Can a Non-Resident Open a Bank of America Account?

Usually not as an individual living abroad. Bank of America says non-US citizens can open a personal account in person at a financial center, and that the option is for US visa holders currently living in the United States, with an ITIN and proof of a US physical address. For someone who lives outside the country, the realistic route to a US account is through a US company.

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01What does Bank of America require from a non-citizen?

Its own application guidance lists:

• A visit in person to a financial center: non-permanent residents cannot apply online
• Both a permanent foreign address and a local US address
• An ITIN, the IRS tax number for people who are not eligible for a Social Security number
• A primary ID, such as a foreign passport, a US border crossing card, or a Mexican, Guatemalan, Dominican or Colombian consular ID with photo
• A secondary ID, such as a driver's license with photo, a student or employer ID, or a major debit or credit card
• Proof of a US physical address in your name, such as a utility bill or rental agreement

Each item assumes a life already based in the United States. A visitor with a passport and an address abroad does not meet them, which is why so many applications from abroad end at the first conversation.

02What if I live outside the US?

Open the account for your company instead. A US LLC with an EIN is a US business customer, and banks evaluate it on the company's documents. Bank of America's own list for a business account starts with the EIN, the state documents that show the company was formed, the names of the account owners and a valid, verifiable business address. A foreign owner adds personal identification and the ownership details every US bank must collect.

Not every bank serves foreign-owned companies, and the reasons applications fail are specific and avoidable. We set them out in why banks reject non-residents, and the full process in opening a US business bank account as a non-resident.

03Do I need an ITIN or an SSN?

For a personal account at Bank of America as a non-citizen, the bank asks for an ITIN. For a business account, the company's EIN is the core number, and a non-resident owner does not need a Social Security number to obtain it. Our guides on getting an EIN as a non-resident and opening an account without an SSN or ITIN explain what each bank expects.

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Open a US bank account.

A business account for your US company, guided.

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04Is Bank of America the right bank for a foreign-owned company?

Sometimes, and not always. Large retail banks favour customers they can meet at a branch. Many foreign owners are better served by banks and financial platforms built for companies run from abroad. The right choice depends on where the clients are, which currencies move, and whether anyone from the company will be in the United States.

Prodezk prepares the company, its EIN and its documents so the account application arrives complete, and introduces each client to the institution that fits how the business actually operates.