Yes, a UK citizen can open a US bank account, whether you’re already living in the States or still in the UK. Federal banking rules do not restrict account ownership to U.S. citizens, and major banks routinely accept foreign nationals who provide acceptable identification and pass standard compliance checks.1Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Can I Get a Checking Account Without a Social Security Number or Driver’s License What varies is which accounts you can access, which documents you must produce, and how the bank handles tax on any interest you earn.
Your Tax Status Shapes Your Options
The biggest fork in the road is how U.S. tax law classifies you. If you’re on a work visa such as an H-1B or a student visa such as an F-1 and spend enough time in the country, you’re likely a resident alien for tax purposes. The threshold is the substantial presence test: at least 31 days of physical presence in the current calendar year plus a weighted total of 183 days across the current year and the two preceding years.2Internal Revenue Service. Substantial Presence Test Resident aliens generally have access to the same consumer checking and savings accounts as U.S. citizens.
If you’re still in the UK or visit the U.S. only briefly, you’re a non-resident alien.3Internal Revenue Service. Determining an Individual’s Tax Residency Status Fewer banks offer standard retail accounts to non-residents, and those that do may steer you toward specialized international or high-net-worth accounts with more paperwork and, sometimes, higher minimum balances.
You also need to be old enough to enter a contract, which is 18 in most states.
Documents You’ll Need
Federal anti-money-laundering rules require every bank to run a Customer Identification Program on new account holders. At minimum, the bank must collect your name, date of birth, address, and an identification number.4eCFR. 31 CFR 1020.220 – Customer Identification Program Requirements for Banks Most UK applicants bring three things:
- A valid UK passport as your primary photo ID. The passport number and country of issuance can also serve as your identification number if you don’t have an SSN or ITIN.1Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Can I Get a Checking Account Without a Social Security Number or Driver’s License
- A secondary ID, such as a UK driver’s license or national identity card. Many banks want two forms of identification.
- Proof of address dated within the last 60 to 90 days, such as a utility bill, UK bank statement, or lease. It has to show a residential or business street address; a P.O. box on its own won’t satisfy the CIP rule.4eCFR. 31 CFR 1020.220 – Customer Identification Program Requirements for Banks
If any of your documents are not in English, expect the bank to ask for a certified translation.
Do You Need an SSN or ITIN?
You do not need a Social Security Number to open a U.S. bank account. Federal CIP rules explicitly allow banks to accept a passport number and country of issuance from non-U.S. persons in place of an SSN.1Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Can I Get a Checking Account Without a Social Security Number or Driver’s License That said, some banks require an SSN or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) as a matter of internal policy, so ask the specific institution before you apply.
If you do want an ITIN, apply on IRS Form W-7. You can submit it by mail, in person at an IRS office, or through an IRS-authorized Certifying Acceptance Agent. Agents in the UK can verify your passport in person so you don’t have to mail the original to the IRS.5Internal Revenue Service. ITIN Acceptance Agents Processing takes about 7 weeks, or 9 to 11 weeks during tax season (January 15 through April 30) and for overseas applicants.6Internal Revenue Service. How to Apply for an ITIN An ITIN expires if it isn’t used on a U.S. tax return for three consecutive years.7Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 26 USC 6109 – Identifying Numbers
The W-8BEN Form for Non-Residents
If you’re a non-resident alien, the bank will ask you to complete IRS Form W-8BEN. It certifies that you’re not a U.S. person and controls how the bank handles tax withholding on any U.S.-sourced income the account earns.8Internal Revenue Service. Form W-8BEN
The form asks for your full legal name, country of citizenship, and permanent residential address (no P.O. box). You also enter your foreign tax identifying number, which for UK residents is your National Insurance number or Unique Taxpayer Reference. That number lets the bank apply the U.S.–UK tax treaty.9Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Form W-8BEN Without a valid W-8BEN on file, the bank must withhold 30% of certain U.S.-sourced income by default. With one, ordinary bank interest paid to a UK resident is generally exempt from that withholding, so completing the form correctly is worth doing carefully.
Applying in Person
If you’re already in the United States, walking into a branch is the cleanest way to open an account. Bring your passport, secondary ID, proof of address, and your W-8BEN, or be ready to complete one at the branch. You’ll sign a signature card, which serves as the bank’s record of your authorized signature.10FDIC. Financial Institution Employee’s Guide to Deposit Insurance – Joint Accounts
You’ll also make an opening deposit. Most banks don’t require a minimum balance for basic checking, and among those that do, the typical minimum is around $100.11FDIC. Deposit Products Chapter – Minimum Balance Requirement for Bank Accounts International and premium accounts can require considerably more. You can fund the deposit with a wire from your UK bank or a cashier’s check.
Applying From the UK
Some banks let non-residents apply online or through an international banking desk without setting foot in a U.S. branch. These platforms use encrypted document uploads and video calls to verify identity. Not every bank offers this path, and document requirements are typically stricter: expect to provide notarized passport copies and additional proof of address, and expect a longer review than an in-branch visit.
Once approved, you’ll receive a debit card by mail along with online banking credentials. Turn on two-factor authentication as soon as you log in.
Tax on Your Interest
Under Article 11 of the U.S.–UK tax treaty, interest arising in the United States and beneficially owned by a UK resident is taxable only in the UK.12U.S. Department of the Treasury. Convention for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income and on Capital Gains For ordinary deposit interest paid to a non-resident alien with a valid W-8BEN on file, the income is generally nontaxable in the U.S. and not reportable on Form 1042-S.13Internal Revenue Service. Federal Income Tax Withholding and Reporting on Other Kinds of U.S. Source Income Paid to Nonresident Aliens
Even so, HMRC generally requires UK residents to report worldwide income, so interest from a U.S. account still needs to appear on your UK return.
Fees on Moving Money Between the UK and the US
Transfers between your UK and U.S. accounts pick up costs at several stages. Outgoing international wire fees at major U.S. banks typically run from about $35 to $65. Incoming international wires usually cost between $0 and $25, and some banks waive the incoming fee entirely.
International wires routed through the SWIFT network can also pass through one or more intermediary banks, each capable of deducting its own fee, often $15 to $50. Those deductions come out of the transferred amount, so the recipient may see less than was sent. If you want the full amount to arrive, ask your sending bank about the “OUR” charging option, which puts intermediary fees on the sender.
If you use your U.S. debit card for purchases in the UK, most banks charge a foreign transaction fee of 1% to 3% per purchase. Premium accounts sometimes waive this. When you’re paying abroad, choose to be charged in the local currency rather than dollars to avoid a conversion markup from the merchant’s payment processor.
Keeping the Account Alive From Abroad
If you don’t use your U.S. account, it can be flagged as dormant. Each state sets its own inactivity period, typically one to five years, after which unclaimed funds are turned over to the state through escheatment. Recovering escheated money is possible but slow.
The fix is simple: run a small transaction or log into online banking periodically. Banks usually send written notices before declaring an account dormant, but mail to an international address is unreliable, so keep your contact details current and opt into email or text alerts.
Opening a Business Account
UK business owners have more to prepare. Most U.S. banks will ask for an Employer Identification Number, which you apply for using IRS Form SS-4 by mail or fax. If your UK company has set up a U.S. subsidiary, bring the U.S. articles of incorporation. If the account will be held by the UK entity itself, bring the UK certificate of incorporation and your other formation documents. The managing director or authorized signatory will still need a passport and a second form of ID, and review times run longer than for personal accounts, particularly on remote applications.