Respondida el septiembre de 2026

You can pursue a U.S. bank account while living abroad through a qualifying remote program such as East West Bank’s Velo, while other options depend on an upcoming move or a U.S. visit.

“Where can I open a US bank account as a non-resident and non-citizen who is not currently living in the US?”

Resumen

You do not need to become a U.S. citizen or resident just to satisfy the federal bank-identification rule. The hard part is finding a bank whose actual account terms fit your documents, location, and plans—not meeting a universal immigration-status requirement.

Your practical route depends on whether you will remain abroad, are relocating for work or study, or can visit the United States.

East West Bank Velo Global Checkingstay abroad

If you will stay abroad, this is the clearest identified remote U.S.-bank option, subject to Velo’s accepted locations and documents. Its published list covers specified Chinese, Hong Kong, and Taiwanese identity-document combinations; an Indian PAN card is limited to the approved professional-employer referral route; it also lists a U.S. SSN option. You apply remotely, fund at least $25,000, and pay a $300 opening fee. (East West Bank, https://www.velobank.com/en/products/global-checking.html and https://www.velobank.com/en/products/global-checking/factsheet.html.)

City National Bank expatriate bankingwork relocation

If an employer is relocating you to the United States, City National Bank describes opening an account remotely before arrival. Its process asks for your current-address evidence, passport copy, and employment verification or assignment letter; start by emailing cbbteam@cnb.com with your name, telephone number, and email address. This is a relocation route, not an offer established for every person who intends to remain abroad. (City National Bank, https://www.cnb.com/content/dam/cnb/personal-banking/media/City-National-Bank-Expatriate-Banking.pdf.)

Zolve before a planned movemoving soon

If you are moving to the United States and can meet its bank agreement’s -or- requirement, Zolve advertises online prearrival opening through FDIC-member Continental Bank. Its agreement, rather than the passport-only advertising, governs: you must activate by location verification while in the United States and provide proof of a U.S. mailing address within 120 days after activation. It is not a fully usable, indefinite stay-abroad account. (https://partners.zolve.com/; https://static.zolve.com/pdf/Zolve%20CB%20Deposit%20Agreement%20Final.pdf.)

Bank of America during a U.S. visitafter arrival

If you can come to a U.S. financial center, Bank of America’s international-professional process describes applying in person with a foreign residential address, a U.S. mailing address, and two unexpired forms of identification; it says an SSN is not required. This does not let you complete the application while you remain abroad. (Bank of America, https://info.bankofamerica.com/en/international/professional-bank-account.html.)

Zenus personal accountdiscontinued

Do not rely on older Zenus opening instructions: the bank announced its retail banking platform would be discontinued on October 22, 2025. (Zenus, https://zenus.com/newsroom/zenus-bank-announces-strategic-shift-to-focus-on-fintech-services.)

Wise as a U.S. bank-account substitutenot a bank

Wise may provide U.S.-dollar payment details, but Wise explicitly says its account is not a bank account. Use it only if payment functionality, rather than a U.S. bank deposit account, meets your needs. (Wise, https://wise.com/us/account/usd-account.)

Federal identification rules do not impose a blanket U.S.-citizenship, U.S.-residence, or SSN requirement; each bank still applies its own eligibility and verification rules. (31 CFR 1020.220(a)(2)(i)(A)(3)–(4).)

Leer la explicación completa

Watch out for

A passport can satisfy the federal rule, but not every bank’s policyFederal customer-identification rules permit a non-U.S. person’s passport number and country of issuance as identification; they do not require every bank to accept a passport-only application. For example, Zolve’s deposit agreement requires an or to open its account, despite passport-only language in its advertising. (31 CFR 1020.220(a)(2)(i)(A)(4); Zolve Continental Bank Deposit Agreement, §31.)

A prearrival account may not remain usable abroadZolve’s agreement says activation requires location verification while you are physically in the United States. Within 120 days after activation, you must provide proof of a valid U.S. mailing address or risk a frozen or closed account. Do not choose it as a permanent abroad-only solution. (Zolve Continental Bank Deposit Agreement, account-activation and address provisions.)

Budget for Velo’s opening costsVelo requires at least $25,000 to fund Global Checking and deducts a $300 opening fee from the deposit; its published schedule also lists a $25 monthly fee unless its balance-waiver conditions are met. Its remote application is limited to its accepted identification and locations, not every person abroad. (East West Bank, Velo Global Checking product page and fact sheet.)

Old Zenus advice and Wise details are misleadingZenus announced that its retail banking platform would end on October 22, 2025, so older account-opening pages are not a current personal-bank route. Wise says its account is not a bank account, even if you can obtain U.S.-dollar payment details. (Zenus, July 22, 2025 announcement; Wise, USD account page.)

Próximos pasos

Match your documents and plans to an account route before paying a fee or arranging a U.S. visit.

Before applying

Identify your stay-abroad or relocation route

For an account you intend to use while remaining abroad, start with East West Bank Velo’s published eligibility at https://www.velobank.com/en/products/global-checking.html. If an employer is sending you to the U.S., use City National Bank’s prearrival process instead; if you will visit, Bank of America describes an in-person route. Federal rules accept a non-U.S. person’s passport number and country of issuance as an identification method, but each account has additional terms. (31 CFR 1020.220(a)(2)(i)(A)(4); the cited bank materials.)

Requisitos

Your current country and residential address

Your passport and other government identification

If relocating for work, an employer assignment or verification letter

While outside the U.S.

Apply remotely through the route you qualify for

For Velo, begin at https://www.velobank.com/en/products/global-checking.html or its application link https://www.eastwestbank.com/en/forms/apply-in-app; its fact sheet allows 60 days for the $25,000 initial deposit, and the bank deducts a $300 opening fee. For City National Bank, email cbbteam@cnb.com with your name, phone number, and email address to begin its expatriate process. For a planned move, Zolve advertises online opening at https://partners.zolve.com/, but do not assume its passport-only advertisement waives the deposit agreement’s SSN-or-ITIN term. (The issuers’ pages and Continental Bank/Zolve Deposit Agreement.)

Requisitos

For Velo, accepted identity documents and at least $25,000 for initial funding

For City National Bank, proof of current address, passport copy, and employer verification or assignment letter

For Zolve, an SSN or ITIN under the deposit agreement and a planned U.S. move

After entering the U.S.

Complete Zolve’s arrival requirements if you chose it

Activate through the Zolve mobile application while physically in the United States. Supply the bank proof of your valid U.S. mailing address within 120 days after activation; the agreement says failure may freeze or terminate the account. This step is not satisfied by opening the application from abroad. (Continental Bank/Zolve Deposit Agreement, https://static.zolve.com/pdf/Zolve%20CB%20Deposit%20Agreement%20Final.pdf.)

Requisitos

Ability to complete location verification physically in the U.S.

Proof of a valid U.S. mailing address

If you can travel to the U.S.

Book an in-person Bank of America appointment if needed

Use Bank of America’s international-professional page at https://info.bankofamerica.com/en/international/professional-bank-account.html to arrange a financial-center appointment. The bank says an SSN is not required, but its described process requires the appointment and the listed address and identification documents; it does not provide a completed-from-abroad alternative. (Bank of America, International Professional Banking.)

Requisitos

Foreign residential address and U.S. mailing address

Two unexpired forms of identification, such as the foreign identification described on the bank’s page

Ability to visit a U.S. financial center

Fuentes legales

This answer draws on federal bank-identification and FDIC rules, plus the banks’ own account materials, Zolve’s deposit agreement, and the providers’ published notices.

31 CFR 1020.220

The federal identification rule asks for an individual’s residential or business street address, rather than specifying a U.S. street address.

31 CFR 1020.220

(a)(2)(i)(A)(3)

For an individual, a residential or business street address;

Resumen

Watch out for

Próximos pasos

Fuentes legales

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