like the way they handle over draft fees and get money that way it is what it is and if you don't like it then don't open an account which will make it harder living here.

My online accounts are very clear to read and the only thing I have to call about is the interest they charge me which they shouldn't and I have to call everytime I notice it and they will credit it to me....not nice but I check it very well.

I don't pay for maintenance fee on a checking account. On my business account they charge $ 17.- per month but if you use your debit card once month for a purchase they will not charge it, which I do and I use it to buy gas for $ 0.10 and then use my cc for the additional gas...it is like a game to me...if the banks offer to eliminate it by using the debit card for whatever amount, I will do it the way I do....for the cc I get rewards points and I like them a lot since I get a lot of gift cards that way.

In Europe a checking account or credit card isn't free either....I get charged once a year for having my debit card and cc....so in a way it isn't different.

The real difference is the overdraft fees that are really high over here and you better check how much you can spend because it is a business over here for banks to charge them to you....don't spent money you don't have and you will be fine.

I bought many houses over here while being on a visa so it isn't true you buy a home...Later I got a home equity line on the home as a foreigner....so I have proof you are talking non sense. If you have no money and no credit history you won't get a loan, but neither will you get a loan else where in the world without proof of having savings or assetts....
 
bmx88 said:
why would you open a bank account in the USA????
-banks here are not providing any kind of service as banks in other countries do ...
here FOR EXAMPLE you do not get any kind of interest on savings
even regular checking account is gonna cost you to keep it open (every month you pay ''maintenance fees '' for such account AND IF YOU SAY USE YOUR DEBIT CARD OFTEN YOUR FEES COULD EASLY TOP 100+ A MONTH !!!

every overdraft FROM YOUR ACCOUNT is 35 dollars out of your pocket - I ALREADY EXPLAINED THAT HERE ON THIS FORUM- SO I DO NOT WANT TO ELABORATE MORE - ITS JUST A SCAM THEY ARE RUNNING HERE IN ALL OF THE BANKS (BOA,CHASE,CITI ETC.)

''on line'' banking WITH ALL OF THE BANKS HERE IS JUST SO CHAOTIC YOU NEVER ACTUALLY KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY YOU HAVE ON YOUR ACCOUNT -STATEMENTS ON LINE ARE DELIBERATELY CHAOTIC - TRUST ME ON THAT I HAVE BANK ACCOUNTS IN SEVERAL COUNTRIES SUCH AS UK,CANADA ETC AND US BANKING SYSTEM USES SOME REALLY FUNNY SOFTWEAR FOR ON LINE BANKING
TO GET A CREDIT CARD HERE FROM THE BANK ITS JUST A SUCH A LONG SHOT IT SIMPLY NOT WORTH IT -TO PUT IT SIMPLE -YOU WON'T GET IT FOR YEARS

LOANS OR CREDITS FOR EDUCATION OR TO BUY A CAR OR (GOD FORBID) A HOUSE IS JUST BIG NON NO FOR NEW IMMIGRANTS SO ...ALL IN ALL YOU BETTER OPEN BANK ACCOUNT IN CANADA (A LOTS OF AMERICANS DO EXACTLY THAT - THEY GO ON WEEKEND TO SAY MONTREAL JUST SO THEY CAN OPEN BANK ACCOUNT )- YOU CAN SEND ALL THE CHEQUES VIA MAIL OR GET THE MONEY OUT OF ANY ATM JUST LIKE WITH THE ANY OTHER AMERICAN ACCOUNT

THATS MY ADVICE FOR EVERYONE - US BANKS - JUST FORGET ABOUT THEM
Click to expand...

You are becoming too controversial for my type in this forum.If you hate the US why not seek succour else where.I am getting pissed with your too many stories about the US
 
Hi bonno,

1) You can use your passport to open an account.
2) If you applied to get your SSN in the mail in you DS form, then wait till about 3 weeks to find it in the mail. If you didn't select that option then go to the SS office closest and apply in person. You stamp in the passport would show your status. Take birth certificate just in case as a second ID.
 
gasper2000 said:
You are becoming too controversial for my type in this forum.If you hate the US why not seek succour else where.I am getting pissed with your too many stories about the US
Click to expand...

well nobody is twisting your arm to read my comments - IF YOU READ MY POSTS YOU WILL FIND OUT THAT I LEFT USA LONG TIME AGO - anyways if you think I'm wrong in my comments and observations I'm waiting for proof of the opposite -

ITS WELL KNOWN FACT THAT THIS COUNTRY IS ALMOST DESTROYED BY RECKLESS BANKING SECTOR AND YOU TELLING ME THAT YOU ARE PISSED OFF BECAUSE I CALLED IT WHAT I SEE IT ???

TO BE HONEST I'M ALSO PISSED OFF ON ALL THOSE IDIOTS WHO LEFT COMMENTS LIKE YOURS -( ''WHY DON'T YOU LEAVE USA IF YOU HATE IT SO MUCH'')- ETC TYPE OF RESPONSES TO MY POSTS- WELL DUDE SOONER OR LATER YOU WILL GET YOURS IN THIS COUNTRY AND THEN YOU WILL BE REALLY PISSED OFF (NOT AT ME ) BUT ALL I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER YOUR STUPID COMMENTS ON THIS FORUM WHEN THAT HAPPENS
 
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Ok here is my advice which is not'' too controversial ''- to open bank account in most of the usa you do not need ss number or green card -just passport with some sort of visa would be ok .
All the usa banks lost millions of customers in the last few years that very often they have offers for new clients to open accounts and receive up to 120 dollars ''gift'' from the bank for each new account opened .
These days nobody is gonna sk too many questions if you want to open new account in the usa

again i have to stress out - be cautious !!!!!!! And weary !!!!!
 
Ok here is my advice which is not'' too controversial ''- to open bank account in most of the usa you do not need ss number or green card -just passport with some sort of visa would be ok .
All the usa banks lost millions of customers in the last few years that very often they have offers for new clients to open accounts and receive up to 120 dollars ''gift'' from the bank for each new account opened .
These days nobody is gonna ask too many questions if you want to open new account in the usa

again i have to stress out - be cautious !!!!!!! And weary !!!!!
 
The big upside of having a SSN is that the bank won't withhold taxes if you also have a GC....

A SSN makes living in the US way easier....but also be careful you can be a victim of ID theft...
 
bmx88 said:
well nobody is twisting your arm to read my comments - IF YOU READ MY POSTS YOU WILL FIND OUT THAT I LEFT USA LONG TIME AGO - anyways if you think I'm wrong in my comments and observations I'm waiting for proof of the opposite -

ITS WELL KNOWN FACT THAT THIS COUNTRY IS ALMOST DESTROYED BY RECKLESS BANKING SECTOR AND YOU TELLING ME THAT YOU ARE PISSED OFF BECAUSE I CALLED IT WHAT I SEE IT ???

TO BE HONEST I'M ALSO PISSED OFF ON ALL THOSE IDIOTS WHO LEFT COMMENTS LIKE YOURS -( ''WHY DON'T YOU LEAVE USA IF YOU HATE IT SO MUCH'')- ETC TYPE OF RESPONSES TO MY POSTS- WELL DUDE SOONER OR LATER YOU WILL GET YOURS IN THIS COUNTRY AND THEN YOU WILL BE REALLY PISSED OFF (NOT AT ME ) BUT ALL I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER YOUR STUPID COMMENTS ON THIS FORUM WHEN THAT HAPPENS
Click to expand...

Safe me the crap.You left the US long ago but u know everything that is happening there.Have u ever thought of it that things might have changed since you left?When u were in the US where were you banking?If every American banks in Canada, what would the American economy have become today?Enjoy your a** where you are buddy!
 
ouch some angry people here - sorry buddy but I can see that your american adventure is going to a++ ( so far I can judge )- RELAX dude -chill - the worst is yet to come ...its gonna hit you before you learn to spell properly (in English that is )- I DID MY BANKING ONLY IN CANADA (me and approx . 5+ million Americans ) - things did change A LOT SINCE I LEFT - FOR THE WORST!!! I'm glad your are getting accustomed to US ''blue collar'' slang (buddy )- obviously your co workers are calling you like that.

PS YOU DO NOT PAY TAXES ON SAVINGS IN CANADIAN BANKS IF YOU ARE NOT CANADIAN CITIZEN OR PR - ALSO YOU HAVE INTEREST ON YOUR SAVINGS WHICH IS UNLIKE US BANKS PRETTY HIGH + THEY (CANADIAN BANKS ) DO NOT CHARGE FOR SAY SENDING YOU NEW CARDS OR CHEQUE BOOKS OR SOME STUPID FEES JUST TO KEEP YOUR ACCOUNT OPEN - SURE NO OVERDRAFT FEES (THATS ACTUALLY AGAINST THE LAW IN CANADA !!!- THINK THAT !!) EITHER -ALL IN ALL CANADA IS THE (ONLY PLACE IN THE NORTH AMERICA THAT IS )PLACE WHERE YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE NORMAL BANKING PRACTICE AND SERVICES LIKE IN SAY EUROPE
 
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Just to get to your last sentence...."services like in Europe", well they charge fees for having a checking account and credit card. They don't have over draft fees which is nice, and I like that you can't use your debit card if you have not enough funding....Having said that, if you want to do something, it is almost impossible to get a better life or change jobs, if you don't like what you choice was when you were 15 or 16 because you have to drop courses at a young age, so you eliminate a lot of possibilities and in a socialist climate, that means you are stuck for life.

If you like paying taxes on everything and think health care is for free then Europe and Canada are the one for you. If you use your brain and know that the reason that you pay 19% tax on gas, clothes, etc. 6% tax on food, etc....than go there and keep thinking it is all for free!

Take Obama with you since he thinks the same and likes to give other people money to others while hiding his own some where so he doesn't have to share, just as he didn't share much while he was a Senator. His charity donations were so little it was a joke, for a man with such an income and only when he decided to run for the presidency he added a lot to give to his hateful church! He also only at that point started to pay off his outstanding traffic tickets...

But again, socialist always think it is better else where and feel free to think so and stay in a socialist country and take any one with you who like it, so others who want free Capital markets, stay here and work hard for a better life with all the ups and downs that come with it.:)
 
Well I had/ have accounts in following countries
germany
france
belgium
uk
canada
and in none of those they charge any fees for the credit cards or checking accounts -period -it just got fazed out very early in the 90's in the most of EU countries -fairly fast 0%INTEREST CREDIT AND DEBIT CARDS'' GOT IN THE MARKET'' so your info on the subject is about 20 years OLD
maybe some others do but not those

also you mentioned that us banks do not deduct taxes from the accounts in the us opened with ssn -well i did check my bank statements and ...they do in fact
one account i did open in the usa without using ssn (way back -in 1998) was never subject to that - they did not deduct taxes because for some reason they got me in the system as a foreigner

any who...by 2002 i was already banking with canadian banks so this point is mote from then onwards
 
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About taxes - this is very touchy subject in the usa because (i have to be blunt here ) - you actually pay taxes in the usa with no visible effect
- money goes to god knows where ...and you pay a lot of it ......i calculated that say in belgium your tax bill on average could be as much as say 25 % on salary of 4000 dollars a month -but and there is a big but -
you got health care for free , free high education ,unlimited unemployment benefits for you,your wife - she can get up to 2 years maternity leave ,and your children - all their education starting from kindergarten to university is covered -and all that for additional +5% taxes !!!!!!!!!
To get all that in the states you have to actually cut your salary for further 40% -yes that much( and this is on average taking into account average salary in the usa )!!!!!! So you can get all of those things - but if your salary is say only 2000 dollars a month ....well then you are pretty much f...d


people here loose perspective on taxes by calculating how much they pay in taxes rather then what they have in return -in the usa they got nothing coming for the taxes they pay -money goes to military or some lobby or whatever in on agenda in washington ...whereas in europe your taxes actually make a difference in your everyday life - you dod not need to further cut your budget in order to send your kids in good school or think what would happen to you when you lose your job ......only idiot would compare say prices of gas or taxes paid on clothes with such things - except gas - all the other things in the usa are about the same price ,slightly cheaper -not more then very few percentage cheaper but usually more expensive then in most of europe -food is say way expensive in the usa then in most of the europe -and that is one thing people here (usa)need more then gas for sure
 
You didn't mention when you had these bank accounts....just like over here, all banks around the world have changed their fees and in the past we weren't charged any fees in Europe, but now they are charging just as over here....

We live in 2010 not back in the days...I wish sometimes it was back in the days with no fees:)
 
Dude i still have accounts in those countries and 3 visa/master cards from them in constant use -one piece of advise : If you have no arguments to put in better skip replaying to my posts because you gonna come off stupid ... You made some valid comments on some other subjects on this forum but about financial culture of this country you do not know much (this is self evident from your above replay ) also your knowledge of social history of europe (both western and eastern is at the best very sketchy )- you really have to google more at least before posting ......also you might want to go to europe for awhile and actually live there - just going on vacation for a couple weeks not gonna cut it -at least not for you to become expert on ''european banking''
 
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