Personal experience: how to make a bank card in the US to a foreigner

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In the US, we moved in on Friday, May 26. Three weeks have not yet passed, so the social security card with the all-powerful SSN (social security number) and the more so the green card has not been sent yet. The SSN should have been sent to the specified postal address only within 6 weeks after entering the country, and the green cards went to our 24 day. In such conditions, not every bank is ready to commit a terrible and open an account and accept cash from people without a number.

But still such are, for example, Wells fargo bank. One of the branches is conveniently located within walking distance. The branch itself did not inspire me with any confidence. The steps leading to the main entrance were decorated with tiles with a yellow pattern resembling Mexican hats. The name of the bank is made in canary-yellow letters on the background of the color of not quite ripe cherries. It was not a surprise to work in that department with an Armenian woman, but this is not surprising, since the Armenian diaspora settled in the vicinity of Los Angeles.

After logical questions about the appointment of the account and our plans with the participation of the bank, the girl retired, as it turned out, to invite a senior manager. They were very concerned about the question of when we would leave the country, although I do not understand how important this is for them.

After this, the personal banker began filling out a form in the bank’s database, along the way asking many questions about work, qualifications, and salary. As a result, having learned that our temporary housing was not in Burbank, they refused to open an account and recommended that we contact the branch near the house we rented. This is such a strange place, it’s obvious that it’s not for nothing that all the steps are wearing “hats”.

In the Monterey Park branch where we now live, the bank was “Chinese”, at least its name was duplicated in hieroglyphs.

After a brief inquiry, we were never opened an account, because the housing is temporary and there is no SSN. And housing (not a hotel and not airbnb) can not be removed until no social security number or some American document. Such a vicious circle.

But in the end the “Chinese” branch Bank of America agreed to open an account without long-term housing and SSN. They were ready to do without it temporarily, but hoped that we would give them all these data when they were at our disposal.

I can not help but show the brochure from the bank.

It should be noted that there is an additional sheet, where they write that in the future all contacts with the bank will have to be in English. Among the abundance of “Sino-Arabic” writing, one can also find the Russian language.

Filling all profiles took 15 minutes. An employee of the bank openly filled out the data, and some even offered to enter on their own to avoid mistakes. Immediately, we were given a temporary card with no name and surname, only with a number, but within two weeks we had to receive a personalized mail.

To deposit cash into your account, you need to use an ATM. You can put as many as 40 bills in the box at one time - a note to fresh American immigrants with cash savings.

You can deposit money into your account without leaving your car. ATM for motorists! Indeed, why waste parking spaces on those who want to quickly chat with an ATM, if you can simply organize a convenient place without leaving the car. Five minutes - and the issue with the ATM is resolved.

Photo medium.com/@aqisfm

And a tiny interesting fact: local ATMs accept checks. This is very cool for a man who first touched a bank check in 30 years. Well, a warning so as not to slip checks in envelopes is extremely touching:

Published with permission the author.

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