International Student and Scholar Services

Opening a Bank Account

Once you arrive in the US, you may choose to open a bank account.

U.S. financial institutions are required to verify the identity of every person who opens a bank account. Each bank may determine its own Customer Identification Program (CIP) requirements, however the U.S. Department of Treasury regulations requires all banks must, at minimum, require proof of the following:

• Your name
• Your date of birth
• Your street address (no P.O. Boxes permitted)
• An identification number, such as one of the following:
  • Social Security number (SSN)
  • Passport number and country of issuance
  • Alien identification card number
  • Number and country of issuance of any other government-issued document proving nationality or residence and bearing a photograph or similar safeguard

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