this post was submitted on 21 Nov 2023
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Can I (American) open a bank account in America without being in America? (alien.top)
submitted 11 months ago by BurntAlmonds13@alien.top to c/digitalnomad@expats.zone
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Hello all, I'm a US citizen living in Asia; and I haven't returned to the US since I left more than two decades ago.

I'd like to open a US Bank account while living abroad that I can access online for basic personal finance and possible business ventures in the future. Ideally I would be able to connect a debit card and possibly get a US PayPal account, too.

What I have:

  • Original US birth certificate

  • US passport

  • Social Security number

What I don't have:

  • A residential address in the US (or any close family whose address I can use)

  • A phone number in the US

I'm really clueless about my options for doing this and would be grateful for any tips you can offer. Thanks.

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[–] TransitionAntique929@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago (1 children)

No, it’s absolutely true and done to prevent “money laundering”. I don’t write the rules, I just report them.

[–] thekwoka@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Well, you report them wrong.

I've never had to go into a bank to open an account, even at a new bank.

[–] TransitionAntique929@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago (1 children)

So you never had to provide a signature card? I know it hurts to be wrong but I find it extremely hard to believe you can open an account in the way you describe. Perhaps times have changed, though?

[–] thekwoka@alien.top 1 points 11 months ago

I don't even know what that is.

I've only had to go on site to open a bank account in Korea with KB*. I also opened an account with KakaoBank and that was online only.