Yes, you can open a bank account without an SSN or ITIN if you are a non-U.S. person. Federal Customer Identification Program rules at 31 CFR 1020.220 let a non-U.S. person satisfy the identification-number requirement with a passport number and country of issuance, an alien identification card number, or another government-issued document showing nationality or residence and bearing a photograph.1eCFR. 31 CFR 1020.220 – Customer Identification Program Requirements for Banks In practice that means walking into a branch of a traditional bank or credit union with a valid foreign passport, a second ID, and proof of a U.S. street address. Online-only banks generally will not work for this path.
Why the Rule Allows It
The USA PATRIOT Act amended the Bank Secrecy Act to require every bank to run a Customer Identification Program.2Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) The implementing regulation sets a minimum: your name, date of birth, a street address, and an identification number. The identification-number requirement splits along one line. A U.S. person must supply a taxpayer identification number (SSN or ITIN). A non-U.S. person can supply instead a passport number and country of issuance, an alien ID card number, or another government-issued document evidencing nationality or residence with a photograph or similar safeguard.1eCFR. 31 CFR 1020.220 – Customer Identification Program Requirements for Banks
Banks have discretion within that federal minimum to decide which specific foreign documents they accept. That’s why one branch may open your account without hesitation and another will tell you they can’t.
Documents to Bring
Primary ID
A valid, unexpired foreign passport is the most widely accepted document because it contains everything the regulation asks for: your name, photograph, a unique number, and country of issuance. Some banks also accept a Matricula Consular (a consular identification card issued by the Mexican government to citizens living abroad) or a national identity card from another country, provided it includes a photograph.
Secondary ID
Many banks ask for a second document to corroborate your identity. A foreign driver’s license, voter registration card, or national identity card can serve that purpose if it carries a photograph and biographical data matching your primary document. Make sure the name is spelled consistently on every document; small discrepancies can trigger a compliance review that delays the application.
Proof of a U.S. Street Address
The regulation requires a residential or business street address for individuals, not a P.O. box.1eCFR. 31 CFR 1020.220 – Customer Identification Program Requirements for Banks Banks typically verify it with a signed lease, a recent utility bill (electric, gas, or water) from within the last 60 to 90 days, or a letter from a government agency showing your name and street address. If your supporting documents are not in English, some banks may ask for a certified translation.
Where to Apply
Large national banks generally have compliance staff experienced in processing foreign passports and consular IDs. Many community banks and credit unions that focus on serving immigrant populations do the same. Call the branch ahead of your visit and ask directly whether they open accounts for foreign nationals using a passport. That one phone call spares you a trip to a branch whose internal software insists on an SSN or ITIN field.
Most online-only banks and digital savings products will not work. Their automated identity verification systems are built around an SSN or ITIN and are not set up to process foreign passport numbers. If you don’t have an ITIN yet, plan on visiting a physical branch.
What Happens at the Branch
Opening the account requires an in-person visit at most institutions; you cannot complete this process by mail or online. A personal banker will enter your information into the bank’s system and screen you through a consumer reporting agency such as ChexSystems, which tracks checking account history including past overdrafts or unpaid bank fees.3Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Chex Systems, Inc. If you are new to the U.S. and have no domestic banking history, that screen is unlikely to be a problem.
Most checking accounts require an opening deposit, commonly $25 to $100 depending on the account type. You’ll leave with a temporary account number and instructions for online and mobile access; a debit card is mailed to the verified street address, typically within seven to ten business days.
If a branch’s software forces a mandatory SSN field the banker cannot override, ask whether a supervisor can enter a foreign passport number in the identification field instead. Some core banking systems have a designated entry for non-resident alien accounts that bypasses the SSN requirement. If that branch still cannot accommodate you, try another branch or another institution before assuming the answer is no.
Interest-Bearing Accounts and Form W-8BEN
A basic checking account that earns no interest creates few complications. An interest-bearing account brings federal tax reporting into the picture. When you open one, the bank will ask you to complete IRS Form W-8BEN, which establishes that you are a non-U.S. person and the beneficial owner of the income. For nonresident aliens, bank deposit interest paid by a U.S. bank is generally not taxable and not reportable to the IRS if a valid W-8BEN is on file.4Internal Revenue Service. Federal Income Tax Withholding and Reporting on Other Kinds of U.S. Source Income Paid to Nonresident Aliens The form exempts bank deposit interest from both backup withholding and domestic information reporting.5Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Form W-8BEN
If you don’t provide a W-8BEN when the bank asks for it, the bank may withhold at either the 30% foreign-person withholding rate or the 24% backup withholding rate.5Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Form W-8BEN6Internal Revenue Service. Publication 15 (2026), (Circular E), Employer’s Tax Guide You do not need an SSN or ITIN to submit a W-8BEN; the form itself documents your foreign status.
Should You Apply for an ITIN Anyway?
An ITIN is not required for a basic account, but it expands your options. With one, you can open accounts at online banks that require a taxpayer identification number, access interest-bearing savings products and certificates of deposit more easily, and simplify later dealings with the U.S. tax system.
You apply by submitting IRS Form W-7. The IRS does not charge a fee, and processing typically takes about seven weeks. Most applications must include a federal tax return, but if a bank or other financial institution requests an ITIN from you for information-reporting purposes, you may qualify for an exception that lets you apply without one.7Internal Revenue Service. Instructions for Form W-7
An ITIN is issued strictly for federal tax purposes. It does not change your immigration status, authorize you to work in the United States, or qualify you for Social Security benefits.8Internal Revenue Service. Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN)
What This Doesn’t Cover: Credit Cards
Checking and savings accounts are one thing; credit cards are another. Most major credit card issuers require either an SSN or ITIN, largely because they need to pull a credit report from one of the three national credit bureaus, and those reports are tied to a taxpayer identification number. A small number of issuers accept passport-based applications, but options are limited and approval is not guaranteed without a domestic credit history. Opening a bank account first and then applying for an ITIN gives you the foundation to pursue a secured card or credit-builder loan later on.