What Bank Does Not Require a Social Security Number?

You can open an account at most major U.S. banks without a Social Security Number. Banks that don’t require a Social Security Number include Bank of America, Wells Fargo, JPMorgan Chase, and Citibank, along with many credit unions and fintech platforms like Wise and Revolut. In place of an SSN, these institutions accept an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), a foreign passport, a consular identification card, or another government-issued photo ID. Federal regulations built this flexibility into the account-opening rules so non-U.S. persons can access the banking system.¹²

Major Banks That Open Accounts Without an SSN

The four largest national banks all have published policies for customers who don’t have a Social Security Number. Specifics vary, but the pattern is consistent: bring an ITIN or foreign identification to a branch, and you can open a standard checking or savings account.

Bank of America

Bank of America allows U.S. visa holders living in the country to open accounts in person at a financial center. You need your ITIN, a primary photo ID such as a foreign passport or a consular identification card from Mexico, Guatemala, Colombia, or the Dominican Republic, and both your foreign and local addresses.³

Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo accepts an SSN or ITIN for online and in-branch account openings. Non-U.S. citizens without either can provide a government-issued ID showing nationality or residence. Wells Fargo also accepts consular cards from Colombia, Guatemala, and Mexico, along with a secondary form of ID. If neither ID includes your physical address, you’ll need separate proof of address such as a utility bill.⁴

JPMorgan Chase

Chase states that non-residents without an SSN can apply with an ITIN as a substitute. The bank accepts a driver’s license, passport, Matricula Consular card, student ID with photo, or U.S. employment authorization card.⁵

Citibank

Citi accepts an SSN or ITIN. Nonresident aliens who have neither must provide two different forms of government-issued ID.⁶

Credit Unions

Many community and regional credit unions accept ITINs for both deposit accounts and loans. The CFPB recommends visiting different banks and credit unions to compare what identification each accepts, since policies vary by institution.²

Digital Platforms Are Often More Flexible

If you’d rather skip a branch visit, fintech platforms handle verification remotely and sometimes accept a wider range of documents than traditional banks.

Wise (formerly TransferWise) accepts an SSN or ITIN for U.S.-based transfers and card orders. If neither number works through their system, Wise offers an alternative verification path using a government-issued ID and a selfie photo.⁷

Revolut supports several identification documents for U.S.-based accounts, including a non-U.S. passport paired with a visa, a permanent resident card, an employment authorization document, a consular identification card, or a state-issued ID. Each document must be valid for at least three more months.⁸

The verification process is done entirely through the app. You upload photos of your identification, complete a facial recognition check, and wait a few days for approval. A debit card ships to your address once you’re verified. This route works well if you’ve just arrived in the country and don’t yet have a local address history that a traditional branch would recognize.

Why the Law Allows It

The Customer Identification Program rule at 31 CFR 1020.220 requires banks to verify four things before opening an account: your name, date of birth, address, and an identification number. For non-U.S. persons, that identification number can be a taxpayer identification number (including an ITIN), a passport number with country of issuance, an alien identification card number, or any other government-issued document number that shows nationality or residence and includes a photograph. So when a bank accepts your passport in place of an SSN, it isn’t making an exception. It’s following the regulation.¹

The regulation also requires that any government-issued identification be unexpired. An expired passport or outdated visa is the fastest way to be turned away.¹

What to Bring Beyond Your Primary ID

Whichever institution you choose, come prepared with more than a single document.

Proof of address, such as a utility bill, signed lease, or school enrollment letter in your name. Wells Fargo requires this when neither of your IDs shows your current address.⁴
A second form of ID. Some banks require two. This can be another government-issued document, a student ID, or an employee ID card.
Both your foreign and local addresses. Bank of America, for example, asks for your permanent foreign address alongside your current U.S. address.³

Check every document before you go. Everything should be current, unexpired, and match the name and address on the other papers you’re bringing.

Getting an ITIN If You Want One

An Individual Taxpayer Identification Number is the most widely accepted SSN substitute across banks, credit unions, and fintech platforms. The IRS issues this nine-digit number to people who need a U.S. taxpayer identification number for federal tax purposes but aren’t eligible for an SSN.⁹

To apply, file IRS Form W-7 along with a federal income tax return (Form 1040 or 1040-NR) and documents proving your foreign status and identity. Leave the SSN field blank on the tax return. A passport is the only standalone identity document the IRS accepts; every other document must be submitted in combination with a second one.¹⁰

Processing normally takes about seven weeks. During tax season (January 15 through April 30) or if you apply from overseas, expect nine to eleven weeks.⁹ If you need a bank account before then, check whether your preferred bank will accept a passport number on its own. Many will.

How the Account Opening Actually Goes

At a traditional bank, start with an in-person branch visit. Bring your identification, proof of address, and any secondary ID. A banker reviews your documents, has you sign account agreements, and usually activates the account the same day. Some banks take a few business days to finalize their review before issuing an account number.

With a digital platform, download the app and go to the identity verification section. You’ll photograph your documents and complete a selfie or short video for facial recognition. Approval usually lands within one to three days, and a debit card ships to your address afterward.

If One Bank Says No, Try Another

Don’t take a single rejection as the final answer. The CFPB recommends comparing institutions because each one sets its own internal policies within the federal framework. A bank that insists on an ITIN might turn you away while a credit union a few blocks over accepts your passport. Persistence matters more than a perfect first application.²

1
eCFR. 31 CFR 1020.220 – Customer Identification Program Requirements for Banks
2
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Can I Get a Checking Account Without a Social Security Number or Driver’s License
3
Bank of America. Applying for Bank Accounts Frequently Asked Questions
4
Wells Fargo. What You’ll Need to Open an Everyday Checking Account
5
Chase. How to Open a U.S. Bank Account for Non-Residents
6
Citi. Opening a Business Bank Account: What to Bring
7
Wise. Getting Verified in the US
8
Revolut. Identity Verification Requirements
9
Internal Revenue Service. Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN)
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Internal Revenue Service. How to Apply for an ITIN