US Bank Accounts and Credit Cards for Non-Residents

Opening a US bank account as a non-resident is absolutely possible. The key is:

1. Choosing the right route (personal vs business, online vs in-person)

2. Preparing the right documents (passport, driver’s licence, proof of address, tax ID)

1. Start With Your Goal

Before anything else, be clear about why you want a US bank account.

A. Business use

You want to:

• Run a US LLC or corporation

• Receive money from US clients, Stripe, PayPal, Amazon, Upwork, etc.

• Pay suppliers, software tools, or freelancers from a proper business account

In this case, your best route is usually a US LLC + EIN + Mercury/Relay.

B. Personal use

You want to:

• Hold USD safely

• Get paid personally in USD

• Use a US debit card while travelling or shopping online

Here you can look at personal accounts (some remote, some in-person at big banks).

C. Future credit / deeper footprint

You eventually want:

• US credit cards

• A small but real US credit history

For that, you’ll likely need a US bank account first, then an ITIN.

Keep your main goal in mind as you read; it will decide which path makes sense.

2. The Core Documents Banks Expect

Although each bank publishes its own list, if you look at several big players (like Bank of America, Chase, PNC) and fintechs like Mercury, Relay, you see the same pattern.

As a non-resident, you should be ready with four things:

2.1 Identity documents

Most institutions will want:

• Passport

  • Foreign passport with photo, valid and unexpired

• Driver’s licence or second photo ID

  • Can be a foreign driver’s licence, US driver’s licence, national ID, student ID, consular card, etc.

Think of it as:

Primary ID: Passport
Secondary ID: Driver’s licence (or other government photo ID)

Some banks will accept two “primary” IDs instead, but passport + driver’s licence is the cleanest combo.

2.2 Proof of address

You usually need at least one document that shows:

• Your name, and

• A street address (US and/or foreign – depends on the bank and account type)

Commonly accepted documents include:

• Utility bill – including mobile phone or internet service

• Bank statement

• Lease / rental agreement (must still be active, not expired)

• Pay stub or employer’s pay slip

• Insurance bill or statement – auto or medical

• US driver’s licence (if it shows your address and is unexpired)

From Relay’s guidance and similar policies:

• Address documents should be current – usually no older than 6 months

• Leases must still be in force (for example, a 12-month lease from 10 months ago is fine; a finished lease is not)

If you have a recent utility / mobile / internet bill, you’re already in a strong position. That’s the easiest and most widely accepted proof.

2.3 Address type rules

Most compliant banks and fintechs require a real, physical street address. For example, Relay clearly says they do not accept:

• PO Boxes

• Virtual mailboxes

• Mailbox rental services (UPS Store, Pack & Ship, etc.)

For business banking:

• You can often use a Registered Agent address as the business address

• But each owner still needs to provide a personal residential address with proof (utility bill, bank statement, etc.)

• A Registered Agent address cannot be used as your personal home address

For personal banking (your own individual account), expect the bank to want a residential address in your name, not just a registered agent or mail forwarding service.

2.4 Tax identification number

Because bank accounts can pay interest (taxable income), US banks usually want some kind of tax ID on file:

• SSN – for US citizens and many residents

• ITIN – for non-residents who don’t qualify for SSNs

In practice, for non-residents:

• Some will accept ITIN instead of SSN

• A few will allow you to open first and add a tax ID later

If you want to be fully prepared – especially for bigger banks and for credit cards later – it’s smart to plan for an ITIN at some point.

3. Business Banking Route

If your main goal is running a business, the cleanest pathway looks like this:

1. Form a US LLC or corporation

2. Get an EIN (Employer Identification Number)

3. Open a business bank account with Mercury and/or Relay

3.1 Why Mercury and Relay are ideal for non-residents

• 100% online application

• US account and routing numbers

• Built to integrate with Stripe, PayPal, marketplaces, ad platforms and accounting tools

• Modern, clean dashboards and virtual cards

• Funds held via US FDIC-insured banks

For Relay specifically, remember:

• Proof-of-address documents must be current (within 6 months)

• Only physical street addresses are allowed (no PO Boxes/virtual mailboxes)

• A Registered Agent address is allowed for the business, but each owner still needs a separate residential address with proof

3.2 Where House of Bookkeepers helps

US tax and banking rules are not built for foreigners, so it’s easy to make mistakes.

House of Bookkeepers can:

• Obtain an EIN for your company – even if you have no SSN

• Help you later apply for an ITIN if needed

• Make sure the data on your LLC, EIN forms and bank applications match, so Mercury/Relay onboarding goes smoothly

You still supply the core documents:

Passport + Driver’s Licence + Utility/Mobile/Internet Bill (or similar)

…but they take care of the IRS and bank-side technicalities.

4. Personal US Banking as a Non-Resident

If you want a personal account (not just business):

4.1 Remote vs in-person

You generally have two options:

1. Remote personal / international accounts

   • Some large institutions let non-residents open certain brokerage or international accounts online

   • Typically require:

     • Passport

     • Home-country tax ID

     • Foreign proof of address

   • Good if you want a serious US account and card without flying to the US

2. In-person accounts at big banks

   • You visit a branch in the US (e.g. New York, Miami, etc.)

   • You take:

     • Passport

     • Driver’s licence or second ID

     • Proof of address (often a US address: utility bill, lease, pay stub, etc.)

     • Opening deposit

     • Sometimes a tax ID (SSN, ITIN, or foreign tax ID depending on their policy)

Regardless of route, the identity + address + tax ID trio is the same pattern you saw above.

5. ITIN and Credit Cards

Once you have a US bank account, you might start thinking about US credit cards.

Most major issuers like to see:

• A US tax ID – for non-residents, that means an ITIN

• A US bank relationship – an account where you already keep money

Getting an ITIN

You can use House of Bookkeepers to:

• Prepare and file an ITIN application correctly

• Advise what documentation you actually need

• Match your ITIN with your banking and business details for future use

First Credit Card and Building Credit History

The first time you apply for a credit card in the US:

• You will probably have no US credit history.

• You may need to start with a secured credit card, where:

  • You deposit an amount equal to the credit limit (e.g. deposit USD 1,000 for a USD 1,000 limit).

After 6–12 months of responsible use:

• You will have built a basic US credit score.

• You can then:

  • Apply for better reward cards, or

  • Ask the bank to convert your secured card to a normal unsecured card.

6. Quick Non-Resident Checklist

Here’s a condensed action list you can literally tick off:

Core documents to prepare

• ✅ Valid passport (with photo)

• ✅ Valid driver’s licence or second government photo ID

• ✅ Proof of residential address in your name, preferably:

  • Utility bill (mobile phone or internet service counts)

  • Or recent bank statement / active lease / pay stub / insurance bill

  • Dated within the last 6 months

• ✅ Your home-country tax ID

• ⬜ ITIN (optional at first, very helpful later)

If your goal is business banking

1. Form a US LLC

2. Ask House of Bookkeepers to get your EIN (and later ITIN if needed)

3. Apply for business accounts with Mercury and/or Relay using:

   • Passport

   • Driver’s licence

   • Recent utility/mobile/internet bill or similar

   • LLC documents + EIN

4. Use those accounts to receive client payments, connect Stripe/PayPal, and run your business in USD.

If your goal is a personal account

1. Decide: remote account vs in-person US bank visit

2. Prepare:

   • Passport

   • Driver’s licence

   • Suitable proof of address (utility/mobile/internet bill is best)

   • Any tax ID the bank requires (foreign tax number, and ITIN if needed)

3. Open and fund the account; later add ITIN if you plan to apply for credit cards.

In short:

• If you can put your hands on three things – passport, driver’s licence, and a recent utility/mobile/internet bill in your name – you’ve already cleared the biggest documentation hurdle.

• Combine that with a US LLC, EIN, and help from House of Bookkeepers, and you’re ready for Mercury and Relay on the business side.

• Add an ITIN when you’re ready for credit cards, and your non-resident US banking setup becomes both powerful and long-term.

7. Quick Strategy Summary

Here is a fast way to choose your path:

If you want:

• Cheapest USD transfers and simple balances →
  👉 Open a Wise account.

• Online business banking for a US LLC →
  👉 Set up a US LLC, then apply to Mercury or Relay.

• A serious, insured personal US account without travelling →
  👉 Open a Charles Schwab International Brokerage Account.

• A relationship with a big brand-name US bank →
  👉 Travel to the US and open an account in person at Chase, Bank of America, Citi, Wells Fargo or PNC, using the “play the numbers game” approach.

• US credit cards and long-term financial footprint →
  👉 Get an ITIN, then apply for credit cards through banks where you already hold accounts.
  👉 Start with a secured card if necessary.

 

It took a lot of trial, error and research to gather all of this. Many people charge high fees for partial information. With this structured overview, you should have a clear, realistic roadmap to opening US bank accounts and accessing US credit cards as a non-resident — safely and legally.