Opening a US bank account without an SSN
What each bank's own page says — including the two that say the opposite of what people expect.
Quick answer
Yes, at some banks, and it is written down. Bank of America's international page says it does not require an SSN — two forms of ID and a physical US address instead. Citibank accepts an ITIN in place of an SSN. East West Bank opens a student account online from abroad on a passport and an F-1, M-1 or specified J-1 visa. What stops people in week one is elsewhere: Chase's list for non-permanent residents needs an ID showing a US address, Wells Fargo sends non-permanent residents to a branch by appointment, and U.S. Bank's online route asks for an SSN. Get a US phone number first, because the verification code goes to a US number.
Only one big bank says it in the affirmative
Bank of America's page for international professionals states: "Bank of America does not require a SSN to open a bank account in the U.S. However, you'll need to provide two forms of identification." That is the only sentence among the four largest banks we read that answers the question head-on. Everyone else either requires an SSN online, offers an ITIN as an alternative, or simply never addresses the case — and "never addresses it" is not the same as "no".
Bank by bank, in their own words
- Bank of America — international professionals. The sentence quoted above, with three stated conditions: you have a physical US address, you are not a US citizen, and you are not a permanent resident. Read 2026-08-31.
- Bank of America — international students. A separate page: two forms of ID plus a tax identification number, where "An FTIN issued by a country other than the U.S. A U.S. TIN/ITIN is not required unless you've been issued one." So your home-country tax number can do the job.
- East West Bank — Global Student Account. Apply online from abroad with a passport and an F-1, M-1 or specified J-1 visa; the visa may follow within up to six billing cycles; no monthly or ATM fees for qualifying students. Read the page carefully: the SSN requirement is written only in the US-students column ("A U.S. social security number is required to apply"), and the foreign-students column simply lists documents. The page never states that foreign students do not need one — that is an inference, ours included.
- Chase. Their only document rule of their own is a PDF of acceptable identification, split into US citizens, green-card holders and non-permanent residents. Work visas fall in the third column, which carries one hard constraint: "Primary or Secondary ID must contain a U.S. address." On day one, before anything with a US address has your name on it, that is the sentence that stops you.
- Wells Fargo. "If you're under 18 or a non-permanent U.S. resident, you'll need to make an appointment to apply in person at a Wells Fargo branch." Their Clear Access Banking page lists an SSN among the things "you'll need" no matter how you apply.
- Citibank. Their own guide lists "Social Security number or individual taxpayer identification number" — the two side by side, so an ITIN is enough. Also "Usually you can open a checking account online with Citi in minutes", and no minimum deposit. What the page does not cover is having neither, so neither do we.
- U.S. Bank. Online is for people "18 years or older and a legal U.S. resident", and asks for your Social Security number, with a $25 minimum opening deposit. Their personal-checking page does not offer an ITIN alternative; their branch route says to call first.
- Cathay Bank. The official digital-checking page says SSN or TIN is required. Our own experience in San Francisco is that a branch counter can open one without an SSN. Both are true statements about the same bank — call the branch before you go. Chinese-language service; SF branches at 919 Clement St and 540 Montgomery St.
Sources: Bank of America, international professionals and international students · East West Global Student Account · Chase acceptable forms of identification (PDF) · Wells Fargo account FAQs · Citi · U.S. Bank. Fetched between 2026-08-30 and 2026-09-04. The Cathay counter experience is firsthand (San Francisco, August 2026), not a bank policy statement.
Can I open a US account before I arrive?
Usually not directly, and the honest workaround is a bank that already knows you. HSBC's international service says: "Open accounts pre-departure, or once you arrive. Plus, for certain locations, you can do it all online", with eligibility of being at least 18 and having a valid reason, and documents covering employment, income and tax details, proof of ID and proof of address.
The other pre-arrival option is not a US bank account at all. Wise and Revolut can be set up online before you land and give you US account details; that is useful for receiving money and not the same thing as a US bank relationship.
HSBC international account opening, read 2026-09-05. The Wise / Revolut note is firsthand (San Francisco, August 2026).
The order that saves you a trip
Get the phone number first. Most online account openings text a verification code to a US number, and a prepaid SIM needs neither an SSN nor a credit check — see phone plans without an SSN. Then open the account, then the card. Doing it in the other order is the most common wasted afternoon.
Side by side, with the sentence that stops you
| Bank | What their page says about the SSN | What you bring | What can stop you |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bank of America — international professionals | "does not require a SSN" | Two forms of ID, a physical US address | You must already have a US address, and be neither a citizen nor a permanent resident |
| Bank of America — international students | A US TIN/ITIN "is not required unless you've been issued one" | Two forms of ID, a foreign tax number | Student page; the professional page has its own conditions |
| East West — Global Student Account | SSN requirement written only in the US-students column | Passport, F-1 / M-1 / specified J-1 visa; apply online from abroad | Students only; the page never says foreign students need no SSN — that is an inference |
| Chase | Not addressed; an ID list by residency status | Two IDs from the non-permanent-resident column | "Primary or Secondary ID must contain a U.S. address" |
| Wells Fargo | Clear Access page lists an SSN among what "you'll need" | Branch appointment if you are a non-permanent resident | The SSN line applies "no matter how you apply" |
| Citibank | "Social Security number or individual taxpayer identification number" | An ITIN is enough; online in minutes, no minimum deposit | Having neither is not covered on the page |
| U.S. Bank | Online asks for your SSN; "legal U.S. resident" | $25 minimum opening deposit | No ITIN alternative published; branch route says call first |
| Cathay Bank | Online page: SSN or TIN required | Passport at a branch counter (first-hand, San Francisco) | The website and the counter disagree — call the branch first |
If you are an F-1, M-1 or J-1 student
Two pages are written for you. East West's Global Student Account takes an online application from abroad and lets the visa follow within up to six billing cycles. Bank of America's student page accepts your home-country tax number in place of a US one. Pick by which you can complete before you land.
If you are an H-1B, L-1 or O-1 professional with a US address
Bank of America's professional page is the one large-bank sentence that answers directly, and its three conditions — a physical US address, not a citizen, not a permanent resident — describe you. If you do not have the address yet, that page's own condition is what stops you, not the SSN.
If you have an ITIN and nothing else
Citibank puts the two numbers side by side, so an ITIN clears their online route. U.S. Bank's personal-checking page does not offer that alternative, so do not start there.
If you have not landed yet
HSBC says you can open pre-departure through its international service. Wise or Revolut give you US account details before you land, but they are not a US bank account and will not satisfy a landlord asking for a US bank relationship. Directly with a US retail bank from abroad: generally no, and Chase's US-address rule is the reason.
How we checked
- Every line is quoted from the bank's own page, read between 2026-08-30 and 2026-08-31; the links sit under the bank-by-bank list. A page that is silent is reported as silent, not as "no".
- Two entries are first-hand — Cathay Bank's branch counter and the Wise / Revolut set-up — and are labelled as such. First-hand experience is one visit, not a policy.
- Bank policies change without notice. The dates tell you how old each reading is; the product shows the same lines with a "days since checked" counter.
- No bank named here pays us a referral fee, and we do not rank them.
Common questions
I just moved to the US — which bank account can I open without an SSN?
Bank of America is the one large bank whose own page answers directly: it does not require an SSN, but wants two forms of identification, a physical US address, and that you are neither a citizen nor a permanent resident. Citibank accepts an ITIN in place of an SSN. If you are a student, East West Bank's Global Student Account can be opened online from abroad with a passport and an F-1, M-1 or specified J-1 visa. Chase and Wells Fargo will generally send you into a branch, and Chase's non-permanent-resident document list requires an ID carrying a US address.
What are the best banks for international students and newcomers in the US?
It depends on which document you are missing rather than on rankings. No SSN and no US address yet: Bank of America's international pages address that case in writing. A student applying from abroad: East West Bank's Global Student Account is opened online and allows the visa to follow within up to six billing cycles. An ITIN but no SSN: Citibank lists the two as equivalents. We do not rank banks and we take no referral fees; the useful comparison is what each one's page requires.
Can I open a US bank account before I arrive in the country?
Through an international arm of a bank you already use, sometimes: HSBC states you can open accounts pre-departure and, for certain locations, entirely online. Directly with a US retail bank, generally no — identity verification usually wants a US address, and Chase's own list for non-permanent residents requires that one of your two IDs shows one. Services such as Wise or Revolut can be opened before you land and give you US account details, but they are not a US bank account.
Is an ITIN enough to open a bank account?
At some banks, in writing. Citibank's guide lists "Social Security number or individual taxpayer identification number" as alternatives. Bank of America's student page goes further for people with neither, accepting a foreign tax identification number and stating that a US TIN or ITIN is not required unless you have been issued one. U.S. Bank's personal-checking page does not offer an ITIN alternative at all. Check the page for the specific account you want, not the bank in general.
Our no-SSN index carries these lines with their sources and check dates, including the ones we could not verify. Open the map to see the branches near where you will live.