How to Open a US Bank Account as an International Student

You can open a US bank account as an international student without a Social Security Number. Federal identification rules let banks accept your passport number in place of a taxpayer ID, so a valid passport, your visa paperwork, proof of a local address, and a small opening deposit are usually enough to walk out of a branch with an active checking account the same day.¹

Documents to Bring to the Branch

Every US bank runs a Customer Identification Program on new account holders. For a non-US person, the bank must collect your name, date of birth, address, and at least one of: a taxpayer identification number, a passport number with country of issuance, an alien ID card number, or another government-issued photo ID showing nationality or residence.¹ Your unexpired passport almost always satisfies this.

You should also bring your immigration paperwork. F-1 students need Form I-20, the certificate of eligibility issued by their school’s Designated School Official.² J-1 exchange visitors bring Form DS-2019. These documents confirm your legal status, your school, and your program dates.

Banks need a US address too. A signed lease, a utility bill in your name, or a letter from your university’s housing office all work. If you have just arrived and have none of these, some branches will accept your university’s address temporarily. Many banks also want a second form of ID: a foreign or US driver’s license, a current photo student ID, or a debit or credit card with a Visa or Mastercard logo.

Bring originals, not photocopies or phone photos. If a document is in a language other than English, some branches may ask for a certified translation, which typically runs $25 to $50 per page.

Do You Need a Social Security Number?

No. This is the biggest point of confusion for international students, and the regulation is explicit: banks may accept a passport number from non-US persons as the identifying number on the account.¹ Some front-line bank employees don’t know this and may turn you away. If that happens, ask to speak with a manager or point them to the rule.

You have three options for the tax-ID piece of the application, depending on your situation:

Social Security Number. If you have on-campus employment or other authorized work, apply for an SSN at the Social Security Administration. You need your passport, I-94 arrival record, Form I-20, and a letter from your school confirming your job. The SSA will not process the application if your work start date is more than 30 days away.³
Individual Taxpayer Identification Number. If you are not eligible for an SSN but need a tax ID for filing, apply for an ITIN using IRS Form W-7. Processing takes about 7 weeks, or 9 to 11 weeks during tax season (January 15 through April 30). Don’t wait for the ITIN before opening a bank account — use the W-8BEN option below.⁴
Form W-8BEN. This form certifies your foreign status and tells the bank you are not a US person for tax purposes. Many banks accept a completed W-8BEN in place of an SSN or ITIN at account opening, and it is the fastest route if you have neither number yet.⁵

One warning about paperwork. Deposit interest earned at a US bank is generally not taxable for nonresident aliens, and the IRS specifically instructs nonresidents to file a W-8BEN with their bank rather than a W-9.⁶ If a bank representative hands you a W-9, that is the wrong form for your situation.

Choosing Between Checking and Savings

Start with a checking account. It gives you a debit card, electronic bill pay, and mobile banking. Several major banks waive monthly maintenance fees for student account holders under a certain age, typically 24 or 25.⁷⁸ Once you age out, the fee returns unless you keep a minimum balance or set up qualifying direct deposits. Ask about the specific cutoff and conditions before you sign.

A savings account makes sense for money you won’t need immediately, like tuition set aside for next semester. It earns a small amount of interest and keeps that money separate from your daily spending.

If a package bundles checking with savings and offers overdraft protection, read the terms carefully. Under federal law, a bank cannot charge overdraft fees on ATM withdrawals or one-time debit card purchases unless you explicitly opt in to that service in writing.⁹ On a tight budget, declining overdraft coverage is usually safer. A declined transaction costs nothing; an overdraft fee runs $25 to $35.

What Happens at the Branch

You can open an account online with some banks, but for international students a branch visit is almost always smoother. The representative reviews your original documents on the spot and can sort out any confusion about the W-8BEN. Bring every document listed above even if you think only some apply. Making a second trip is worse than carrying extra paper.

Most banks require an initial deposit of $25 to $100.¹⁰⁸ Bring cash or a money order if you don’t already have a US payment method. Once the account is active, you’ll usually get a temporary debit card or virtual card number immediately, with the permanent card arriving by mail within 7 to 10 business days. Set up online and mobile banking the same day so you can watch the account from day one.

Your deposits at any FDIC-insured bank are protected up to $250,000 per depositor, per bank, regardless of citizenship.¹¹

Getting Money Into the Account From Home

The most common method is an international wire transfer. The sender needs your account number, the bank’s routing number, and the bank’s SWIFT code (also called a BIC). All three are in your online banking portal, and any branch can print them for you.

Wires work, but they are not cheap. Most major US banks charge around $15 for each incoming international wire. Your sender’s bank charges its own outgoing fee, and both sides may mark up the exchange rate against the midmarket rate. On a single $5,000 transfer, the total cost can reach $40 to $75.

For recurring transfers like monthly living expenses, specialized international transfer services often quote exchange rates closer to the midmarket rate with lower flat fees. Some universities also partner with payment providers that handle tuition transfers at reduced rates, so check with your international student office before wiring tuition the expensive way.

Closing the Account Before You Leave the US

If you are graduating or otherwise leaving the country, close the account before you go. Doing it in person while you still have your documents on hand is by far the easiest route. Withdraw or transfer the remaining balance, cancel any automatic payments linked to the account, and download your transaction history and statements, because online access usually shuts off once the account closes.

Leaving an account open and forgetting about it has real costs. Monthly maintenance fees keep running whether you use the account or not, draining a small balance to zero and eventually pushing it negative. If the balance sits untouched long enough, typically three to five years, the bank is required to turn the funds over to the state as unclaimed property. Recovering escheated money from overseas is possible but slow. Closing the account takes ten minutes and avoids all of it.

If you have already left, most banks let you close the account by phone. Have your account number ready and call the international customer service line. You can ask the bank to mail a check for the remaining balance to your home address or wire it to a foreign account, though a wire fee may apply.

1
eCFR. 31 CFR 1020.220 – Customer Identification Program Requirements for Banks
2
eCFR. 8 CFR 214.2 – Special Requirements for Admission, Extension, and Maintenance of Status
3
Social Security Administration. International Students and Social Security Numbers
4
Internal Revenue Service. How to Apply for an ITIN
5
Internal Revenue Service. About Form W-8 BEN, Certificate of Foreign Status of Beneficial Owner for United States Tax Withholding and Reporting (Individuals)
6
Internal Revenue Service. Nontaxable Types of Interest Income for Nonresident Aliens
7
Bank of America. Bank of America Advantage SafeBalance Banking FAQs
8
Wells Fargo. Student and Teen Checking
9
eCFR. 12 CFR 1005.17 – Requirements for Overdraft Services
10
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Student Banking: Getting Started
11
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. Understanding Deposit Insurance